DOS Warns of Retrogression for Some Employment-based Green Cards




The Department of State (DOS) warns that the demand for employment-based third preference (EB-3) green cards remains very high. The EB-3 category is divided into three subcategories: skilled workers, professionals, and other (i.e., unskilled) workers. 

In January, the DOS announced that the processing dates for the EB-3 immigrant visa category had been rolled back to January 2002 for skilled workers and professional workers in China, India and the Philippines, and for all members of the "other worker" category. Before these retrogressions the DOS processed the EB-3 visas in a nearly current fashion.

Despite the retrogression, application rates for the EB-3 category have remained high. In response to this high demand the DOS recently announced that it may extend the retrogression placed on the EB-3 other workers category or make the numbers unavailable altogether. However, the DOS does not expect that the retrogression will immediately extend to other employment-based green card categories.

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