An airline pilot and CEO founded a pilot training company in Slovakia and sought NIW as EB-2 to open a U.S. branch. The service center found insufficient evidence of national importance and denied both EB-2 eligibility and waiver. The AAO affirmed on the national importance ground, finding local economic benefit insufficient.

Aircraft pilot and entrepreneur seeking NIW for EB-2 exceptional ability classification proposed a pilot staffing company. AAO found substantial merit but no national importance because the endeavor lacked broader impact beyond the company and its clients, with insufficient evidence of economic scale or scope to affect the nation's economy or aviation industry.

Commercial pilot sought EB-2 with national interest waiver. AAO held petitioner lacked requisite advanced degree or bachelor's degree equivalent and failed to demonstrate national importance of proposed work as pilot and instructor, lacking evidence of industry-wide impact.

An exercise physiologist and entrepreneur sought EB-2 classification and national interest waiver for work in exercise physiology and business. The AAO affirmed the service center's denial because the petitioner failed to demonstrate his proposed endeavor had national importance beyond his individual clients and lacked evidence of substantial economic impact.