In this post, we would like to keep our readers informed about Visa Bulletin projections for the coming months. Charles Oppenheim, Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division of the U.S. Department of State provides a monthly analysis of each month’s Visa Bulletin including discussion of current trends and future projections for immigrant preference categories.
Below are the highlights of those trends and projections as of January 2019:
Employment-Based Immigration:
EB-1: DOS predicts that demand in the EB-1 category within the coming months will prevent the EB-1 Worldwide category from becoming current.
EB-1 Worldwide is expected to advance gradually to a maximum period of two months each month beginning in March through the month of May.
Visa numbers for EB-1 China and EB-1 India will be used up very quickly. EB-1 China and EB-1 India are expected to advance gradually anywhere from zero to one month each month beginning in March through the month of May.
EB-2 Worldwide: is projected to remain current for the foreseeable future. A Final Action Date will likely not be imposed for the remainder of this fiscal year.
EB-2 India may advance anywhere from zero to one week each month beginning in March through the month of May.
EB-2 China is expected to remain ahead of EB-3 China through at least May 2019. EB-2 China has the potential of advancing anywhere from zero to three months each month beginning in the month of March through May. Dates for EB-2 China are expected to advance more rapidly generating demand for the category.
EB-3 Worldwide: is currently experiencing a low level of demand. This low demand is expected to make more visas available for EB-3 India. EB-3 Worldwide is expected to remain current through May 2019. EB-3 India may advance anywhere from zero to three months in each month beginning in March through the month of May.
EB-3 Philippines is currently experiencing below the target demand which will push dates to advance temporarily until demand catches up in this category. This may result in retrogression in the Final Action Date later in the year.
To read the January visa bulletin click here.