New Fiscal Year Brings Welcome Movement in Employment-Based Categories
The U.S. Department of State released the October 2025 Visa Bulletin on October 1, 2025, ushering in fiscal year 2026 with notable advancements across multiple employment-based immigration categories. The monthly bulletin, which determines when foreign nationals can take final steps toward obtaining permanent residence, shows significant forward movement after months of stagnation in several key categories.
Employment-Based Green Card Categories See Advancement
The October bulletin brings encouraging news for employment-based applicants waiting in the green card queue. The EB-2 category (advanced degree professionals) advanced by three months to December 1, 2023, for most countries. However, country-specific backlogs persist, with China advancing 15 weeks to April 1, 2021, and India moving three months to April 1, 2013.
For the EB-3 category (skilled workers and professionals), final action dates remained at April 1, 2023, for most countries. China-born applicants saw a three-month advancement to March 1, 2021, while India also advanced three months to August 22, 2013.
The EB-1 category (priority workers) remains current for most countries, though China advanced five weeks to December 22, 2022, and India remains at February 15, 2022.
Religious Worker Category Set to Expire
One of the most significant changes affects the EB-4 Certain Religious Workers (SR) category, which became unavailable for all countries on October 1, 2025. The category expired on September 29, 2025, following the sunset provision of H.R. 1968, which extended the program until that date. Unless Congress reauthorizes the program through new legislation, no SR visas may be issued overseas, and no final action can be taken on adjustment of status cases after midnight on September 29, 2025.
Impact on Religious Organizations
- No new religious worker visa numbers available starting October 1, 2025
- Pending cases filed before the deadline may still be processed if approved before September 30, 2025
- Religious organizations must explore alternative visa categories or await congressional reauthorization
Diversity Visa Program Faces Significant Reduction
The Diversity Visa (DV) program experienced a substantial reduction for fiscal year 2026. The annual allocation dropped to approximately 52,000 visas, down from the standard 55,000, due to visa numbers made available to NACARA (Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act) applicants.
This reduction stems from amendments made by Section 5104 of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, which changed how NACARA provisions interact with the DV program. The number of visas made available under the NDAA each fiscal year will now be deducted from the 55,000 DVs annually allocated, resulting in fewer opportunities for diversity visa lottery winners.
Family-Based Categories Show Limited Movement
Family-sponsored preference categories experienced minimal advancement in October 2025. The F2A category (spouses and children of permanent residents) maintained its date at February 1, 2024, for most countries. The F1 category (unmarried adult children of U.S. citizens) remained at November 8, 2016, while the F4 category (siblings of adult U.S. citizens) stayed at January 8, 2008.
What Green Card Applicants Should Do Now
Immigration attorneys are advising applicants whose priority dates have become current to take immediate action. Critical steps include:
- Schedule medical examinations (Form I-693) promptly
- Gather all required civil documents, including birth certificates and police certificates
- Prepare Form I-485 adjustment of status applications with complete supporting documentation
- File applications quickly while dates remain current, as retrogression can occur at any time
- Consider interfiling options, such as transferring from EB-2 to EB-3 if beneficial
Planning for Potential Retrogression
The Visa Bulletin can change monthly, and forward movement is never guaranteed. Applicants with current priority dates should act swiftly, as demand often exceeds supply, particularly in oversubscribed categories for China and India-born applicants. Having documentation prepared in advance ensures the ability to file immediately when dates become current.
Looking Ahead to Fiscal Year 2026
As fiscal year 2026 begins, the worldwide employment-based preference level remains at approximately 140,000 visas annually, with per-country limits set at 7% (9,800 visas per country). However, actual availability varies based on demand, unused family-based numbers rolling over to employment categories, and congressional actions that may affect specific visa programs.
Immigration experts recommend monitoring the monthly Visa Bulletin closely and maintaining communication with immigration counsel to navigate the complex priority date system. With backlogs persisting in many categories, strategic planning and prompt action when dates become current remain essential for successful green card applications.
The next Visa Bulletin, covering November 2025, is expected to be released in mid-October, providing updated guidance on visa availability across all categories.