The August 2018 DOS Visa Bulletin “Final Action” chart for employment-based preference cases reflects significant movement for All Chargeability areas, El Salvador/Guatemala/Honduras, Mexico, Philippines, Vietnam, and China. EB-1 Priority Workers for All Chargeability areas, El Salvador/Guatemala/Honduras, Mexico, Philippines, and Vietnam will now have a cut-off date of May 1, 2016. EB-2 “Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability” for China will move forward two months to a March 1, 2015 cut-off date. EB-3 “Professionals/Skilled Workers” for China jump 18 months to a cut-off date of July 1, 2014. EB-3 India will progress two months to January 1, 2009, while the Philippines will advance six months to June 1, 2017.
The DOS expects the cut-off dates for the EB-1 category to hold for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends September 30, 2018, to maintain worldwide immigrant visa number use within the maximum allowed under the fiscal annual limits for 2018. The DOS expects the EB-1 category for All Chargeability areas, El Salvador/Guatemala/Honduras, Mexico, Philippines, and Vietnam to return to Current for October 2018. Continue monitoring the monthly Visa Bulletin for further developments.