The U.S. Department of State has announced that all available Employment-Based Second Preference (EB-2) visas for fiscal year 2024 have been issued. The EB-2 visa category is designed for foreign workers who possess exceptional abilities or advanced degrees and contribute significantly to the U.S. workforce.
Due to the annual caps set by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the number of EB-2 visas issued each year is limited to 28.6% of the total worldwide employment-based visa allocation. For FY 2024, that limit has been reached, meaning U.S. embassies and consulates will not issue any additional EB-2 visas until the new fiscal year begins on October 1, 2024.
This temporary halt affects employers seeking to hire foreign talent under the EB-2 program, as they will not be able to proceed with EB-2 visa processing until FY 2025. However, this pause provides an opportunity for both employers and workers to prepare their applications for the next fiscal year. Workers currently seeking an EB-2 visa will need to wait until FY 2025 to submit or continue their applications.
Additionally, the State Department previously announced that all available visas for the Employment-Based Third Preference (EB-3), Other Workers (EW), and Employment-Based Fifth Preference (EB-5) categories have also been issued for FY 2024.
With visa allocations resetting in October, applicants in these categories will once again have the opportunity to pursue their immigration goals.
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