The August 2015 Department of State Visa Bulletin reveals that the EB-3 worldwide and Mexico categories are practically current, some progress for Chinese, Indian, and Filipino employment-based cases, and steady forward movement in most family-based immigration categories, except for Mexico, which is staying still.
EB-3
Worldwide EB-3, and EB-3 Mexico, remain almost current, moving six weeks from April 1, 2015 to July 15, 2015. For all practical purposes, the category is now current, therefore. The extremely short wait list for EB-3 worldwide and Mexico are expected to remain through the end of the fiscal year, which is great news for employers looking for alternatives to the H-1B cap situation. Forward movement may freeze in October 2015 for one or two months to reassess given all this rapid advancement of the category.
EB-3 Philippines was totally unavailable in July 2015, but for August moved to June 1, 2004. EB-3 for India and China are also set to June 1, 2004, which for China represents a huge retrogression and for India two and a half months movement forward. The Department of State reveals in liaison notes that the retrogression for China is based on higher than expected demand for permanent residence through family relationships. State provides for a ray of hope for these cases, however, saying the category will likely recover and bounced back to 2010 or even 2011 at the beginning of the new fiscal year in October 2015.
EB-3 China, India and Philippines may move a few months in September 2015, depending on worldwide demand.
EB-2
EB-2 China moved six weeks– from October 1, 2013, to December 15, 2013. In liaison meetings, the Department of State notes slight movement may continue, but the category may just as easily stay the same for the rest of this fiscal year. EB-2 India again stayed at October 1, 2008 for August 2015. Because of high demand in the EB-2 category generally, no further movement is expected in this category for the rest of the fiscal year.
EB-4
EB-4 is the permanent residence category for religious workers and is current across the board. The Department of State warned last month in liaison meetings that the agency may establish a cut-off date at the end of the fiscal year (or September 2015) for nationals of five countries: Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and India.
China EB-5
EB-5 is the permanent residence category for investors. China is the only country subject to a cut-off date, and that date remains the same at September 1, 2013.
Family-Based Categories
The family based preference categories continue to advance at a regular pace. For all countries, the wait list for 2A (spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents) is pretty short at less than a year and a half. The categories that have not budged at all, though, are all categories for Mexicans except for 2A.