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Chile – Mechanical Engineer
Colombo & Hurd obtained approval of an EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) petition for a mechanical engineer from Chile whose work focuses on improving the sustainability and efficiency of heavy industrial equipment used in manufacturing and mining.
Instead of relying on costly replacement cycles, the client’s proposed initiative centers on restoring and remanufacturing critical equipment components used in mining and large-scale manufacturing. His approach combines circular economy principles with lean manufacturing techniques to reduce waste, improve operational efficiency, and extend the life of high-cost machinery.
In heavy industry, equipment downtime can halt production. Replacement parts are often expensive or difficult to source, making it increasingly important to extend the life of existing machinery. Companies are looking for ways to maintain productivity while reducing material consumption and environmental impact.
Remanufacturing and advanced repair strategies offer a practical solution. When major components are restored instead of replaced, companies can reduce waste, strengthen supply chain resilience, and lower operational costs while supporting more sustainable production practices.
Led by Colombo & Hurd Senior Attorney Yadira Aguilar, the petition demonstrated that the client’s proposed circular economy venture would contribute to these broader industrial priorities and therefore satisfied the EB-2 NIW requirements.
Mechanical Engineer Advancing Circular Economy Solutions in Heavy Industry
Our client is a mechanical engineer with over a decade of experience in mining machinery maintenance and industrial operations in Chile, a country known for its large-scale and technologically advanced mining sector. He has specialized in repairing, managing the lifecycle, and improving the performance of heavy equipment components used in demanding extraction environments.
Throughout his career, he advanced into progressively responsible roles in maintenance planning, asset management, and operational oversight, including serving in a senior operational leadership capacity within an engineering services firm in Chile.
Building on this foundation, he has now established a U.S.-based company to implement a circular economy model centered on repairing and remanufacturing major heavy equipment components, transferring his proven expertise to support sustainable industrial operations in the United States.
Demonstrating National Importance for an Industrial Repair Venture
While the client’s work addressed real operational challenges faced by mining and manufacturing companies, the petition needed to clearly demonstrate why a specialized industrial repair and remanufacturing venture carried national importance for the United States.
The petition therefore needed to explain how restoring and remanufacturing critical components could help companies reduce operational costs, limit production disruptions, and improve resource efficiency across large-scale industrial operations.
Another challenge involved presenting the client’s entrepreneurial initiative in a way that demonstrated credibility and feasibility. Although the client had extensive professional experience in Chile’s mining sector, the petition needed to show that he was well positioned to transfer this expertise to the United States and implement a similar business model.
As Ms. Aguilar explained, “Many people propose helping businesses operate more efficiently, but what strengthened this case was the specificity of the client’s experience and the practical nature of the work he had already performed in the mining sector.”
Demonstrating Experience, Industry Support, and a Clear Path Forward
To address these challenges, the legal strategy focused on clearly connecting the client’s past experience with his initiative in the United States. The petition documented his more than ten years of work in Chile’s mining sector and highlighted his expertise in equipment maintenance.
It also explained how he intends to transfer this expertise through a U.S.-based circular repair and remanufacturing venture focused on restoring high-value components used in mining and large-scale manufacturing. The petition also demonstrated that the initiative was already moving forward in practical terms, including the establishment of a U.S. company and documentation outlining the services the venture intends to provide.
As Senior Attorney Yadira Aguilar noted, “The officer can see that he already did this in Chile and is now planning to do the same thing here. When someone has already built that experience in the field, it shows they know how to execute the endeavor in the United States as well.”
EB-2 NIW Approval and Path Forward
USCIS approved the EB-2 National Interest Waiver petition without issuing a Request for Evidence (RFE), recognizing both the national importance of his circular repair initiative and the client’s demonstrated ability to advance it.
With the I-140 petition approved, the client is positioned to expand his circular economy initiative through his U.S.-based company, focusing on the repair and remanufacturing of high-value heavy equipment components used in manufacturing and mining operations.
With an established operational framework and a defined job creation model, he is ready to move forward with building a sustainable repair enterprise designed to strengthen industrial competitiveness, enhance supply chain resilience, and promote more efficient resource utilization across key U.S. sectors.
| Category | Details |
| Visa Classification | EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) |
| Nationality | Chile |
| Professional Field | Industrial Engineering |
| Education | Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering with a concentration in Automotive Engineering |
| Request for Evidence (RFE) | No |
| Final Outcome | Approved |
| Lead Attorney | Yadira Aguilar |
Attorney’s Perspective
“What made this case compelling was that the client wasn’t proposing something hypothetical. He had already implemented this type of work in Chile, so we were able to show that the same model could realistically be applied in the United States. When a client can demonstrate that their initiative is built on real experience rather than just a concept, it makes the case much stronger.”
Yadira Aguilar
