Leaving job within a month of getting green card

[Venkat_Dabri]

My PD was Aug 2009 and just got GC a week ago. I want to give notice to my current employer and retire completely from the job market. My company had filed my I-140 in 2018 and my I-485 in Nov 2020. My current employer is a well known Bay Area top software company paying top dollar. Was wondering if I can run into some issues if I leave soon and how? From what I know USCIS can consider the fact that I left the company immediately after getting GC as an indication that I never intended to work for the company. However, I have been working with the company for the past 4 years. I checked with a lawyer and he said that this case has not been tested in court. He also said that if you can’t move after GC then what is the point of AC21 clause that gives the recipient the freedom to move after I-485 is pending for 6 months. If there is any issue will that come up at naturalization time or can my company inform USCIS immediately?

I had these two critical questions:

1. Does USCIS care about my intent at the time of I-140 filing (2018) or I-485 filing (Nov 2020) or green card adjudication (Aug 2021). If USCIS cares about my intent at I-140 filing or I-485 filing then I am in the clear because I have already worked with the petitioning company for 4 years till now. However, if they care about intent at green card adjudication time then I can be challenged if I leave soon.

2. Will the question about my intent come up at any other time other than naturalization(like while at port of entry when I try to re-enter USA or will USCIS do a random check or so). I can wait for more than 5 years for naturalization and I believe then USCIS can’t revoke your GC. However, if there is any other way that the issue of me leaving my job too soon come up then I would like to know how?

[Kalpesh_Dalwadi]

@Venkat_Dabri

Does USCIS care about my intent at the time of I-140 filing (2018) or I-485 filing (Nov 2020) or green card adjudication (Aug 2021). If USCIS cares about my intent at I-140 filing or I-485 filing then I am in the clear because I have already worked with the petitioning company for 4 years till now. However, if they care about intent at green card adjudication time then I can be challenged if I leave soon.

There are no clear guidelines or rule around how long one needs to be in their green card job and with the sponsoring employer.
That said, most immigration lawyers suggest sticking with the green card sponsoring employer for at least three months.

@Venkat_Dabri

Will the question about my intent come up at any other time other than naturalization(like while at port of entry when I try to re-enter USA or will USCIS do a random check or so). I can wait for more than 5 years for naturalization and I believe then USCIS can’t revoke your GC. However, if there is any other way that the issue of me leaving my job too soon come up then I would like to know how?

Leaving green card job early shouldn’t cause any issue at port of entry. Once you are a LPR, CBP do not ask you questions that they normally ask a H1B non-immigrant like job, employer etc.

The question normally may come up at the time of naturalization however you can always answer truthfully that you worked long enough for your GC sponsoring employer and wanted to move on.