Permanent Residency

The following is intended as a brief overview of the process of permanent residency and does not contain all relevant information. More detailed information is provided on the ISFS website under the specific category of interest.

Employment-Based Permanent Residence

International Student and Faculty Services (ISFS) provides administrative support services for employment-based permanent residence applications for OSU international faculty in permanent positions at the University. Only tenure-track academic positions or research positions designated as "permanent" and which have the full and unconditional support of the department/college are eligible for permanent residence petitions. As a general rule, the University will not support permanent residence applications for other occupational classifications; however, the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs & International Programs will consider exceptions on a case-by-case basis. Please consult OSU's Permanent Residence Policy for more information.

Before any application will be accepted for the purposes of permanent residence petitioning, the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs & International Programs must approve the request. The department should complete the sponsorship request form for Permanent Residence and forward to Charlotte Ross, Co-Director, ISFS, 444 Snell Hall. The request will be reviewed by the Vice Provost in consultation with the ISFS Co-Director. The Vice Provost must approve OSU sponsorship of the petition before ISFS may begin the permanent residence process. The University reserves the right to withhold OSU sponsorship if the applicant does not meet the necessary criteria for an employment-based petition.

Any change in employment status during the application process (reduction of percentage of time, leave of absence, change in job title or duties, or termination) could result in withdrawal of the petition.
Oregon State University will direct the permanent residence application process through ISFS. In compliance with state law, the University does not authorize outside attorneys to represent its interests. Only the Vice Provost of Academic Affairs and International Programs may sign forms related to employment-based permanent residence applications filed on behalf of the University. Scholars may hire attorneys to assist with applications for permanent residence that do not require sponsorship by the employer.

At-A-Glance: OSU Employment-Based Visa Sponsorship

The following table shows the two categories of employment-based permanent residency sponsored at Oregon State University and a brief overview of the requirements for each:

Outstanding Professor or Researcher	Nationally and internationally known in academic field Considered outstanding in 3 of 6 categories Minimum of 3 years experience in the field Must have tenured, tenure-track or comparable position Must be employed full-time
Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees	Must have teaching duties that involve classroom teaching Must have been selected through open search process Must meet prevailing wage Must meet Dept of Labor criteria for selection Must be employed full-time

Once a non-immigrant faculty member is selected for a position, the employing department should immediately contact Charlotte Ross, Co-Director, International Student and Faculty Services at (541) 737-6475. Before OSU will sponsor a non-immigrant employee for permanent residence, the request must be approved by the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs & International Programs.