In the May 2012 Visa Bulletin, China and India EB-2 priority dates are predicted to retrogress to August 15, 2007, and stay at that date for the remainder of this fiscal year (i.e., through September 30, 2012). Each month, the US Department of State (DOS) publishes priority dates in its Visa Bulletin. http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_1360.html. EB-2 India and China remain at May 1, 2010 in the April Visa Bulletin.
Reports are that USCIS will continue to “preadjudicate” adjustment applications received through April. DOS will hold these “preadjudicated” cases in the “pending” demand file so that they will be ready in October when the new fiscal year starts and new numbers are available–or earlier if the current demand pattern changes and numbers free up before September 30th.
Although the priority dates had been progressing over the past several months, overall demand has apparently continued at a very high rate and had to be put into check for India and China in order to maintain numbers for natives of other countries.
The EB-2 or Employment-based 2nd Preference Immigrant Visa category is for members of the professions holding advanced degrees or persons of exceptional ability who have an offer for employment in an appropriate job. This includes both of the National Interest Waiver categories (Physician and non-Physician). The EB-2 category receives 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, as well as any numbers not required by first preference.
DOS released the EB-2 India and EB-2 China priority date information to the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) last week.