On May 12, 2006, The Department of State ("DOS") released the June 2006 Visa Bulletin.  As seen in recent Bulletins, the EB-1 and EB-2 categories continue to show significant forward movement while the EB-3 category moved forward only two months.  The "Other Workers" category is now "unavailable."

For individuals born in China, the EB-1 category moved forward one full year to July 1, 2005 and EB-2 moved forward six months to July 1, 2004.  For individuals born in India, the EB-1 category moved forward six months to January 1, 2006; however, EB-2 for Indians remained unchanged at January 1, 2003.  EB-1 and EB-2 remain current for individuals born in countries other than India and China.  While the forward progress in the immigrant visa numbers for the EB-1 and EB-2 categories is encouraging, the lack of progress for the India EB-2 priority dates suggests that continued progress in that category may be limited.  DOS has previously advised visa applicants that priority dates will not continue to advance at the same rate for the rest of the fiscal year.

In the EB-3 category, there was two months progress to July 1, 2001 for Chinese-born and Philippine-born individuals as well as for the world-wide cut off (individuals born in all countries other than India, China, Mexico, or the Philippines).  There was slight forward movement for India-born individuals of one month to April 8, 2001. 

DOS notes that, for the EB-3 "Other Workers" category, "continued heavy demand for numbers (particularly for adjustment of status cases at USCIS offices) will result in the 5,000 annual numerical limit being reached in May. Therefore, it has been necessary to make the Employment Third preference "Other Worker" category "unavailable" for June, and it will remain so for the remainder of the fiscal year."

For more information on the Visa Bulletin and country quota movements, including information about movement in the Family-Based Quotas, please see our DOS Visa Bulletin and Quota Movement page which includes detailed charts of quota movement for the past decade.

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