Employment-Based Preferences
Priority-date cutoffs for the five employment-based preference categories (EB-1 through EB-5).
Current priority dates: July 2026
Dates for Filing (Chart B)
Chart B — the earliest date you may submit an adjustment-of-status (AOS) application from within the United States, used only for months and categories where USCIS has announced it accepts Chart B.
| Category | All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed | China (mainland born) | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EB-1 — First PreferencePriority workers: persons of extraordinary ability, outstanding professors and researchers, and multinational executives and managers. | C | Dec 1, 2023 | Dec 1, 2023 | C | C |
| EB-2 — Second PreferenceMembers of the professions holding advanced degrees or persons of exceptional ability, including national interest waivers (NIW). | C | Jan 1, 2022 | Jan 15, 2015 | C | C |
| EB-3 — Third PreferenceSkilled workers and professionals holding at least a bachelor's degree. | C | Jan 1, 2022 | Jan 15, 2015 | C | Jan 1, 2024 |
| EB-3 — Other WorkersUnskilled positions requiring less than two years of training or experience. | Aug 1, 2022 | Oct 1, 2019 | Jan 15, 2015 | Aug 1, 2022 | Aug 1, 2022 |
| EB-4 — Fourth PreferenceCertain special immigrants, including religious workers and other designated categories. | Jan 1, 2023 | Jan 1, 2023 | Jan 1, 2023 | Jan 1, 2023 | Jan 1, 2023 |
| EB-5 — UnreservedImmigrant investors not claiming a reserved set-aside category (investment-based immigration). | C | Mar 1, 2017 | May 1, 2024 | C | C |
| EB-5 — Set-Aside: RuralInvestors in qualifying rural target employment areas (20% of EB-5 visas reserved). | C | C | C | C | C |
| EB-5 — Set-Aside: High UnemploymentInvestors in qualifying high-unemployment target employment areas (10% of EB-5 visas reserved). | C | C | C | C | C |
| EB-5 — Set-Aside: InfrastructureInvestors in qualifying infrastructure projects (2% of EB-5 visas reserved). | C | C | C | C | C |
For July 2026, USCIS announced that applicants in ALL employment-based preference categories must use the Final Action Dates (Chart A) of the Department of State Visa Bulletin. Per the USCIS "Adjustment of Status Filing Charts from the Visa Bulletin" page: "For all employment-based preference categories, you must use the Final Action Dates chart in the Department of State Visa Bulletin for July 2026." https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/visa-availability-priority-dates/adjustment-of-status-filing-charts-from-the-visa-bulletin
Disclaimer: Visa Bulletin dates are published monthly by the U.S. Department of State and the USCIS adjustment-of-status guidance can change without notice. This page reformats public data for convenience only and is not legal advice. Confirm every date against the official bulletin and consult a qualified immigration attorney before acting.