March Visa Bulletin Shows Big Leap Forward for Chinese and Indian EB-1s

Mar 2, 2021 | Permanent Immigration Visas

The Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for March 2021 shows a seven-month leap forward for Chinese and Indian green card applicants in the employment-based first preference category, with a final action date of August 1, 2020, for both countries. In February, immigrant visas were available for those with priority dates earlier than January 1, 2020.

The March bulletin also includes information on diversity category cut-offs for April and instructions on reporting address changes for overseas cases.

Details:

Related Posts:

Office of Foreign Labor Certification To Reissue Certain Prevailing Wage Determinations

On January 20, 2021, a U.S. district court issued a modified order governing the manner and schedule in which the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) will reissue certain prevailing wage determinations (PWDs) that were issued from October 8, 2020, through December 4, 2020, under the wage methodology for a related DOL interim rule issued in October, and at the request of employers under the H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 temporary programs and PERM labor certification program. OFLC said DOL is taking necessary steps to comply with the modified order issued by the district court. Accordingly, OFLC will reissue certain PWDs issued under the interim final rule in two phases: high priority (within 15 days of receiving the requested list of named plaintiffs from plaintiffs’ counsel) and emergency situations (by March 2, 2021). Employers that have already submitted a request in response to a December 3, 2020, announcement posted by OFLC have been issued a PWD and do not need to resubmit a second request for reissuance or take other additional action, OFLC said. Details: OFLC announcement, Jan. 22, 2021, https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/foreign-labor

January Visa Bulletin Report

Employment-Based Adjustments USCIS will accept employment-based adjustment applications in December from foreign nationals with a priority date that is earlier than the Final Action Dates (Chart A) listed in the State Department’s January Visa Bulletin.  Therefore those seeking to file under the Dates for Filing (Chart B), have only until December 31, 2020 to have their case receipted. USCIS lockbox operations are still backlogged and USCIS has not yet data entered some cases from October 2020 filings yet. We continue to monitor these filings but if you receive return packages or instructions from us, please act promptly as there is very little time left to refile this year. Family-Based Adjustments USCIS has announced that F2A applicants may file adjustments using the Final Action Dates chart. Applicants in all other family-sponsored preference categories must use the Dates for Filing chart. Employment Based Final Action Dates (Chart A) Preference All Other China El Salvador Guatemala Honduras India Mexico Philippines Vietnam 1st C 01SEP19 C 01SEP19 C C C 2nd C 01JUN16 C 08OCT09 C C C 3rd C 15DEC17 C 22MAR10 C C C Other Wrks C 01MAR09 C 22MAR10 C C C 4th C C 01MAR18 C 01DEC18 C C 5th Non-Regional Center C 15AUG15 C C C C 15SEP17 […]