Switching a job after I-485 approval

pachanga

Registered Users (C)
After I-485 approval, how long in general will one have to stick with his or her current job? I have heard that one needs to remain his or her position for 6 months or more. Is this true? What would happen if one switches his or her job before 6 months?
 
I don't think you need to wait after I485 approval. It's said that you have to wait 6 months after your I485 is filed.
 
pachanga said:
After I-485 approval, how long in general will one have to stick with his or her current job? I have heard that one needs to remain his or her position for 6 months or more. Is this true? What would happen if one switches his or her job before 6 months?

There are lots of discussion about this issue in the forums here. Mr. Khanna's viewpoint is also somewhere in the forums. Apparently, many people, including Mr. Khanna, think 1 year is safe enough, and 6 mos maybe. But also note that some people have a very different opinion and say leaving the current job almost immediately after the approval poses no actual problem. If you are planning to apply for citizenship you might try to play safe. On the other hand, I feel bad about new permanent residents having to be put up with abusive/exploitative employers for another year (or even half a year) just for the sake of the safety net.. (I'm grateful that I'm not in that situation..)
 
Thanks "hanging in here". I am actually planning to apply for US citizenship in the future. My employer is not abusive (although some of managers are abusive) at all. But it is time to switch a job for me. I am not leaving my employer before 6 months from my I-485 approval date. But there is no definitive answer which confuses us.

hanging in here said:
There are lots of discussion about this issue in the forums here. Mr. Khanna's viewpoint is also somewhere in the forums. Apparently, many people, including Mr. Khanna, think 1 year is safe enough, and 6 mos maybe. But also note that some people have a very different opinion and say leaving the current job almost immediately after the approval poses no actual problem. If you are planning to apply for citizenship you might try to play safe. On the other hand, I feel bad about new permanent residents having to be put up with abusive/exploitative employers for another year (or even half a year) just for the sake of the safety net.. (I'm grateful that I'm not in that situation..)
 
I checked with another attorney today. She also mentioned that I could leave my current employer without any issue. As long as I am employed at the time of the naturalization, I should be able to naturalize myself. So I guess that we can switch a job once I-485 is approved.
 
Well, you've got a second opinion, and I think you should feel confident about your career move! I also read in the forum that in near future the CIS might be loosening some of the restrictions that GC applicants and new GC holders are now faced with (about changing empoyers).
BTW, when did you get approved? Good luck, regardless of what you will decide to do.
 
My I-485 was approved on April 19th.

BTW, I am not currently searching a new job but wanted to find whether it will be possible or not. We will never know what kind of opportunities we can capture now on.

hanging in here said:
Well, you've got a second opinion, and I think you should feel confident about your career move! I also read in the forum that in near future the CIS might be loosening some of the restrictions that GC applicants and new GC holders are now faced with (about changing empoyers).
BTW, when did you get approved? Good luck, regardless of what you will decide to do.
 
Got more information

Help me interprest words from my attorney. My attorney told me that one needs to satisfy with the list below (2 to 4).

1. There are no laws that determine how long one must stay at the sponsor (employer) after GC approval.

2. One must have had intentions to stay at the sponsor (employer) during the whole green card process.

3. One should not leave the sponsor (employer) immediately after GC approval.

4. When one decides to leave the sponsor (employer) after GC approval but not immediately after, she/he must give a reasonable explanation to the sponsor to leave.

My attorney said that I could leave my current employer now (I-485 AD: 04/19/05) without any future issue as long as I can give a reasonable explanation to my current employer. Now I question what can be a reasonable explanation. Can I just mention to my current employer that another opportunity with some future growth makes me leave them??? I interprest "a reasonable explanation" as any normal reason to leave employers (e.g. better opportunity, career growth, family matter, etc.). This is the only concern I have. As long as I can give a reasonable explanation (which I need to verify), this issue should not be my concern.

What do you think about this?

Thank you for your input.
 
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