Can an EB-1C petition be denied for a mid-level managerial role?

Yes, it is a real risk. EB-1C is the category designed for executives and managers at multinational companies who hold senior-level positions, with the authority to make strategic decisions and shape the direction of the organization. A role classified as purely intermediate management may fall outside that scope and lead to a denial.

The evaluation focuses less on the job title and more on the actual content of the role. What the USCIS examines is the company’s structure and the candidate’s effective function: whether they exercise broad management authority, with decision-making power and responsibility over policies and teams, or whether they merely oversee day-to-day operational tasks.

For this reason, two positions sharing the same managerial title can have very different outcomes. What matters is demonstrating, with solid documentation, that the role carries genuine executive or managerial scope — not the limited supervision typical of an intermediate level.

Because each case is reviewed individually by USCIS, it is worth confirming the current requirements and reviewing the job description with a specialist before filing, in order to reduce the risk of denial.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.