Changing jobs during NIW adjustment: do you need Form I-485 Supplement J?
If your adjustment application is based on an ordinary EB-2 national interest waiver (NIW), USCIS guidance says you do not need Form I-485 Supplement J when changing jobs. USCIS clarified this in a technical update dated January 10, 2025. It explains that applicants whose immigrant petitions are based on a national interest waiver can be eligible for job portability under INA 204(j). The waiver means they do not have to confirm a specific job offer using Supplement J.
Check which petition supports your I-485
Start with the I-140 decision and I-485 receipt. Identify which immigrant petition actually supports the pending adjustment application. If you have more than one petition, or have requested a transfer of the underlying basis, review that record before applying the NIW guidance. A separate physician NIW can involve different obligations. Confirm the category and applicable requirements before making a change.
The 180-day rule concerns eligibility for portability under specified conditions. A pending I-140 and a pending I-485 are different procedural stages, and reaching 180 days does not grant work authorization. Check which application is pending, the relevant dates and your current authorization separately.
Keep evidence that the proposed work continues
USCIS may ask whether you continue to work in the area or field that forms the basis of your immigrant visa eligibility. Compare the work described in your filed petition with your intended duties, projects and field after the change. Record the facts that connect them, and identify any substantial differences for professional review.
For example, a researcher may move to another organisation while continuing related work. The new job description and project documents can help show how the work connects to the filed endeavor. A substantially different plan warrants a review of the original filing and current status before relying on it for adjustment.
What to collect before a review
Keep the I-140 filing and decision, the I-485 receipt, any request to transfer the basis, the current and proposed job descriptions, and documents showing your employment authorization. Ask an appropriate U.S. immigration professional to confirm which rules apply and what evidence may be needed. 卓越移民 Premiervisa Group can help organise the file and identify questions for that review.
Sources checked 11 November 2026
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