Immigrant Daily

The latest Visa Bulletin issued by The U.S. Department of State (DOS) for June 2008 remains unchanged in the employment-based categories form the prior month, the only exception being three months forward movement for India and China in EB-2 category. The Visa Bulletin indicates that EB-3 is close to the annual limit. Thus, the category could become unavailable in July, or experience retrogression in the cutoff dates.

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)
April 1, 2004 to be the new cutoff date for India and China. All other countries of chargeability in EB-2 category remain current.

Employment-Based, Third Preference (EB-3)
All cutoff dates in EB3 remained unchanged. Worldwide and the Philippines remain at March 1, 2006. China’s cutoff date is March 22, 2003. Mexico continues to have a July 1, 2002 cutoff date and India is also unchanged at November 1, 2001. The EB3 “other worker” category has a cutoff date of January 1, 2003 for every country.

Employment-Based, Fourth (EB-4) / Fifth (EB-5) / Religious Workers and Targeted Employment
These categories are all current.

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.