The Department ofState has just released the August 2015 Visa Bulletin. This is the eleventh Visa Bulletin of the 2015 FiscalYear.
The bizarreretrogression of the Philippines EB-3 continues. Although the JulyVisa Bulletin showed that Philippine EB-3 was unavailable, this monthshows a date: June 1, 2004. This means that there are afew available visas for this fiscal year. Please read our blogpost from May 19 for deeper analysis on the state of the PhilippineEB-3.
All Other EB-3is essentially current, with a date of July 15, 2015. This isgreat news for all EB-3s, other than Philippine, China, and India.
IndiaEB-2 remained at October 1, 2008. On the other hand, India EB-3leapt ahead. It is now at June 2004.
China EB-2 improvedanother two and a half months to December 15, 2013 and EB-3 remained atSeptember 1, 2011. The story was much different for China EB-3, whichretrogressed back to 2004. Just a few months ago, China EB-3had actually progressed further than EB-2. There is now anearly ten year gap between these two categories.
| Employment- Based |
All Other
|
CHINA – mainland born | INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES |
| 1st | C | C | C | C | C |
| 2nd | C | 15DEC13 | 1OCT08 | C | C |
| 3rd | 15JUL15 | 01JUN04 | 01JUN04 | 15JUL15 | 01JUN2004 |
The Visa Bulletin also included this notice:
D. CHINA-MAINLAND BORN EMPLOYMENT THIRD, AND THIRD OTHER WORKER VISA AVAILABILITYThere was an extremely large increase in applicant demand reported for consideration in the determination of the August cut-off dates. Therefore, it has been necessary to retrogress the Employment Third, and Third Other Worker cut-off dates to hold number use within the FY-2015 annual limit.Every effort will be made to return those categories to the previously announced July cut-off dates as quickly as possible under the FY-2016 annual limits. Those limits will take effect October 1, 2015.