I received excellence awards from my company: do they count as major prizes for the EB-1?

Generally, no. In the EB-1, the expression major prizes typically refers to awards with national or international reach, widely recognized in the field and granted by prestigious institutions. The key criterion here is visibility and external recognition.

Excellence awards granted by your own employer carry weight within the corporate environment, but they usually do not rise to the same level, because they are known only within an organizational context. What they lack is the broad recognition that characterizes a truly outstanding award.

Even so, each case is analyzed individually. Factors that may carry weight include:

• The reputation and prestige of the company granting the award.
• The impact the award had in your market or industry.
• How you document and contextualize that recognition.

It is worth gathering as much evidence of your recognition inside and outside the company as possible and verifying the updated criteria with USCIS or reviewing your case with a specialist before filing.

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.