A. FINAL ACTION DATES FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCE CASES
On the chart below, the listing of a date for any class indicates that the class is oversubscribed (see paragraph 1); "C" means current, i.e., numbers are authorized for issuance to all qualified applicants; and "U" means unauthorized, i.e., numbers are not authorized for issuance. (NOTE: Numbers are authorized for issuance only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the final action date listed below.)
| Employment- based |
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed |
CHINA- mainland born |
EL SALVADOR GUATEMALA HONDURAS |
INDIA | MEXICO | PHILIPPINES | VIETNAM |
| 1st | 01MAY16 | 01JAN12 | 01MAY16 | 01JAN12 | 01MAY16 | 01MAY16 | 01MAY16 |
| 2nd | C | 01MAR15 | C | 15MAR09 | C | C | C |
| 3rd | C | 01JUL14 | C | 01JAN09 | C | 01JUN17 | C |
| Other Workers | C | 01MAY07 | C | 01JAN09 | C | 01JUN17 | C |
| 4th | C | C | 08FEB16 | 08FEB16 | 08FEB16 | C | C |
| Certain Religious Workers | C | C | 08FEB16 | 08FEB16 | 08FEB16 | C | C |
| 5th Non-Regional Center (C5 and T5) |
C | 01AUG14 | C | C | C | C | 01AUG14 |
| 5th Regional Center (I5 and R5) |
C | 01AUG14 | C | C | C | C | 01AUG14 |
*Employment Third Preference Other Workers Category: Section 203(e) of the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997, as amended by Section 1(e) of Pub. L. 105-139, provides that once the Employment Third Preference Other Worker (EW) cut-off date has reached the priority date of the latest EW petition approved prior to November 19, 1997, the 10,000 EW numbers available for a fiscal year are to be reduced by up to 5,000 annually beginning in the following fiscal year. This reduction is to be made for as long as necessary to offset adjustments under the NACARA program. Since the EW cut-off date reached November 19, 1997 during Fiscal Year 2001, the reduction in the EW annual limit to 5,000 began in Fiscal Year 2002.
