Republic of the Philippines vs United States of America
A neutral side-by-side of immigration systems, routes and regulators. Each row links to the underlying visa page with its primary government source.
Last reviewed:
Republic of the Philippines
The Bureau of Immigration, under the Department of Justice, administers most visas in the Philippines, while the Philippine Retirement Authority runs the well-known Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV). Headline routes include the 9G pre-arranged employment visa (paired with a Department of Labor and Employment work permit), the 13A non-quota immigrant visa by marriage, the SRRV and investor routes (SIRV, SVEG), and a Digital Nomad Visa established by Executive Order in 2025.
- Official portal
- Bureau of Immigration (Philippines)
- Languages
- Filipino, English
- Currency
- Philippine peso
United States of America
The US issues nonimmigrant visas (H-1B, L-1, O-1, F-1, J-1) and immigrant visas (employment-based EB-1 through EB-5, family-based, diversity). Policy touchpoints span USCIS, DOS consulates, DOL (for PERM/LCA), and executive-branch proclamations that can shift overnight.
- Official portal
- U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- Languages
- English (de facto)
- Currency
- United States dollar
How Republic of the Philippines and United States of America differ
| Dimension | Republic of the Philippines | United States of America |
|---|---|---|
| Total routes covered | 8 | 14 |
| Routes without employer sponsor | 6 | 5 |
| Routes leading to permanent residence | 5 | 6 |
| Typical full settlement timeline | — | Arrival on H-1B (3 years) → PERM + I-140 (1-2 years) → I-485 / Green Card (current for most categories, 7-15+ years for India EB-2) → citizenship at PR+5 years. |
| Dominant skilled visa | 9(G) Pre-Arranged Employment Visa | H-1B Specialty Occupation |
| Skilled visa salary minimum | — | US$62,000/year |
| Skilled visa processing time | — | H-1B I-129 petitions commonly take 2–8 months at USCIS service centers; Premium Processing ($2,965) resolves within 15 business days. |
| Skilled visa government fees | — | A single initial H-1B petition costs around $3,600 in USCIS filing fees for a standard employer, excluding premium processing and the separate consular visa fee. |
| Official languages | Filipino, English | English (de facto) |
| Currency | Philippine peso | United States dollar |
| Primary regulator | IBP | State bars |
| Policy changes (last 12 months) | 0 | 1 |
Skilled-route head-to-head
Comparing each country’s most-used skilled-migration route side by side.
Republic of the Philippines
9(G) Pre-Arranged Employment Visa
- Salary minimum
- —
- Government fees
- —
- Processing time
- —
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- No
United States of America
H-1B Specialty Occupation
- Salary minimum
- US$62,000/year
- Government fees
- A single initial H-1B petition costs around $3,600 in USCIS filing fees for a standard employer, excluding premium processing and the separate consular visa fee.
- Processing time
- H-1B I-129 petitions commonly take 2–8 months at USCIS service centers; Premium Processing ($2,965) resolves within 15 business days.
- Sponsor required
- Yes
- Leads to settlement
- No
Recent policy activity
Last 6 months. Each entry links to its primary government source.
- 12 January 2026United States of America
US: premium processing rises to $2,965 and H-1B moves to wage-weighted selection
Two USCIS changes land for the FY2027 H-1B season: the Form I-907 premium-processing fee rises with inflation, and cap-subject H-1B selection switches from a random lottery to a wage-weighted process.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services →
Routes unique to Republic of the Philippines
Routes unique to United States of America
Visa routes side by side
Republic of the Philippines (8)
9(G) Pre-Arranged Employment Visa
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Granted in line with the employment contract, commonly for periods of one to three years and renewable.
13(A) Non-Quota Immigrant Visa by Marriage
Sponsor · To settlement · Probationary for the first year, then permanent on conversion once the marriage is confirmed subsisting.
Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV)
No sponsor · To settlement · Indefinite stay with multiple-entry privileges while the qualifying deposit and conditions are maintained.
Special Investor's Resident Visa (SIRV)
No sponsor · To settlement · Probationary on issue, then indefinite stay for as long as the qualifying investment is maintained.
Special Visa for Employment Generation (SVEG)
No sponsor · To settlement · Resident status with multiple-entry privileges while the qualifying enterprise and employment continue.
Digital Nomad Visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Designed for up to about one year, renewable once, subject to the implementing rules.
9(A) Temporary Visitor Visa
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Short initial stay on entry, extendable in increments up to the maximum allowed for temporary visitors.
Quota Immigrant Visa (Section 13)
No sponsor · To settlement · Permanent residence once granted, subject to maintaining status.
United States of America (14)
H-1B Specialty Occupation
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Initial 3 years; extendable to 6 years (longer with approved I-140).
L-1A Intracompany Transferee (Executive or Manager)
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Initial 3 years (1 year for new-office L-1A); extendable to 7 years total.
L-1B Intracompany Transferee (Specialised Knowledge)
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Initial 3 years (1 year for new-office L-1B); extendable to 5 years total.
O-1 Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to 3 years initially; 1-year extensions available indefinitely.
EB-1A Extraordinary Ability (Immigrant)
No sponsor · To settlement · Permanent residence (green card).
EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW)
No sponsor · To settlement · Permanent residence.
EB-3 Skilled, Professional, and Other Workers
Sponsor · To settlement · Permanent residence.
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
No sponsor · To settlement · Conditional 2-year residence leading to unconditional permanent residence.
E-2 Treaty Investor
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Initial up to 2 years at port of entry (5-year visa stamp for many nationalities); renewable indefinitely.
F-1 Student Visa (with OPT and STEM OPT)
No sponsor · Non-settlement · Duration of study (D/S); OPT up to 12 months; STEM OPT extension up to 24 additional months.
J-1 Exchange Visitor
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Program-dependent: from weeks (intern) to up to 5 years (research scholar).
TN USMCA Professionals (Canada & Mexico)
Sponsor · Non-settlement · Up to 3 years; renewable indefinitely while activity continues.
K-1 Fiancé(e) of US Citizen
Sponsor · To settlement · Single-entry 6 months; must marry within 90 days of entry.
Spouse of US Citizen or Green Card Holder (IR1/CR1 & F2A)
Sponsor · To settlement · Permanent residence (conditional 2-year CR1 converts to 10-year card via I-751).
Frequently asked questions
Which country has an easier skilled-migration route, Republic of the Philippines or United States of America?+
Republic of the Philippines’s 9(G) Pre-Arranged Employment Visa is the dominant skilled route; United States of America’s H-1B Specialty Occupation requires US$62,000/year. “Easier” depends on your salary, sponsor situation, and nationality — see each visa’s eligibility detail.
Which immigration system has changed more recently, Republic of the Philippines or United States of America?+
In the last 6 months: 0 logged policy changes for Republic of the Philippines, 1 for United States of America. See the recent-policy section above for the details, each linked to its primary source.
Does Republic of the Philippines or United States of America have more visa routes without an employer sponsor?+
Republic of the Philippines has more: 6 of its covered routes can be pursued without an employer sponsor, against 5 for United States of America. No-sponsor routes — such as digital-nomad, self-employment, and points-based skilled migration — matter most if you do not yet have a job offer.