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Annual Cap Reached for Multiple Employment-Based Green Card Categories
By Ozlem Kara, Content Editor at CK Law Firm
On August 27, 2024, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced that all available visas for fiscal year (FY) 2024 under the employment-based first preference (EB-1) and fourth preference (EB-4) categories have been allocated. Earlier, on August 16, 2024, DOS confirmed that all visas in the EB-3, EW (Other Workers), and unreserved EB-5 categories had also been issued.
For the EB-1 category, DOS explained that “fully utilizing these visas supports legitimate travel for individuals with extraordinary abilities, nationally or internationally acclaimed professionals, as well as distinguished professors, researchers, and high-level executives and managers from multinational corporations.” In reference to the EB-4 category, DOS highlighted that maximizing the visa allocation “aids in facilitating travel for a diverse group of special immigrants, including religious workers, special immigrant juveniles, certain U.S. government employees, retirees of international organizations, and international broadcasting personnel, among others.”
The visa limits will reset with the start of the new federal fiscal year on October 1, 2024. After this date, U.S. embassies and consulates will be able to continue issuing immigrant visas to eligible applicants in these categories. Additionally, USCIS will also resume processing and approving Adjustment of Status applications (Form I-485) for qualified applicants beginning on October 1, 2024.
