January 2009 Visa Bulletin : EB Categories Move Forward Slightly Posted Dec 19, 2008 ©MurthyDotCom The U.S. Department of State (DOS) recently published the Visa Bulletin for January 2009. The January 2009 Visa Bulletin has few changes over the December 2008 Visa Bulletin in the employment-based (EB) categories. There is slight forward movement in EB2 India and China. The EB3 category had a more significant change for China, and a minor change for India. The EB categories that were current in December 2008 remain current for January 2009. Indications for the EB categories in this Visa Bulletin are summarized below. [The most recent Visa Bulletin chart, which includes family-based categories and their movement, can always be found on MurthyDotCom.] ©MurthyDotCom Summary of Visa Bulletin ©MurthyDotCom Employment-Based, First Preference (EB1) This category is current for all countries of chargeability. ©MurthyDotCom Employment-Based, Second Preference (EB2) This category remains current for all countries, with the exception of India and China. The cutoff date for India moved forward by one month, and is now July 1, 2003. China moved forward by slightly more than a month, to July 8, 2004. ©MurthyDotCom Employment-Based, Third Preference (EB3) This category continues to have cutoff dates for all countries of chargeability. The cutoff date for the "worldwide" category, as well as the Philippines, did not change, but remains at May 1, 2005. The cutoff date for Mexico advanced slightly more than two months, to November 15, 2002. China saw more significant progress, and, for the month of January 2009, has a cutoff date of June 1, 2002. India inched forward to an October 15, 2001 cutoff date. ©MurthyDotCom EB3 Other Workers This category moved forward to March 15, 2003 for all countries. ©MurthyDotCom Employment Based Fourth / Fifth / Religious Workers, and Targeted Employment The EB4, EB5, Religious Workers, and the targeted employment categories are all current. ©MurthyDotCom Conclusion ©MurthyDotCom We will continue to share useful information to help MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers make decisions regarding Visa Bulletin issues. The backlogs reflected in the Visa Bulletin are the result of the demand for visa numbers exceeding the limited supply under U.S. immigration law annual immigrant quota limits in the various EB categories. ©MurthyDotCom The January 2009 Visa Bulletin does not explain the changes in the cutoff dates, or make any predictions for the future. This Visa Bulletin is the fourth in Fiscal Year (FY) 2009, and marks the beginning of the second quarter of FY2009. Since visa numbers are allocated, in part, on a quarterly basis, this could explain the changes in some categories. Copyright © 2008, MURTHY LAW FIRM. All Rights Reserved
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