Annual Limit Reached in the EB-2 Category

State Department, Sept. 9, 2024

"The State Department, working in close collaboration with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, is pleased to announce the issuance of all available visas in the Employment-Based Second Preference (EB-2) category for fiscal year (FY) 2024. Maximizing these visas facilitates legitimate travel for individuals with exceptional ability and professionals holding advanced degrees. These individuals bring contributions across many industries that greatly benefit the U.S. economy.

The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) limits the number of employment-based preference immigrant visas that may be issued within a fiscal year. Specifically, INA 203(b)(2) provides that the annual limit for EB-2 visas is 28.6 percent of the worldwide employment limit.

Since all available EB-2 visas for FY 2024 have been used, embassies and consulates may not issue visas in this category for the remainder of the fiscal year. The annual limit will reset with the start of the new fiscal year (FY 2025) on October 1, 2024. At that point, embassies and consulates may resume issuing immigrant visas in this category to qualified applicants."