Due to oversubscription of the China and India Employment-Based First (E1, also known as EB-1) Preference categories, a priority date of January 1, 2010, has been imposed for both countries. In doing so, USCIS is hoping to keep numbers within the Worldwide E1 annual limit. The E1 date will become current again in October which is the first month of the fiscal year 2017.

The August 2016 Visa Bulletin addresses a similar issue for the Employment-Based Second (E2, also known as EB-2) Preference category for nationals of El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and the Philippines. For those countries, the Priority Date for EB-2/E2 cases is February 1, 2014. These countries will also become current for October, the first month of the 2017 fiscal year.

For more information on these changes, click here.