I am a sales manager and will be abroad for 1 year. Can I then apply for EB-1C?

Yes, in principle your time abroad can lay the groundwork for an EB-1C petition, provided a few key elements align. This category is designed for executives and managers transferred internationally and combines two requirements: a qualifying period of managerial or executive service abroad in the years preceding the petition, and a U.S. employer with a qualifying corporate relationship to the foreign company.

What typically determines the outcome is not the length of time abroad, but the nature of the role. Being a sales manager is a positive factor, but the EB-1C has its own demanding definition of managerial or executive function: the analysis looks at whether you genuinely direct the organization, a department, or a team with decision-making authority, not merely whether your title includes the word manager.

To plan ahead, it is worth focusing on these points from the start:

• That your work abroad falls within the definition of a managerial or executive role.
• That there is a U.S. employer with a qualifying corporate link (parent, branch, subsidiary, or affiliate).
• That the documentation clearly describes your responsibilities and the corporate structure of both entities.

Since each case is evaluated individually, it is worth structuring your time abroad with this goal in mind and confirming the current requirements with USCIS or a specialist before counting on the EB-1C.

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.