• Insights

United States: August 2024 Visa Bulletin – Slight Advancement in India EB-2 and EB-3, Remaining Employment-Based Categories Hold Steady

July 9, 2024

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  • United StatesUnited States

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At a glance

  • The Final Action dates and Dates for Filing for India EB-2 and EB-3 will advance by one month in August.
  • The Final Action date for EB-2 India will advance to July 15, 2012 and the Date for Filing to July 22, 2012.
  • The Final Action date for EB-3 India will advance to October 22, 2012 and the Date for Filing to November 1, 2012.
  • The Final Action dates and Dates for Filing for the remaining employment-based categories will remain the same.
  • The State Department projects that the EB-3 Final Action date will likely retrogress or become unavailable in September.

A closer look 

According to the State Department’s August Visa Bulletin, Final Action cutoff dates for issuance of an immigrant visa or approval of an adjustment of status application will be as follows: 

  • EB-1: China will stay at November 1, 2022, and India will remain at February 1, 2022. All other countries will continue to be current.
  • EB-2: China will remain at March 1, 2020, and India will advance by one month to July 15, 2012. The remaining countries will remain at March 15, 2023.
  • EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers: China will remain at September 1, 2020, and India will advance by one month, to October 22, 2012. The remaining countries will stay at December 1, 2021.
  • EB-5: For the EB-5 Unreserved categories (C5, T5, I5, and R5), China will remain at December 15, 2015, and India will stay at December 1, 2020. All other countries will remain current. The EB-5 set-aside categories (Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure) will also remain current.

The August Dates for Filing chart also includes advancement by one month for the India EB-2 and EB-3 categories. The Date for Filing cutoff for India EB-2 will be July 22, 2012, and for India EB-3, it will be November 1, 2012.

In the coming days, USCIS will announce on its own Visa Bulletin web page whether the agency will accept adjustment of status applications based on the Visa Bulletin Final Action Dates chart or the Dates for Filing chart in August.

Retrogression or unavailability expected for EB-3 in September

Given continued high demand and number use in the EB-3 category, the State Department projects that this category will likely retrogress or become unavailable in September.

Immigrant visa numerical limitations

The State Department has provided the immigrant visa numerical limitations for the fiscal year. The agency reports that the FY 2024 worldwide employment-based preference limit is 160,791. Recent previous years’ worldwide employment-based limits were 197,071 (FY 2023), 281,507 (FY 2022), 262, 288 (FY 2021), and 156,253 (FY 2020).

Final Action Dates for August 2024

EB-1 
China: November 1, 2022
India: February 1, 2022
All other countries: Current                

EB-2  
China: March 1, 2020
India: July 15, 2012
All other countries: March 15, 2023

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers  
China: September 1, 2020
India: October 22, 2012
All other countries: December 1, 2021

EB-3 Other Workers  
China: January 1, 2017
India: October 22, 2012
Philippines: May 1, 2020
All other countries: January 1, 2021

EB-4
All countries: January 1, 2021

EB-5 Unreserved (Regional Center and Non-Regional Center)
China: December 15, 2015
India: December 1, 2020
All other countries: Current

EB-5 Set-Asides
Rural: Current for all countries
High Unemployment: Current for all countries
Infrastructure: Current for all countries

Dates for Filing for August 2024

EB-1 
China: January 1, 2023
India: February 8, 2022
All other countries: Current

EB-2  
China: June 1, 2020
India: July 22, 2012
All other countries: March 22, 2023

EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers  
China: July 1, 2021
India: November 1, 2012
Philippines: January 1, 2023
All other countries: February 1, 2023

EB-3 Other Workers  
China: June 1, 2017
India: November 1, 2012
Philippines: May 15, 2020
All other countries: January 8, 2021

EB-4
All countries: February 1, 2021

EB-5 Unreserved (Regional Center and Non-Regional Center)
China: January 1, 2017
India: April 1, 2022
All other countries: Current

EB-5 Set-Asides
Rural: Current for all countries
High Unemployment: Current for all countries
Infrastructure: Current for all countries

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen. 

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