August 2015 Visa Bulletin: Major Retrogression for EB-3 China

United States

According to the State Department’s August Visa Bulletin, the China EB-3 subcategory for professionals and skilled workers will retrogress significantly, moving backward by more than seven years to June 1, 2004.  The China EB-3 other worker cut-off date will retrogress by two years, to January 1, 2004. 

EB-3 China is experiencing retrogression because of an unexpected surge in demand over the last month and is likely to remain retrogressed for the remainder of this fiscal year.  When the FY 2016 immigrant visa quota becomes available on October 1, EB-3 China could return to a September 2011 cut-off date for professionals and skilled workers and a January 2006 cut-off date for other workers, according to State Department projections.

For most other countries, EB-3 will advance by three to four months, including India, which will move by four months to June 1, 2004. EB-3 Philippines, which is unavailable this month, will become available with a cut-off date of June 1, 2004.  EB-2 China will advance by two and one-half months, to December 15, 2013, but EB-2 India will remain unchanged at October 1, 2008.  

EB-5 China – which became subject to a cut-off date for the first time earlier this year – will remain at September 1, 2013. Though the State Department projected last month that EB-5 China would advance somewhat, that will not occur in August.

August 2015 Priority Date Cut-Offs 

In August 2015, EB immigrant visa priority date cut-offs will be: 

EB-1 
Current for all countries. 

EB-2 
China: December 15, 2013 
India: October 1, 2008
All other countries: Current 

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers 
China: June 1, 2004 
India: June 1, 2004 
Philippines: June 1, 2004
All other countries: July 15, 2015 

EB-3 Other Workers 
China: January 1, 2004
India: June 1, 2004 
Philippines: June 1, 2004 
All other countries: July 15, 2015 

EB-5 
China: September 1, 2013 
Current for all other countries and subcategories

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.

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