With the federal fiscal year closing on September 30, employment-based green card applicants are watching the August 2026 Visa Bulletin closely — and the outlook is tightening, especially for EB-2 and NIW applicants who have grown used to favorable dates.
EB-2 Rest of World faces a real chance of retrogression. EB-2 for the Rest of World (ROW) chargeability area was “Current” for much of early 2026, but the Department of State has issued explicit warnings about heavy demand and rapid visa-number usage. A major driver is the surge in EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) filings from STEM professionals, researchers, and entrepreneurs. Analysts widely expect a high probability of an EB-2 ROW final action date being imposed — i.e., retrogression — in the August 2026 bulletin to keep issuances within the annual limit before the fiscal year ends. (Note: month-to-month predictions are forecasts, not guarantees; only the Department of State’s official bulletin is definitive.)
EB-2 India is already unavailable. Due to high demand and number use chargeable to India, India’s pro-rated EB-2 limit has been reached and the category is unavailable for the remainder of FY 2026. A cutoff date is expected to return on October 1, 2026, when the new fiscal year’s quota opens. EB-1 India was also retrogressed in the July bulletin to hold number use within the FY 2026 limit, and the State Department has cautioned that further retrogression — or making the category unavailable — may be necessary.
EB-2 China and EB-3. EB-2 China is expected to hold roughly steady or retrogress slightly to protect per-country limits, while EB-3 could see modest forward movement depending on demand.
What applicants should do now. If your EB-2 or NIW priority date is current under the applicable chart and you are eligible to file Form I-485, filing promptly protects your place before any retrogression takes hold. Applicants who cannot file this month should prepare their packages now so they are ready to move the moment dates become current again — including after the fiscal-year reset on October 1. Watch both the Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing charts, and confirm which chart USCIS is accepting each month.
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