Step-by-Step Guide to Proving Work Experience in the EB3 Application Package

On the journey to settling in the U.S. through employment-based immigration, preparing a complete and properly formatted EB3 application is considered the deciding factor in whether the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will approve the case. In particular, for the Skilled Workers category, the process of proving work experience often confuses many applicants due to very strict documentation requirements. This article by Newland USA will provide a step-by-step roadmap to help Vietnamese workers clearly understand how to collect, organize, and present documents that prove their work history — ultimately reducing the risk of receiving a Request for Evidence (RFE) or having their application denied.

1. Why Is Proving Experience a Critical Part of the EB3 Application?

The EB3 visa (Employment-Based Third Preference) is a U.S. immigration program for three groups: Professionals, Skilled Workers, and Unskilled (or Other) Workers. Among these three categories, proving 2 years of EB3 experience is a mandatory requirement for the Skilled Workers group and is also an area that USCIS scrutinizes very closely.

According to USCIS regulations, a skilled worker is defined as someone capable of performing a job that requires at least two years of training or hands-on experience, and the job must not be temporary or seasonal in nature. This is the key point that makes the verification process complicated, because applicants must provide specific, verifiable evidence rather than just making general claims.

An EB3 application that lacks sufficient documents proving work experience is very likely to receive an RFE notice from USCIS, extending the review timeline by several months to over a year. In worse cases, the application may be denied entirely if the evidence provided is not convincing enough.

2. What Does the EB3 Application Need to Prove Work Experience?

Before getting into the details of each step, workers need to understand the overall picture of what the EB3 application requires to prove work experience. According to official sources such as USCIS and the practices of reputable immigration law firms, the core list of documents includes:

• Employment Verification Letter from previous and current employers
• Signed labor contracts with each employer
• Social insurance contribution statements
• Original social insurance book or certified copies
• Appointment letters, transfer orders, or salary increase decisions (if available)
• Degrees, professional certificates, or vocational credentials related to the position being applied for
• Resume (CV) in English, with certified translation
• Pay slips or bank statements showing salary deposits
• Personal income tax declarations and payment receipts

In practice, what the EB3 application needs also depends heavily on the specific job requirements listed in Form ETA-9089 (Application for Permanent Employment Certification). If the position requires two years of experience, the documents proving EB3 work experience must accurately reflect that exact time period along with the corresponding job duties.

3. Step 1 – Identify the Correct Experience Requirements for the EB3 Category You’re Filing Under

Each category within the EB3 application has different requirements, so the first step is to clearly determine which group you belong to in order to avoid preparing too many or too few documents.

For the Skilled Workers category, applicants must prove 2 years of EB3 experience accumulated through actual work or an equivalent vocational training program. These two years do not need to be consecutive, but they must be in the same field or occupation that the U.S. employer is requesting.

For the Professionals category, the main requirement is a bachelor’s degree (or an equivalent foreign degree) in a field matching the job position. However, USCIS may still require documents proving EB3 work experience if the job description in the PERM states additional experience requirements.

For the Other Workers category (unskilled labor), the experience requirement is under two years or not mandatory at all. That said, applicants should still provide evidence of their prior work history to strengthen the consistency of information in their DS-260 form and interview file.

4. Step 2 – Draft the Employment Verification Letter

Among all the documents proving EB3 work experience, the Employment Verification Letter is considered the most important document with the strongest legal weight. This is also the type of document that USCIS directly requires in the Form I-140 filing instructions.

A valid verification letter must meet the following criteria:

• Printed on company letterhead: Or at minimum, it must clearly state the name, address, and title of the person signing the letter. This is a mandatory requirement per USCIS guidelines.
• Clearly state the job title and describe the duties: USCIS wants to see the actual work content, not just a job title. The description should include the main tasks and responsibilities the applicant performed.
• Clear employment dates: Including the start date, end date (if no longer employed), and average number of hours worked per week. Since 2025, USCIS has issued many RFEs related to applicants not specifying whether they worked full-time or part-time. Therefore, applicants should proactively and clearly state the nature of their employment.
• The signer must have proper authority: Typically this is a direct supervisor, head of HR, or the company’s legal representative. The signature must be an original (wet) signature, accompanied by the company seal.
• Contact information of the signer: Including the company phone number and email address so that USCIS can verify if needed.

When preparing the EB3 application, applicants should collect verification letters from all former employers going back at least three years, even if the requirement is only two years. Providing more than the minimum helps increase credibility and prepares for situations where USCIS only accepts a portion of the claimed work period.

5. Step 3 – Gather Supporting Documents to Prove EB3 Work Experience

In addition to the verification letter, documents proving EB3 work experience also include a range of supporting materials that help confirm the authenticity of the claimed work period. Specifically:

Labor contracts: Copies of contracts signed with previous employers that clearly show the position, work period, and benefits. This type of document carries strong legal value and is highly regarded by USCIS during review.

Social insurance book and contribution statements: For Vietnamese workers, the social insurance book is one of the most objective pieces of evidence reflecting actual work history. Applicants can request a full contribution history from the local Social Insurance office or through the VssID app.

Pay slips or bank statements: Monthly pay slips — especially when salary is paid via bank transfer — serve as direct financial evidence showing the applicant actually received wages from the declared employer. This type of document is very difficult to forge and is recommended by many immigration lawyers to include in the application.

Appointment letters, salary increases, and commendation letters: These documents demonstrate career progression and skill development, helping to prove 2 years of EB3 experience more convincingly.

Personal income tax declarations: Tax payment receipts or tax settlement confirmations from the Tax Authority serve as cross-verification documents that can be compared against the declared salary.

Degrees and professional certificates: For specialized trades such as construction, industrial electrical work, chef work, or nursing, vocational certificates issued by training institutions can greatly supplement the proof of skills and experience.

6. Step 4 – Handle Difficult Cases: Former Employer Closed or Refuses to Verify

A common situation in Vietnam is that workers who have changed jobs over many years may encounter cases where their former employer has dissolved, changed ownership, or refuses to sign a verification letter. In such cases, proving 2 years of EB3 experience becomes more difficult but is still manageable.

In these situations, applicants can use the following alternative approaches:

• Request a verification letter from a former colleague in a managerial position, along with a notarized copy of the signer’s ID to verify their identity.
• Collect indirect evidence such as social insurance books, old labor contracts, bank salary statements, photos taken at the workplace, or company business cards.
• Request confirmation from the tax authority or social insurance office regarding the insurance contribution and tax payment history during the employment period.
• Draft a notarized sworn statement (Affidavit) that details the work history, explains why a verification letter from the former employer cannot be obtained, and attaches supporting evidence.

Combining multiple types of alternative documents is generally accepted by USCIS, as long as the overall evidence is convincing enough regarding the work period and job content. However, applicants should consult an immigration lawyer to ensure the EB3 application submitted has a logical structure and is complete.

7. Step 5 – Certified Translation and Document Standardization

After gathering all the documents proving EB3 work experience, the next step is translation and notarization. This step is often overlooked but directly affects whether USCIS will accept the application.

According to regulations, all non-English documents submitted to USCIS must be accompanied by a full and accurate English translation performed by a certified translator. The translation must include a Certification of Translation containing the translator’s name, signature, date, and a statement certifying that the translation is a faithful and complete rendering of the original content.

Some important points to keep in mind during this step:

• Choose a reputable translation agency with experience handling U.S. immigration documents.
• Ensure consistency in proper names, company names, and addresses across different documents.
• Carefully check all dates to make sure there are no discrepancies between the original and the translated version.
• Translations of documents related to proving 2 years of EB3 experience should accurately reflect job titles and job descriptions using proper English industry terminology.

8. Step 6 – Organize and Cross-Check Information Across the Entire Application

The final step — and also the one most commonly skipped — when preparing the EB3 application is reviewing the consistency between all documents. USCIS pays special attention to matching information across Form ETA-9089, Form I-140, the DS-260 form, the CV, and all accompanying supporting documents.

Applicants should cross-check the following points:

• The employment period at each company must match across the CV, the verification letter, and the social insurance book.
• The job title on the verification letter must match or be equivalent to what was declared in the DS-260.
• The job duties described must align with the job requirements listed in the ETA-9089.
• The total number of years of experience must be sufficient and appropriate for the EB3 category being filed.

Taking the time to thoroughly review this step will help applicants feel more confident going into the interview at the U.S. Consulate and avoid complex follow-up questions from consular officers.

9. Common Mistakes When Proving 2 Years of EB3 Experience

In practice, many applicants make the following errors that cause the process of proving 2 years of EB3 experience to be delayed or run into obstacles:

• The verification letter is too vague and doesn’t specify actual job duties.
• Failing to indicate whether the employment was full-time or part-time, leading to an RFE.
• Information across documents doesn’t match (misspelled company names, incorrect dates).
• Submitting translations without proper certification.
• Missing original signatures on verification letters; only submitting low-quality scanned copies.
• Declared experience doesn’t match tax and social insurance records.

A properly prepared EB3 application requires care and attention to detail at every stage, especially the experience verification portion. Once applicants clearly understand what the EB3 application needs and prepare everything from the start, they can save a great deal of time and effort in later stages.

10. Conclusion

Proving work experience is one of the most important pillars when preparing an EB3 application for U.S. immigration. Clearly understanding what the EB3 application needs, gathering all the documents proving EB3 work experience, and strictly following regulations on translation and authentication will help applicants shorten the review timeline and increase their chances of success. For the Skilled Workers group, the process of proving 2 years of EB3 experience needs to be carried out carefully and systematically from the very first steps. An application that is transparent, consistent, and backed by thorough evidence will not only convince USCIS but also give applicants peace of mind as they begin their new journey in the United States.

Learn more:

• Working as an EB3 Auto Mechanic in the U.S. 2026: How Much Do You Actually Take Home Each Week?
• What Is a PERM Audit? Reasons EB3 Cases Get Delayed and How to Respond to the DOL
• ASE and OSHA Certifications for Auto Mechanics Under the EB3 Visa Program in the U.S. 2026
• The Medical Glove Industry in the U.S.: Market Analysis & EB3 Job Opportunities in 2026
• EB3 Skilled Workers Wait Time: Comprehensive Analysis of the Latest 2026 Movement