The November 2024 Visa Bulletin has been released, and this analysis will compare it to the October 2024 Visa Bulletin to identify changes in the employment-based categories, with a focus on priority date movements and what they mean for applicants, especially those from oversubscribed countries, such as India and China.
Key Takeaways from the Visa Bulletin Movement (October 2024 to November 2024)
- Unfortunately, there was really no movement across major categories. For the second month in a row, there has been no movement in the final action dates or dates for filing for any major employment-based categories, particularly in EB-2 and EB-3 for India and China. These categories remain heavily backlogged, with no immediate sign of relief, highlighting the continued strain caused by the per-country limits.
- We continue to see stability in EB-5. Specifically, EB-5 for India and China continues to remain stable, with no changes in either final action dates or dates for filing. While the EB-5 category has not moved, it continues to remain more favorable for Indian nationals, who saw significant movement earlier in 2024.
- For All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed, there has been no movement in final action dates or dates for filing across any employment-based categories. This indicates that demand in non-backlogged countries is being met more easily, with the system stabilizing for these applicants.
Final Action Dates Movement: October 2024 to November 2024
1st Preference (EB-1: Priority Workers)
- All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed:
- October 2024: Current (C)
- November 2024: Current (C) (no change)
- China:
- October 2024: 08NOV22
- November 2024: 08NOV22 (no change)
- India:
- October 2024: 01FEB22
- November 2024: 01FEB22 (no change)
2nd Preference (EB-2: Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability)
- All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed:
- October 2024: 15MAR23
- November 2024: 15MAR23 (no change)
- China:
- October 2024: 22MAR20
- November 2024: 22MAR20 (no change)
- India:
- October 2024: 15JUL12
- November 2024: 15JUL12 (no change)
3rd Preference (EB-3: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers)
- All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed:
- October 2024: 15NOV22
- November 2024: 15NOV22 (no change)
- China:
- October 2024: 01APR20
- November 2024: 01APR20 (no change)
- India:
- October 2024: 01NOV12
- November 2024: 01NOV12 (no change)
Other Workers (Unskilled Labor under EB-3)
- All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed:
- October 2024: 01DEC20
- November 2024: 01DEC20 (no change)
- China:
- October 2024: 01JAN17
- November 2024: 01JAN17 (no change)
- India:
- October 2024: 01NOV12
- November 2024: 01NOV12 (no change)
5th Preference (EB-5: Employment Creation)
- All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed:
- October 2024: Current (C)
- November 2024: Current (C) (no change)
- China:
- October 2024: 15JUL16
- November 2024: 15JUL16 (no change)
- India:
- October 2024: 01JAN22
- November 2024: 01JAN22 (no change)
Dates for Filing Movement: October 2024 to November 2024
1st Preference (EB-1: Priority Workers)
- All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed:
- October 2024: Current (C)
- November 2024: Current (C) (no change)
- China:
- October 2024: 01JAN23
- November 2024: 01JAN23 (no change)
- India:
- October 2024: 15APR22
- November 2024: 15APR22 (no change)
2nd Preference (EB-2: Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability)
- All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed:
- October 2024: 01AUG23
- November 2024: 01AUG23 (no change)
- China:
- October 2024: 01OCT20
- November 2024: 01OCT20 (no change)
- India:
- October 2024: 01JAN13
- November 2024: 01JAN13 (no change)
3rd Preference (EB-3: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers)
- All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed:
- October 2024: 01MAR23
- November 2024: 01MAR23 (no change)
- China:
- October 2024: 15NOV20
- November 2024: 15NOV20 (no change)
- India:
- October 2024: 08JUN13
- November 2024: 08JUN13 (no change)
Other Workers (Unskilled Labor under EB-3)
- All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed:
- October 2024: 22MAY21
- November 2024: 22MAY21 (no change)
- China:
- October 2024: 01JAN18
- November 2024: 01JAN18 (no change)
- India:
- October 2024: 01JUN13
- November 2024: 01JUN13 (no change)
5th Preference (EB-5: Employment Creation)
- All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed:
- October 2024: Current (C)
- November 2024: Current (C) (no change)
- China:
- October 2024: 01OCT16
- November 2024: 01OCT16 (no change)
- India:
- October 2024: 01APR22
- November 2024: 01APR22 (no change)
What This Means for Employment-Based Applicants
- No Immediate Relief for India and China EB-2/EB-3 Applicants. For Indian and Chinese nationals in EB-2 and EB-3, the stagnant priority dates underscore the ongoing challenges these applicants face due to the 7% per-country limit. Applicants in these categories should continue to expect long waits, particularly as the final action dates remain unmoved. Legislative reforms, such as removing per-country caps, would be required to significantly alleviate this backlog.
- No New Filing Opportunities for Worldwide Applicants. Applicants from All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed also saw no changes in their ability to file, as both final action dates and dates for filing remained steady. While these applicants face less severe backlogs than India and China, the lack of movement suggests visa demand is steady but manageable.
- EB-5 Remains a Viable Option for Some. For Indian applicants, EB-5 continues to be a more favorable pathway for those who qualify, with earlier advancements in priority dates offering some hope of faster processing compared to the highly backlogged EB-2 and EB-3 categories.
The stability in the November 2024 Visa Bulletin signals that while there are no immediate changes, applicants should remain vigilant in monitoring future bulletins. The lack of movement could indicate a growing backlog, especially for oversubscribed countries, which may lead to eventual retrogression or, alternatively, movement once additional visas become available later in the fiscal year.