The Visa Bulletin for June 2019 has been released by the U.S. Department of State. While most of the dates for employment-based preference categories will only gradually shift from the dates published in May 2019, the EB-1 category for India is set to retrogress by more than two years.
Below is a summary of the three primary employment-based preference categories and the changes to each, if any, since the May 2019 Visa Bulletin was published.
EB-1. Just as the State Department warned in May 2019, the date for India will retrogress from February 22, 2017, to January 1, 2015. The retrogression is only expected to last until October 1, 2019. China will remain at February 22, 2017, for June 2019, though the State Department had also warned of a possible retrogression for China in the coming months. The dates for all other EB-1 countries will progress by seven weeks to April 22, 2018.
EB-2. There will be only slight progress for India in the EB-2 category. It will advance by just three days, from April 16, 2009, to April 19, 2009, while EB-2 for China will advance 11 weeks to August 1, 2016. All other countries will remain current for June 2019.
EB-3. There will be no movement for India in the EB-3 category. The date will stay at July 1, 2009. EB-3 for China will advance by three weeks to September 15, 2015. The Philippines will jump forward five months to November 1, 2018. All other EB-3 countries will remain current for June 2019.
Ogletree Deakins’ Immigration Practice Group will continue to monitor developments with respect to the Visa Bulletin and will post updates on our immigration blog as additional information becomes available.
