August Visa Bulletin Shows Advances in China and ‘Other Workers’ EB-3 Preference Categories, India EB-2 Preference

The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for August 2014 notes that cut-off dates for the China-mainland born employment third preference, and third preference “Other Workers,” categories have advanced for the month of August and could do so again for September.

The bulletin notes two reasons for this advance: (1) a decline during the past two months in heavy demand by applicants with priority dates significantly (years) earlier than the previous cut-off date, and (2) declining number use in the family preferences during May and June, combined with updated estimates of such number use through the end of the fiscal year. These developments have resulted in the availability of several hundred numbers for use in the China-mainland born employment third preference category.

During the past two months, the India employment second preference cut-off date also has advanced very rapidly based on the projected availability of “otherwise unused” numbers under the worldwide preference limit. The bulletin notes that it must not be assumed that this cut-off date will continue to advance at the same pace during the coming months. “A cut-off date does not mean that everyone with a priority date before such cut-off date has already been processed to conclusion. It remains to be seen how heavy the demand for visa numbers by applicants will be in the coming months, and what the priority dates of such applicants may be,” the bulletin states. Heavy demand by applicants with priority dates significantly earlier than the established cut-off date is expected to materialize within the next several months, the bulletin notes, at which time the cut-off date is likely to retrogress significantly.