China Visa Availability Retrogresses in Some Categories in August, Other Categories Advance
The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for August 2015 (PDF) reported an “extremely large increase” in applicant demand that has resulted in retrogressions in the China-mainland born employment-based third preference (EB-3) and “Other Workers” categories, to June 1, 2004, and January 1, 2004, respectively. The Visa Office said that “[e]very effort will be made to return those categories to the [previous] … cut-off dates as quickly as possible under the FY-2016 annual limits. Those limits will take effect October 1, 2015.”
Otherwise, most employment-based priority dates advanced. The EB-3 and “Other Workers” categories for the Philippines have once again become available, with a cut-off date in both categories of June 1, 2004.
