Hi guys,
I hope you will answer my question. I have been working in an non profit organization and my employer is very positive in filing H1B. currently, I have two options.

1. Work on OPT and extend it to another 17 months when it gets close to the expiry date and then apply for H1B.
2. Apply for H1B immediately.

For the second option, as initial H1B is valid for 3 years is similar as being in extended OPT  in total of 29 months as I just started job. My concern is if I apply for H1B now, is it possible to apply H1b and concurrently file for GC? I just want to know how long we should wait to apply for GC if we get approved for H1B?Is it a good idea to apply concurrently if my employer agrees? I know converting status from non-immigrant(F1) into immigrant status( GC) without spending few years in H1b might seem odd.  I am just exploring the options and looking at the big pictures. In addition, OPT work permit is more flexible than  H1B visa itself if considering just to work for 2-3 years.
What would you guys say about applying H1B and GC concurrently? Would that work?If not, then how long someone has to be in H1 before applying for GC? I hope answer of  this question might help somebody else who is in same boat.

Thanks again!!

 Don't step backwards my friend. If your ultimate goal is to stay in US, why do you want to work in OPT instead of filing H1B. If your employer is ready to file H1B and will not fire you soon, its better go for it. Its better you file GC within a year or so after H1B. 

Good Luck!!!

Your employer can file for green card without filing for h1-b. If you have master's degree and your job requires a master's degree you can file green card and you might get your green card within your opt extension timeframe(17 months). Labor approval are usually quick these days. or you can process both h1-b and green card simultanously. if you want to do both together, the best thing is to start your labor for green card first and then process h1b because you have to wait at least  2 months after advertising before filing labor during which you can file your h1-b. 

if you qualify under eb-2 category, i believe the best would be to file green card straight.

but if you have only bachelor's, the best thing is to go to h1-b and process green card.

hope this information helps. let me know if you have any questions.

Thank you Jangali Maanab and grad_school for quick and helpful information. Yes, I do have Master's degree in CS, but the job did not specifically require MS; just Bachelor's and some job related tools/programming languages so I am not sure if I qualify for EB2 or for direct GC filing. I would definitely research on it and talk to employer. Looks like filing for H1B and waiting 1 year or so would be a better option as I was prepared even to work in OPT for 29 months.  I would greatly appreciate if you guys have more info to share.
Thanks again my friends.
HAPPY FRIENDSHIP DAY!!!!

Why would you want to work for a year on h1b is it because of the intent of visa? I know tons of friends who got greencard when they started greencard processing when they were F1. 1 year delay in filing right now means you will get your gc 1 yr later atleast, and with the amount of time it takes for eb3 you wouldn't want to delay at all.

Thanks Anon. I don't want to wait at all. I wanted to file GC w/o applying for H1B as I will have OPT going to continuously work while the process is pending,but I may not qualify for direct GC filing or Eb2 catagory(as job required BS degree).  I said I will wait 1 year or so because I don't know how long I have to wait to apply for GC after having H1B approved? I will ask to apply for GC if I don't have to wait once I get my H1b approved. Thanks a lot. You guys have been so helpful..happy sajha user :) !!!

Guys, does filing under EB2 specifically have to say Master's degree in the job descriptions? Sorry to repeat  I have MS degree but job required BS degree only when I applied so I am little confused. As always,thanks for your input.

@sit_down_clown  Can you please provide the source of this information?

@birey:

http://www.hr.ufl.edu/ics/dol_suspension.html

 Hi, I am planning to file file green card within few months. I think green card filing category for me is EB3 since my job has BS degree requirement only even I have MS degree. 

Do you guys have any idea how long it normally takes in average to get green card after filing?

Thanks,
R

@notintersted First of all you are under wrong impression I guess about your job and Green Card. GC is for future job and not your current job. If your employer wants, your future job for which the GC would be filed to. It could be job with  bachelors requirement or it could be job with Masters degree requirement. Just FYI. You can clear that asking your employer.

Secondly, waiting time for EB2 is 0 , means that when you are ready to file your I140 , you can file immediately. For EB3 , as you can see in visa bulletin ( google "Visa Bulletin <current month>" for example click www.google.com/search you will see http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_5518.html ) and in "All Charge-ability Areas Except Those Listed"   you will see on "3rd"  the date is like 01Nov05 means currently they are processing  applications of Nov 2005.  "If"  they continue to process on same rate, and you file your GC now, it'd take like 6 yrs.  But this processing time may speed up so you need to keep checking visa bulletin.

Sugestion: Find an employer that does EB2.

for people from India and China EB2 itself takes 4-5 years or more.

Hope that helps.

Thanks  birey that helped a lot.  Will it make any difference working for no-profit organizations like education institution? How long it will take to get EAD for H4 dependent?

Thanks!

I dont know much about non profit organization jobs.

If you are married and you file GC  you and your wife would get EAD same time I heard. You get EAD after your I140 is approved I think.

For finding how much time it takes for PERM processing (Step 1 ) , I140 ( step 2 ) or I485 ( Step 3) you can find that in

http://www.trackitt.com/

There are so many factors and it is not certain about time it takes even all factors are same. But the link above, you can find how much it took for other people.