United States: May 2024 Visa Bulletin – No Movement in Main Employment-Based (EB) Categories
April 10, 2024
At a glance
- The Final Action dates for EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, and EB-5 will remain unchanged in May.
- USCIS will honor Final Action Dates for employment-based categories in May.
A closer look
According to the State Department’s May 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 September 1, 2022, and India will remain at March 1, 2021. All other countries will continue to be current.
- EB-2: China will remain at February 1, 2020, and India will stay at April 15, 2012. The remaining countries will stay at January 15, 2023.
- EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers: China will remain at September 1, 2020, and India will remain at August 15, 2012. The remaining countries will stay at November 22, 2022.
- 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.
USCIS to Honor Employment-Based Final Action Dates Chart in May
USCIS has announced on its own Visa Bulletin web page that the agency will accept employment-based adjustment of status applications based on the Visa Bulletin Final Action Dates chart in May. To be eligible to file an employment-based adjustment application in May, foreign nationals must have a priority date that is earlier than the date listed below for their preference category and country.
Extension of EB-4 Non-Minister Religious Worker Program
In late March, the EB-4 Non-Minister Religious Worker Program was extended through the end of this fiscal year (September 30, 2024). As a result, this category became immediately subject to the same Final Action Date applicable to the general EB-4 category, including for the month of April (overriding the designation of Unavailable in the April 2024 Visa Bulletin). In May, the EB-4 Non-Minister Religious Worker Program will again be subject to the same November 1, 2020 Final Action Date applicable to the general EB-4 category.
Final Action Dates for May 2024
EB-1
China: September 1, 2022
India: March 1, 2021
All other countries: Current
EB-2
China: February 1, 2020
India: April 15, 2012
All other countries: January 15, 2023
EB-3 Professionals and Skilled Workers
China: September 1, 2020
India: August 15, 2012
All other countries: November 22, 2022
EB-3 Other Workers
China: January 1, 2017
India: August 15, 2012
Philippines: May 1, 2020
All other countries: October 8, 2020
EB-4
All countries: November 1, 2020
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
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.