2024-06-14-KPMG_Global-United_States_–_July_2024_Visa_Bulletin_4页_213kb

United States - July 2024 Visa Bulletin Summary

Core Content

The July 2024 Visa Bulletin from the U.S. Department of State (DOS) outlines the availability of employment-based immigrant visas ("green cards") for different categories and countries. The bulletin highlights notable changes compared to the June 2024 release, particularly retrogression in some categories and advancements in others, especially for India in the EB-1 category.

Main Points

1. Visa Quotas and Retrogression

• The U.S. Congress imposes a 7% per-country cap on employment-based immigrant visas.
• Due to high demand, the EB-3 final action dates are expected to retrogress significantly in the coming months.
• The DOS warns that the EB-3 final action date may either further retrogress or be marked as "Unavailable" in August 2024.

2. EB-1 Categories

• All countries except China and India are current for the Dates of Filing Chart.
• For Dates of Final Action Chart, the cut-off date for India has advanced by 11 months to February 1, 2022.
• The cut-off date for China has advanced by two months to November 1, 2022.

3. EB-2 Categories

• All countries except China and India have advanced by two months to March 15, 2023 for the Dates of Final Action Chart.
• The cut-off date for China has advanced by one month to March 1, 2020.
• The cut-off date for India has advanced by two months to June 15, 2012.

4. EB-3 Categories

• Professional and Skilled Workers:
  • All countries except China and India have retrogressed by 11 months to December 1, 2021.
  • China remains at September 1, 2020.
  • India has advanced by one month to September 22, 2012.
  • Philippines remains at May 1, 2020.
• Other Workers:
  • All countries except China, India, and the Philippines have advanced by three months to January 1, 2021.
  • China remains at January 1, 2017.
  • India has advanced by one month to September 22, 2012.
  • Philippines remains at May 1, 2020.

5. EB-4 Categories

• All countries have advanced by two months to January 1, 2021 for both Dates of Filing and Dates of Final Action.
• Certain religious workers also have advanced cut-off dates to February 1, 2021.

6. EB-5 Categories

• Final Action Dates are current for all countries.
• However, the 5th Unreserved programs for China and India have specific cut-off dates:
  • China: December 15, 2015.
  • India: December 1, 2020.

Key Information

• Form I-485 applications are accepted using the Final Action Dates Chart.
• Retrogression is a common trend in employment-based categories due to the per-country cap.
• India has seen significant advancements in both the Dates of Filing and Dates of Final Action charts for EB-1, which is a strong indicator for eligible applicants.
• China remains at a disadvantage in most categories, with cut-off dates still far behind.

Recommendations

• Eligible applicants in EB-2 and EB-3 should consider submitting I-485 applications in July to take advantage of current dates before potential retrogression.
• Indian-born applicants in EB-1 should be encouraged to file, as the advancements indicate better chances of approval.
• Applicants should monitor the Visa Bulletin regularly for updates and consider consulting with immigration professionals for guidance.

Contact Information

For further assistance, contact:

• Elizabeth Nanton
  Practice Leader & Partner, U.S. Immigration
  KPMG Law LLP - Tax + Immigration, Canada
  Tel: +1 604-691-3316
  Email: bnanton@kpmg.ca

• Nashrah Rahman
  Manager - Attorney, U.S. Immigration
  KPMG Law LLP - Tax + Immigration, Canada
  Tel: +1 416-468-7557
  Email: nashrahmahman@kpmg.ca

Note: KPMG Law LLP in Canada can assist with U.S. immigration matters, while the U.S. firm does not provide such services.