Most EB2 NIW petition denials do not
happen because your resume is weak. They
happen because your
proposed endeavor is unclear.
You might have strong experience, great projects, and a solid career path, but if your petition does
not clearly explain what you plan to do in the United States and why it matters, USCIS will struggle to
approve your case.
That is because the proposed endeavor is not a formality. It is the core story of your eb2 niw case. It
is the part that tells EB2 NIW USCIS officers what your future contribution will look like and
why the
United States benefits from letting you pursue it without the traditional labor certification route.
If you are a tech professional, you are in a strong position to build a compelling endeavor. The U.S.
economy depends on digital infrastructure, cybersecurity, cloud modernization, AI adoption, data
systems, and scalable product innovation. But to win eb-2 niw, you must translate your work into
an
endeavor that sounds like a mission with measurable outcomes, not a job title.
In this blog, you will learn exactly what a proposed endeavor means in EB2-NIW terms, how it connects
to the Dhanasar framework, what mistakes to avoid, and how to write your endeavor statement using a
simple, proven structure. You will also see examples tailored for tech professionals, including an EB2
NIW tech professionalexample, so you can model your own endeavor with confidence.
2. What “Proposed Endeavor” Actually Means in EB2-NIW?
A proposed endeavor is the future work you will lead in the United States, why it matters, and how you
are positioned to carry it forward. It is not a rephrased version of your resume. It is not your job
title. It is not “I plan to work for a company in the U.S.”
Think of your endeavor like a high-impact professional mission. It answers questions USCIS cares about,
such as: What problem will you solve? Who benefits from it? How does it scale? Why should the U.S. care?
And why are you the right person to do it?
A strong proposed endeavor also shows independence. That does not mean you must start a company or work
alone. It simply means your work should not be framed as dependent on one employer or one specific job
offer.
The easiest way to remember it is this: your proposed endeavor is your future impact story, written in
a way USCIS can evaluate. When your endeavor statement is clear, your EB2
NIW petition proposed endeavor
becomes structured and persuasive. When it is vague, even strong profiles become harder to approve.
3. The Biggest Mistake Tech Professionals Make
1. It’s not a Job Plan
The most common mistake is treating the endeavor like a job plan. Many applicants write something like:
“I will work as a software engineer and contribute to innovation in the U.S.”
This feels safe, but it is too generic. USCIS cannot approve a generic career intention. They need a
specific endeavor that can be evaluated against the NIW criteria. This is one of the biggest differences
in the EB2 NIW personal statement vs proposed endeavor approach. A personal statement can talk
about
your journey. But the proposed endeavor must be written like a mission that can be proven.
2. Employer-Dependency
Another common mistake is making the endeavor entirely employer-dependent. For example: “I will work at
Company X to build Product Y.” That can backfire because it narrows your endeavor to a specific role and
reduces the perception of national importance.
3. No measurable outcomes
A third mistake is writing something that sounds impressive but lacks measurable
outcomes. Terms like
“innovative,” “cutting-edge,” or “transformative” do not automatically create credibility. Weak
statement: “I will work as a software engineer.”
Strong statement: “I will improve healthcare data interoperability using secure
cloud-based pipelines
to reduce delays in patient care.”
A strong endeavor focuses on outcomes. A weak one focuses on your title.
4. How the Endeavor Support the NIW Dhanasar Framework?
To write a powerful National Interest Waiver proposed endeavor, you need to understand how USCIS
evaluates NIW. Under the Dhanasar framework, USCIS examines three prongs. A strong endeavor statement
makes these prongs easier to prove because it is designed to fit them.
Prong 1: Substantial Merit and National Importance
This is where USCIS looks at whether your work matters and whether it matters at scale.
In tech, this can include cybersecurity resilience, AI safety, healthcare modernization, infrastructure
efficiency, operational automation, or large-scale risk reduction.
Prong 2: Well-Positioned to Advance the Endeavor
This is where your background supports your future plan. USCIS looks for evidence that you have already
done work aligned with the endeavor and that you have the capability to execute it in the U.S.
This becomes the backbone of your EB2 NIW filing strategy.
Prong 3: Benefit of Waiving Labor Certification
This is where the endeavor’s independence and urgency become important.
Many applicants worry about things like eb-2 green card pause updates or long eb2 visa
processing time
wait times, but NIW approval depends on your legal argument first - especially how you justify waiving
the job offer requirement.
When you write your endeavor statement correctly, it becomes a bridge between your profile and USCIS
logic.
5. A Simple Endeavor Formula You Can Follow
Most people struggle with the proposed endeavor because they try to write it like a personal statement.
The better approach is to write it like a structured mission explanation. At EB1A Experts, we recommend
a six-part framework that keeps your endeavor clear and NIW-ready.
1. Start by describing the problem. This should be a real-world issue, not a vague theme. In
tech,
strong problems include system downtime, data fragmentation, cyber breaches, compliance failures,
unreliable deployment pipelines, or inefficient access control systems that create operational risk.
2. Next, explain the U.S. need and why it matters. This is where you connect the problem to
national importance. You do not need to make exaggerated claims. You simply need to show scale. If your
work supports healthcare outcomes, infrastructure reliability, business continuity, operational
efficiency, or risk reduction across high-impact sectors, that is often enough to establish meaningful
national relevance.
3. Then outline your proposed solution. This should be action-based. Avoid saying you will
“support” or “assist” teams. Instead, use leadership and execution language like “design,” “develop,”
“architect,” “implement,” “optimize,” or “deploy.” USCIS needs to see you as someone who drives
outcomes, not someone who simply participates
After that, specify the target sector and scope. For example, you might focus on healthcare systems,
fintech platforms, cloud-native enterprise environments, large-scale data infrastructures, or
security-sensitive industries. The goal is to show specificity without locking yourself into one
employer.
Then include measurable outcomes. This is a key part many applicants skip. Outcomes can include reduced
processing time, improved system uptime, decreased breach exposure, increased detection accuracy,
improved audit readiness, or improved workflow automation. You do not need to promise impossible
results. You simply need to show what success looks like.
Finally, include the “why you” credibility proof. This is where you briefly connect your past
experience to the endeavor. The point is to show that the endeavor is not hypothetical. It is a natural
continuation of what you have already demonstrated.
A simple template you can use is: “My proposed endeavor is to build or improve X by doing Y, resulting
in measurable impact across Z.” Then add one more sentence explaining why you are positioned to do it
based on your track record and specialized expertise.
6. Real Examples of Strong Proposed Endeavors for Tech Professionals
If you want to write a strong endeavor statement, it helps to see examples written in NIW language.
These are not meant to be copied exactly. They are meant to show the structure and level of specificity
USCIS expects, including an EB2 NIW endeavor statement sample style.
#CaseStudy1 Data Engineer:
A strong data engineer endeavor might focus on healthcare interoperability. For example, a proposed
endeavor could be to develop scalable and secure cloud-based data pipelines that enable accurate
exchange of clinical and operational data across healthcare systems. The national value would be tied to
reducing delays in decision-making, improving operational efficiency, and supporting more reliable
healthcare analytics. The measurable outcomes could include improved data reliability, improved
processing speed, and improved compliance readiness.
#CaseStudy 2 Cyber Security Engineer:
A cybersecurity engineer endeavor might focus on threat prevention and infrastructure resilience. A
proposed endeavor could be to design and deploy threat detection automation, identity risk controls, and
incident response workflows that reduce breach exposure and improve enterprise security outcomes. The
national importance would be connected to business continuity, protection of sensitive systems, and
strengthening cybersecurity readiness across high-risk sectors. Measurable outcomes could include
reduced response time, stronger monitoring capabilities, and lower vulnerability exposure.
#Case Study 3 AI and ML Engineer:
An AI and ML engineer endeavor might focus on safe deployment. A proposed endeavor could be to develop
reliable ML systems with monitoring, bias mitigation, and transparency controls that support responsible
AI adoption in real-world environments. The national value could relate to reducing operational risk,
strengthening trust in AI systems, and improving efficiency through scalable automation. Measurable
outcomes could include improved accuracy, better model governance, reduced failure rates, and compliance
alignment.
The key pattern across these examples is that the endeavor is described as a mission and impact plan.
It does not depend on one employer. It includes outcomes. It is specific enough to evaluate and broad
enough to scale.
7. How to Strengthen Your Endeavor With the Right Evidence?
Your proposed endeavor statement is only the start. USCIS will also evaluate whether your supporting
evidence proves the endeavor is real and that you are positioned to advance it. If your endeavor is
centered on cloud modernization, your documentation should include cloud projects, measurable
performance gains, infrastructure improvements, and any leadership in architectural decisions.
Recommendation letters are especially valuable when they support the endeavor directly and align with
your EB2 NIW USCIS arguments. Other strong evidence can include quantified project outcomes,
awards, patents, publications, and proof that your work influenced broader systems beyond your immediate
team. The goal is not to overwhelm USCIS with documents. The goal is to make every document support the
same clear mission.
8. A Final Checklist Before You Submit Your Endeavor
Before finalizing your proposed endeavor statement, ask yourself a few simple questions. Is it
specific, or is it generic? Does it describe future work you will lead, or does it summarize your past?
Does it show impact beyond one employer, or does it sound like a job offer plan? Does it connect to the
U.S. at scale, or is it purely personal career growth?
Also, check whether your endeavor makes the NIW prongs easy to prove. If your endeavor is unclear, you
will struggle to establish national importance. If it lacks credibility, you will struggle to show you
are well positioned. If it is employer-dependent, you will struggle to justify the waiver argument. A
strong endeavor removes friction across all three.
If your endeavor reads like a job description, rewrite it as a mission. If your endeavor lacks outcomes,
add measurable success indicators. If your endeavor does not show national relevance, connect it to a
broader U.S. need such as efficiency, infrastructure resilience, compliance, or security.
9. Closing Thoughts and What to Do Next
Your EB2-NIW proposed endeavor is not just a paragraph. It is the foundation of the entire petition. It
is the reason USCIS says “yes” or “no” beyond your credentials. A strong proposed endeavor makes your
case coherent. It makes the Dhanasar prongs easier to satisfy. It makes your evidence more persuasive.
And it positions you as someone with a valuable mission, not just a job plan. If you want, EB1A
Experts
can review your proposed endeavor and tell you if it is NIW-strong or needs rewriting before you submit
your EB2 NIW petition. This is often the fastest way to avoid vague framing, improve clarity, and
strengthen your EB2 NIW filing strategy.
10. FAQs
Q. Can my proposed endeavor be related to my job?
Yes. In most cases, your endeavor should connect to your professional expertise. The key is that it
must be framed as a scalable mission and impact narrative, not a role dependent on a single employer.
USCIS should see your value beyond one job title.
Q. Do I need to start a company for EB2-NIW?
No. You do not need to start a company to qualify for NIW. Many approved NIW petitions involve
professionals advancing their endeavors through employment, consulting, or independent initiatives. What
matters is national importance and your ability to execute.
Q. How specific should my proposed endeavor be?
Your endeavor should be specific enough to show clarity and outcomes, but broad enough to apply across
employers. Include the problem, your solution approach, and measurable results. Avoid vague statements
like “work in AI” without describing the impact.
Q. Can I change my proposed endeavor later?
Small changes and evolution are normal, but large changes can create inconsistencies in your petition
narrative. It is best to file with an endeavor that reflects your long-term direction and remains
credible even if your role or employer changes.
Q. What if my work is confidential?
You can still write a strong endeavor statement without revealing sensitive information. Focus on
describing the problem, your approach, your impact, and general metrics. USCIS needs clarity and
credibility, not proprietary details.
If you want, EB1A Experts can review your
proposed endeavor and tell you if it is NIW-strong or needs
rewriting before you file. This is often the fastest way to avoid vague framing, improve clarity, and
increase the strength of your NIW strategy.Book a call with us, right away!