The May 2017 DOS Visa Bulletin “Final Action” chart for employment-based preference cases indicates slight movement as we head into the eighth month of the government’s FY2017. EB-2 “Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability” category for China advances only 3 weeks to a cut-off date of February 8, 2013. EB-3 “Skilled Workers/Professionals for All Chargeability areas, Mexico, and El Salvador / Guatemala / Honduras continued its steady movement by progressing 1 month to a cut-off date of March 15, 2017. EB-3 China and the Philippines advances 6 weeks and 3 ½ months to cut-off dates of October 1, 2014 and January 1, 2013, respectively.

The DOS will impose a cut-off date in the near future for EB-1 Priority Workers for China and India. The DOS also anticipates that visa numbers will be oversubscribed no later than July for EB-2 All Chargeability areas, El Salvador / Guatemala / Honduras, Mexico, and the Philippines.