I won an Employee of the Year trophy at our Singapore branch. Does it count as a major prize?

That trophy is unlikely to be treated as a major prize under EB-1. An Employee of the Year award given within a single branch is an internal, local recognition: genuine and positive, but limited to the company’s own context.

In the EB-1, the term major prize typically refers to honors of broad reach and worldwide prestige, the kind any professional in the field would recognize immediately, such as a Nobel Prize or an Oscar in the relevant specialty. An internal award rarely reaches that threshold on its own, but it can still contribute to your portfolio as supporting evidence.

• Treat the internal award as reinforcement, not as the central proof of distinction.
• Complement it with external recognitions of broader reach, when available.
• Document the selection criteria and the award’s relevance within your field.

Since each case is assessed as a whole, it is worth reviewing the current EB-1 criteria on the USCIS website or with a specialist to best position each recognition you hold.

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.