All Charge-ability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
Employment Based
1st	C	C	C	C	C
2nd	C	22MAY05	22JAN05	C	C
3rd	22SEP02	22SEP02	22JUN01	01JUL02	22SEP02
Other Workers	01JUN01	01JUN01	01MAY01	01JUN01	01JUN01
4th	C	C	C	C	C
Certain Religious Workers	C	C	C	C	C
5th	C	C	C	C	C
Targeted Employment Areas/ Regional Centers	C	C	C	C	C
5th Pilot Programs	C	C	C	C	C

The February 2010 Visa Bulletin issued by the U.S. Department of State has few changes from the last month. The EB-2 Category has 21 days forward movement for China from May 01, 2005 to May 22, 2005. The EB-3 category has a forward movement of 1 month and 21 days from August 01, 2002 to September 22, 2002 for all countries except India and Mexico. All other categories remain the same as last month.

Summary of Visa Bulletin for EB categories

Employment-Based, First Preference (EB-1)
This category remains current for all countries of chargeability.

Employment-Based, Second Preference (EB-2)
This category has one change. The new cutoff date China is May 22, 2005.

Employment-Based, Third Preference (EB-3)
This category has new cutoff dates for all countries except India and Mexico. Please see the table above.

The cutoff dates for EB-3 (Other Workers) category remain the same as last month.

Employment-Based, Fourth Preference (EB-4)
This category remains current for all countries of chargeability.

The EB-4 (Certain Religious Workers) visa category also remains current for all countries of chargeability.

Fifth (EB-5) / Religious Workers, Targeted Employment and Regional Centers
This category remains current for are all countries.

The EB-5 (Pilot Programs) visa category remains current for all countries.

Employment-Based Preferences

First: Priority Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required for fourth and fifth preferences.

Second: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by first preference.

Third: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide level, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences, not more than 10,000 of which to “Other Workers”.

Fourth: Certain Special Immigrants: 7.1% of the worldwide level.

Fifth: Employment Creation: 7.1% of the worldwide level, not less than 3,000 of which reserved for investors in a targeted rural or high-unemployment area, and 3,000 set aside for investors in regional centers by Sec. 610 of P.L. 102-395.

	All Charge-ability Areas Except Those Listed	CHINA- mainland born	INDIA	MEXICO	PHILIPPINES
Employment Based
1st	C	C	C	C	C
2nd	C	01MAY05	22JAN05	C	C
3rd	01AUG02	01AUG02	22JUN01	01JUL02	01AUG02
Other Workers	01JUN01	01JUN01	01MAY01	01JUN01	01JUN01
4th	C	C	C	C	C
Certain Religious Workers	C	C	C	C	C
5th	C	C	C	C	C
Targeted Employment Areas/ Regional Centers	C	C	C	C	C
5th Pilot Programs	C	C	C	C	C

The January 2010 Visa Bulletin issued by the U.S. Department of State has few changes from the last month. The EB-2 Category has one month forward movement for China from April 01, 2005 to May 01, 2005. The EB-3 category has a forward movement for all countries (All Countries and China: 2 months;  India: 1 month and 18 days; Mexico: 1 month; and Philippines: 2 months). All other categories remain the same as last month.

Summary of Visa Bulletin for EB categories

Employment-Based, First Preference (EB-1)
This category remains current for all countries of chargeability.

Employment-Based, Second Preference (EB-2)
This category has one change. The new cutoff date China is May 01, 2005.

Employment-Based, Third Preference (EB-3)
This category has new cutoff dates for all countries (listed/non listed). Please see the table above.

The cutoff dates for EB-3 (Other Workers) category remain the same as last month.

Employment-Based, Fourth Preference (EB-4)
This category remains current for all countries of chargeability.

The EB-4 (Certain Religious Workers) visa category also remains current for all countries of chargeability.

Fifth (EB-5) / Religious Workers, Targeted Employment and Regional Centers
This category remains current for are all countries.

The EB-5 (Pilot Programs) visa category remains current for all countries.

Employment-Based Preferences

First: Priority Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required for fourth and fifth preferences.

Second: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by first preference.

Third: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide level, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences, not more than 10,000 of which to “Other Workers”.

Fourth: Certain Special Immigrants: 7.1% of the worldwide level.

Fifth: Employment Creation: 7.1% of the worldwide level, not less than 3,000 of which reserved for investors in a targeted rural or high-unemployment area, and 3,000 set aside for investors in regional centers by Sec. 610 of P.L. 102-395.

Summary of Visa Bulletin for EB categories

Employment-Based, First Preference (EB-1)

This category remains current for all countries of chargeability.

Employment-Based, Second Preference (EB-2)

This category has further retrogressed by 5 years and 45 days for China. It has no forward or backward movements for other countries of chargeability including those listed, and the cutoff date for India remain the same as last month (i.e., 01 January, 2000). The cutoff dates for all other countries of chargeability remain current.

Employment-Based, Third Preference (EB-3)

This category continues to remain unavailable for all countries of chargeability. The high demand for immigrant visa numbers and a large number of cases with older priority dates are major reasons for EB-3 category becoming unavailable.

The EB-3 (Other Workers) category is also unavailable for all countries of chargeability for rest of the FY2009.

Employment-Based, Fourth Preference (EB-4)

This category remains current for all countries of chargeability.

The EB-4 (Certain Religious Workers) visa category became current for all countries of chargeability.

Fifth (EB-5) / Religious Workers and Targeted Employment

This category remains current for are all countries.

The EB-5 (Targeted Employment Areas/Regional Centers) visa category remains current for all countries.

Employment-Based Preferences

First: Priority Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required for fourth and fifth preferences.

Second: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by first preference.

Third: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide level, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences, not more than 10,000 of which to “Other Workers”.

Fourth: Certain Special Immigrants: 7.1% of the worldwide level.

Fifth: Employment Creation: 7.1% of the worldwide level, not less than 3,000 of which reserved for investors in a targeted rural or high-unemployment area, and 3,000 set aside for investors in regional centers by Sec. 610 of P.L. 102-395.