October Visa Bulletin – Some Gains in the EB-3 Category, but Near Future Bleak for EB-2 India

The Department of State released its October Visa Bulletin today.  On a positive note, the EB-2 category for Chinese nationals has made a five week gain, from October 8, 2009 to November 15, 2009; and the EB-3 category for skilled workers/professionals for Chinese nationals has jumped five months, from November 1, 2008 to April 1, 2009.  The EB-3 category will advance six months for nationals of “all other countries” from April 1, 2011 to October 1, 2011; whereas it will only move forward a week for Indian nationals from November 8, 2003 to November 15, 2003.  Elsewhere, the EB-2 category for Indian nationals remains at May 1, 2009 and, unfortunately, this category is likely to retrogress over the next several months because of a spike in demand.  This is grim reading for Indian nationals who account for a large percentage of highly-skilled workers seeking permanent residence in the United States.  Indeed, based on current retrogression dates for Indians in the EB-3 category, priority dates are moving forward one week every month, which translates to a wait time of more than forty years.