Can an L-1B visa holder get a green card without going through the labor certification process?

Often yes. Many L-1B holders qualify for EB-1C (multinational manager/executive) if their role meets that higher standard, or for EB-2 through a National Interest Waiver (NIW) if their specialized knowledge work meets the NIW criteria, both of which skip the PERM labor certification process required for a standard EB-2/EB-3 filing.

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What's the practical difference between pursuing EB-1C and EB-2 NIW from L-1B status?

EB-1C requires the role abroad and in the U.S. to be genuinely managerial or executive in nature, which not all L-1B specialized-knowledge roles meet. EB-2 NIW instead requires showing the work has substantial merit and national importance and that the person is well-positioned to advance it, which can fit specialized technical roles that don't meet EB-1C's management threshold.

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Can someone pursue both an EB-1C and EB-2 NIW filing at the same time?

Yes. These are independent petition categories, and pursuing them on parallel tracks is a common strategy when it's unclear which one a person's specific role and accomplishments will more strongly support, since a denial in one category doesn't affect the other.

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How does someone's L-1B time limit interact with a green card timeline?

L-1B status is capped at five years total, so timing the green card strategy against that clock matters. If the green card process won't complete before the L-1B cap is reached, it's worth evaluating other status options well before the deadline rather than discovering the timing problem at the last minute.