Definition and Eligibility
A "Permanent Resident" of the United States is someone who has been lawfully admitted into the United States or has adjusted status as a "lawful permanent resident" (or "green card" holder). Applications for U.S. permanent residency are made on a United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) form called an "Immigrant Petition," and generally will be "employment-based" or "family-based." A U.S. employer can file employment-based immigrant petitions based on an offer of permanent, full-time employment. "Permanent," as defined by regulations (8 CFR 204.5 (i)(2)), means "either tenured, tenure-track, or for a term of indefinite or unlimited duration, and in which the employee will ordinarily have an expectation of continued employment unless there is good cause for termination." The petitioning typically entails a specific recruitment process and submission of extensive and time-intensive petitions/applications to one or more federal agencies for adjudication. For more detailed information on permanent residency, see the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website. Morehouse School of Medicine will sponsor employees for permanent residence at the request of the department chairperson and if the position is considered permanent, with a minimum of three years' funding supporting the position.