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.

Dental care entrepreneur seeking NIW to establish dental practice. Claimed national importance based on dental professional shortage and environmental benefits of practice. AAO affirmed denial, finding that serving individual patients lacks national importance; professional shortage alone insufficient under Dhanasar framework.

A social worker sought EB-2 classification with national interest waiver. The AAO found she qualified as an advanced degree professional but failed the first Dhanasar prong because her endeavor lacked sufficient national importance; providing social work services without broader field-wide implications was insufficient.

A general and operations manager seeking EB-2 with national interest waiver to operate an HVAC company. AAO dismissed appeal because petitioner failed to establish that the specific endeavor had national importance despite demonstrating substantial merit; claims about general industry need and economic benefits were unsupported by probative evidence.