Wednesday, January 11, 2017

FEBRUARY 2017 VISA BULLETIN: ANALYSIS

The Department of State has just issued the February 2017 Visa Bulletin.  This is the fifth Visa Bulletin of Fiscal Year 2017.  This blog post analyzes this month's Visa Bulletin.

February 2017 Visa Bulletin

Final Action Dates

Applications with these dates may be approved for their Green Card (Permanent Residency card).

Employ-
ment
based
All Charge-
ability 
Areas Except
Those Listed
CHINA-
mainland 
born
INDIA
MEXICO  
PHILIPPINES  
1st
C
C
C
C
C
2nd
15NOV12
15APR08
C
C
3rd
01OCT16 
01OCT13
22MAR05 
01OCT16 
15OCT11


MU Law Analysis

All Other:  The EB-2 has been current for many years.  The EB-3 progression continues.  Consular processed EB-3 are effectively current.

China:   The China EB-2 date moved up one month. The China EB-3 date also progressed about one month.  The China EB-3 continues to have a more favorable date than EB-2, as a result of many Chinese EB-3 workers "upgrading" their applications to EB-2.

India:  EB-2 India and EB-3 India stayed virtually the same, unfortunately.  

Mexico: Mirrors All Other in all aspects.

Philippines: EB-3 moved ahead by another three months.  The Philippine EB-3 number essentially cleaned out all 2010 EB-3 visas and much of the 2011 EB-2 visas in just five months.  This is what we have expected.  (Our note from September 2016: "This is consistent with internal MU Law analysis which sees this category progressing into 2013 by the Summer of 2017.").  

33 comments:

  1. Hi!

    1) Do you think this 3-month progression for EB-3 Ph will continue throughout this fiscal year?

    2) I am working in the computer field (not PT/nurse) with EB-3 Phils October 2013 PD. When do you think it will be current this time?

    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Concerned.
      1. Yes- my expectation is that the Phils EB3 moves on average about 3 months for every one month in 2017.
      2. Late summer/early fall.

      Delete
  2. Hi sir! what year do you think it will turn current for the philippones eb3 if the pd is april 2016?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Safe-

      You are probably still 3-4 years from receiving the green card.

      Delete
  3. Hello MU Law,

    More power to you!

    My pd is July 2015 in eb3 phils. When do you think it will be current?

    If it will b longer, is it worth it to move to another employer and restart the gc process with an EB2?

    Please advice.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Emman, You will not be current until around 2019. Most RN positions do not qualify for EB2. You may qualify if you are another occupation, such as PT.

      Delete
    2. Hi MU! I am just quite perflexed if the pd July 2013 phil will not be current till 2019, given the pd will jump 3 mos monthly this pd might be current by 2018. Why do you think it will not be current even around 2019? Thank you!

      Delete
  4. Dear MU law,
    I am a PT with and an approved I-140 (P.D- 2010 EB2 India). I am with company A with approved H1 B till 2018. I have an offer from company B that is willing to do my H1 B transfer and GC process as well. If I accept the offer with company B, is it possible to stay / return with company A in the following circumstances if I quit my position at company A on good terms.
    1.If I find company B is not the right fit for me.
    2.If H1 B transfer is denied.
    3.If my new I-140 is denied with company B, but I still have an active approved I 140 from company A.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Being Mindful,
      Yes - that option can work, but it may difficult to convince to Company A to keep their I-140 active. Good luck.

      Delete
  5. Hello MU Law,

    I have two questions :

    1. My priority date is September 2014 EB3 Philippines. Do you think I'll be current by March-April 2018?

    2. Hypothetically assuming I am current whenever that happens and I send the i-485 application in, how long does i-485 approval process take? I heard it takes between 4-8 months, is that timeframe still current or have the processing times increased?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi SK,

      1. That sounds about right to me.
      2. Yes. 4-8 months is a good estimate for the I-485 processing time.

      Delete
  6. Thanks for the reply MU! Im an IT guy with 9 years of IT experience with Bachelor's degree only. Will EB2 works?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Emman, If you have a 4+ year Bach degree, and your employer confirms that the position that you are holding (or will hold) requires 5+ years of experience, then you will qualify for EB-2.
      Feel free to reach out to us via email if you have any other specific questions on this, Emman.

      Delete
  7. Hi MU Law,

    Yes I have a 5 years degree. Is it worth it to move to a different employer to restart the gc process in eb2 rather than waiting until 2019 for the current eb3 gc process?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If your country of birth is India or Phils, you will get the GC quicker in EB2. But your next employer will have to start the PERM process anew.

      Delete
  8. Hello MU Law!

    My PD for Eb3 Philippines is Oct 2014. Your prediction would be?
    Your response is highly appreciated.
    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  9. My priority date is feb 2014 (eb3 philippines) and my daughter will turn 21 in july of 2019. Do you think we will be able to have our GC before she age out? Your prefiction on our pd? Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I do think that she will be able to get the green card and she will not age out.

      Delete
    2. When do you think my pd may ne current?

      Delete
    3. I think in the next 10-15 months.

      Delete
  10. I am from Uganda. PD is 12/Aug/2016, when do I obtain the visa? All forms already approved.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Replies
    1. Hello. Any ideas on EB 3 interview questions that are asked at the embassy?

      Delete
  12. Hi.If my PD is October 2015, when will it be current?

    ReplyDelete
  13. Hi MU! I read your positive posts. I just want to ask if ever my PD will be current, lets say 3-4 years now. During that time, if ever the hospital that employed me no longer hires, would that affect my EB3 application? My PD is december 2016. Thanks and more power to you MU!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi MU Law.. im from philippines and my wife is a Registered Nurse and with priority date of feb 2015. Is it possible that it will be current mid of 2018?thanks.

    ReplyDelete

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