Employment-Based Preferences
Priority-date cutoffs for the five employment-based preference categories (EB-1 through EB-5).
Current priority dates: July 2026
Data as of July 2026
Final Action Dates (Chart A)
Chart A — the date on which a case can receive final adjudication and a visa number can be issued. A green card is approved once your priority date is earlier than the cutoff shown. Applies to everyone, including applicants going through consular processing abroad.
| 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 | Jun 1, 2023 | Oct 15, 2022 | C | C |
| EB-2 — Second PreferenceMembers of the professions holding advanced degrees or persons of exceptional ability, including national interest waivers (NIW). | C | Sep 1, 2021 | U | C | C |
| EB-3 — Third PreferenceSkilled workers and professionals holding at least a bachelor's degree. | Aug 1, 2024 | Dec 22, 2021 | Jan 1, 2014 | Aug 1, 2024 | Aug 1, 2023 |
| EB-3 — Other WorkersUnskilled positions requiring less than two years of training or experience. | Mar 1, 2022 | Apr 1, 2019 | Jan 1, 2014 | Mar 1, 2022 | Dec 1, 2021 |
| EB-4 — Fourth PreferenceCertain special immigrants, including religious workers and other designated categories. | Sep 15, 2022 | Sep 15, 2022 | Sep 15, 2022 | Sep 15, 2022 | Sep 15, 2022 |
| EB-5 — UnreservedImmigrant investors not claiming a reserved set-aside category (investment-based immigration). | C | Dec 1, 2016 | U | 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 |
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.