EB-3 visa bulletin
EB-3 visas are limited each year, and no single country can use more than 7% of the total. Applicants from high-demand countries wait in line; your place is set by your priority date (the day your PERM was filed).
EB-3, November 2026 Visa Bulletin
| EB-3 category | All other countries | China mainland | India | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Professional / skilled worker | Jun 15, 2024Backlog: about 2 yrs 4 moFiling date: Aug 1, 2024 | Jan 22, 2022Backlog: about 4 yrs 9 moFiling date: Apr 1, 2024 | Jan 22, 2014Backlog: about 12 yrs 9 moFiling date: Jan 15, 2015 | Aug 15, 2023Backlog: about 3 yrs 2 moFiling date: Jan 1, 2024 |
| Other worker (EW-3) | Jun 1, 2022Backlog: about 4 yrs 5 moFiling date: Jul 1, 2022 | Oct 1, 2019Backlog: about 7 yrs 1 moFiling date: Oct 1, 2020 | Jan 22, 2014Backlog: about 12 yrs 9 moFiling date: Jan 15, 2015 | Jan 1, 2022Backlog: about 4 yrs 10 moFiling date: Jun 1, 2022 |
Final Action Dates from the U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin for November 2026. “Backlog” is how far the cutoff date is behind today; it is not a prediction of how long you will wait.
This month USCIS is using the Dates for Filing chart for adjustment of status applications.
How to read the bulletin
- Priority date: usually the day the Department of Labor received your PERM application.
- Final Action Date: if your priority date is earlier than this, your green card or immigrant visa can be issued.
- Date for Filing: if your priority date is earlier than this, you may be able to file your paperwork early. USCIS announces each month which chart it accepts for adjustment of status.
- By country of birth: what counts is where you were born, not your nationality. People born in Taiwan or Hong Kong generally fall under “all other countries.” If your spouse was born elsewhere, you may be able to use their country.
- Dates can go backward: when demand exceeds supply, dates can stall or retrogress.
If you were born in mainland China
Within EB-3, professionals and skilled workers share one line, and it moves much faster than Other Workers. But the category is set by the job’s actual minimum requirements: only a job that genuinely needs a bachelor’s degree or 2 years’ experience qualifies. Requirements can’t be inflated to get a faster line.
What “backlog” means here
“Backlog” is how far the cutoff date is behind today. It shows how long the line is now, not how long you will wait: your priority date will be in the future, and how fast dates move depends on annual visa numbers and demand. Nobody can promise that.
Official sources: Department of State Visa Bulletin, USCIS adjustment of status filing charts