Employment-Based Green Card February 2023 Bulletin

It’s another month in the books, and the Employment-Based Green Card Final Action Dates and filing Dates Chart shows why we should all look twice before booking those flights.

It’s a frustratingly familiar story in the EB-1 category for final action dates – all countries are current, aside from China and India, whose Final Action Dates remain stubbornly stuck on February 1, 2022.

The Filing Dates Chart is marginally more generous, though still not great news for China and India. All other countries are current for EB-1 filing dates, while China and India remained on June 1, 2022.

As for EB-2, the Final Action Dates Chart offers something of a reprieve for Mexico, the Philippines, Central America and the rest of the world, which remain on November 1, 2022. China and India, however, have their Final Action Dates set to June 8, 2019, and October 8, 2011, respectively.

The Filing Dates Chart shows a slightly better picture, with Mexico, the Philippines, Central America and the rest of the world staying on December 1, 2022, China on July 8, 2019, and India on May 1, 2012.

As for EB- 3 category, the Final Action Dates Chart is a cause for concern, with Mexico, the Philippines, Central America and the rest of the world regressing to January 1, 2020. Mainland China remains on August 1, 2018, while India stubbornly clings to June 15, 2012.

The Filing Dates Chart, however, offers something of a silver lining; Mexico, the Philippines, Central America and the rest of the world are current, while China remained on September 1, 2018, and India remained on August 1, 2012.

All in all, it looks like the employment-based green card process is in for a bumpy ride this month, with little change in the Final Action Dates or Filing Dates Charts. It’s not all doom and gloom – if you’re looking to get your green card, it’s best to be proactive and apply sooner rather than later.

According to the February 2023 Visa Bulletin, employment dates for filing will be as follows:

EB-1: Current status will be maintained for all countries except for India and China. The Dates for Filing for India and China are on June 1, 2022.
EB-2: All the Countries, except India and China, will remain on December 1, 2022. There was no change in China’s position as of July 8, 2019, and no change in India’s position as of May 1, 2012.
EB-3: All the countries will maintain their current status, including India and China. India remained on August 1, 2012, and China remained on September 1, 2018.

According to the December Visa Bulletin, final action dates will be as follows:

EB-1: All countries will maintain their current status except India and China. India and China will remain on February 1, 2022.
EB-2: All the countries, including Mexico, Central America and the Philippines, will maintain their current status, While India remained on June 15, 2012, And Mainland China remained on August 1, 2018.
EB-3: All the countries, including Central America, Mexico, and the Philippines, will be retrogression to January 1, 2020.

For those of you who were crossing your fingers for a happier month, February 2023 has let us down. But we can still remain hopeful that the next bulletin might bring some relief. In the meantime, stay safe and keep track of all those Final Action Dates.