November 2024 Visa Bulletin Released

The Department of State released the November 2024 Visa Bulletin and USCIS will continue to accept employment-based Adjustment of Status applications based on the Dates for Filing chart. All employment-based categories pursuant to Dates for Filing will hold steady with no forward movement observed in November.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED (EB) PRIORITY DATE SUMMARY FOR DATES FOR FILING

USCIS confirmed that it will honor the Dates for Filing chart for purposes of eligibility to file an Adjustment of Status application. The Dates for Filing  are as follows:

EB-1, First Preference Category

• EB-1 Worldwide (including El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, Mexico, and Philippines) remains current.
• EB-1 China: Dates for Filing will maintain a filing cutoff date of January 1, 2023.
• EB-1 India: Dates for Filing will maintain a filing cutoff date of April 15, 2022.

 EB-2, Second Preference Category

• EB-2 Worldwide (including El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, Mexico, and Philippines) will continue to hold steady at August 1, 2023.
• China: Dates for Filing will remain at October 1, 2020.
• India:  Dates for Filing will remain at January 1, 2013.

EB-3, Third Preference Category (Professional and Skilled Workers)

• EB-3 Worldwide (including El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras, Mexico and Philippines) will maintain a filing cut-off date of March 1, 2023.
• China: Dates for Filing will hold steady at November 15, 2020.
• India: Dates for Filing will hold steady at June 8, 2013.

Other Workers

• Other Workers (including El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras and Mexico) will remain at May 22, 2021.
• Philippines will remain at May 22, 2021.
• China and India will remain at January 1, 2018 and June 8, 2013, respectively.

EB-5: Fifth Preference Category (Immigrant Investors)

• For the EB-5 Unreserved categories (C5, T5, I5, and R5), India will hold steady at April 1, 2022 and China will maintain a cut-off date of October 1, 2016. All other countries will remain current.
• The EB-5 “Set-Aside” categories (Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure) will remain current.

Individuals with a priority date that is before the published cut-off date may file an Adjustment of Status application based on the dates outlined above.

WHAT SHOULD EMPLOYERS EXPECT?  

Per the November Visa Bulletin, all employment-based categories pursuant to Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing will remain the same in November. While only modest advancement of cut-off dates was observed in the beginning of the fiscal year, this is likely an indicator that green card demand remains high with possibly an existing backlog that needs to be cleared before forward movement is observed.

As strong green card demand continues across all employment-based categories, the Dept. of State may be cautious with advancing dates to manage visa use efficiently. Accordingly, Employers are advised to promptly proceed with the filing of eligible Adjustment of Status applications as continued backlogs and high demand will likely lengthen the green card process for many Foreign Nationals.

For additional information, please contact your designated Gibney representative or email info@gibney.com.