October 2023 Visa Bulletin: Significant Advancement for Employment Categories

 

As the first bulletin of a new fiscal year, the October Visa Bulletin brings some major movements for employment-based cases. 

For the EB-1 category, India advances by 5 years to 1/1/2017 while China advances by 14 days, and visa numbers become available again for all other countries. 

EB-2 China advances by 3 months while India advances by 1 year. 

EB-3 India advances by almost 3.5 years. Mexico and the Philippines advance by 19 months. 

For family-based cases, Mexico F2A advances by 2.5 years. 

USCIS has announced that they are using the Dates for Filing chart in October for both family-based and employment-based adjustment of status applications (I-485). Applicants with a priority date that will be current in October should start the application process soon. 

EB-2 applicants may also consider filing a "downgrade" I-140 petition to be able to submit the I-485 application concurrently. 

AD: Dates for Final Action (Green Card Approval)  

FD: Dates for Filing Applications Only

Family-based		Other Countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
F1	AD	01/01/2015	01/01/2015	01/01/2015	04/22/2001	03/01/2012
	FD	09/01/2017	09/01/2017	09/01/2017	04/01/2005	04/22/2015
F2A	AD	02/08/2019	02/08/2019	02/08/2019	02/01/2019	02/08/2019
	FD	09/01/2023	09/01/2023	09/01/2023	09/01/2023	09/01/2023
F2B	AD	09/22/2015	09/22/2015	09/22/2015	01/01/2002	10/22/2011
	FD	01/01/2017	01/01/2017	01/01/2017	08/01/2004	10/01/2013
F3	AD	01/08/2009	01/08/2009	01/08/2009	03/08/1998	06/08/2002
	FD	03/01/2010	03/01/2010	03/01/2010	06/15/2001	11/08/2003
F4	AD	04/22/2007	04/22/2007	10/08/2005	08/01/2000	08/22/2002
	FD	03/01/2008	03/01/2008	02/22/2006	04/15/2001	04/22/2004

1st: Unmarried Sons and Daughters of Citizens (about 23,400 per year).
2A: The 2 “A” preference is for Spouses and Children (under 21 & unmarried) of LPR's.
2B: The 2 “B” Preference is for Unmarried Sons and Daughters (21 or older) of LPR's.
3rd: Married Sons and Daughters of Citizens (about 23,400 per year)
4th: Brothers and Sisters of Adult Citizens. (about 65,000 per year)

Employment		Other Countries	China	India	Mexico	Philippines
EB1	AD	C	02/15/2022	01/01/2017	C	C
	FD	C	08/01/2022	07/01/2019	C	C
EB2	AD	07/08/2022	10/01/2019	01/01/2012	07/08/2022	07/08/2022
	FD	01/01/2023	01/01/2020	05/15/2012	01/01/2023	01/01/2023
EB3	AD	12/01/2021	01/01/2020	05/01/2012	12/01/2021	12/01/2021
	FD	02/01/2023	09/01/2020	08/01/2012	02/01/2023	01/01/2023
Other Workers	AD	08/01/2020	01/01/2016	05/01/2012	08/01/2020	05/01/2020
	FD	12/15/2020	06/01/2017	08/01/2012	12/15/2020	05/15/2020
EB4*	AD	01/01/2019	01/01/2019	01/01/2019	01/01/2019	01/01/2019
	FD	03/01/2019	03/01/2019	03/01/2019	03/01/2019	03/01/2019
EB5	AD	C	10/01/2015*	12/15/2018*	C	C
	FD	C	01/01/2017	04/01/2022	C	C

1st: Priority Workers (Extraordinary ability aliens, multinational companies' executives/managers, outstanding prof./researchers)
2nd: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability.
3rd: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers (Unskilled.)
4th: “Special Immigrants” (Religious & others)
5th: Employment Creation (Investors)

*Visa numbers for Certain Religious Workers are unavailable for all countries in October 2023. 

*China and India EB-5 visa numbers for rural, high unemployment & infrastructure areas/projects are current.

(Immigration laws and policies change regularly.  If you have any questions regarding this article, please visit www.1visa1.com to schedule a legal consultation.)