All categories of employment-based green cards and immigrant visas are unavailable for the remainder of the current fiscal year. The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs announced that the quota for all employment-based visa categories for fiscal year 2025, ending on September 30, has been exhausted. As a result, no additional visas or green cards in these categories will be issued until the new fiscal year begins.
In collaboration with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Department of State has issued all available unreserved visas under the fifth-preference (EB-5) category for fiscal year 2025. According to the Immigration and Nationality Act, the number of employment-based immigrant visas issued each fiscal year is limited.
The annual limit for fifth-preference employment-based visas and green cards is 7.1% of the worldwide employment-based green card limit. A 2022 act allowed unused reserved visas from the fifth category in fiscal year 2023 to be made available for unreserved categories in fiscal year 2025. These numbers were included in calculating the available annual limit.
The Department of State has confirmed that all unreserved fifth-preference visas for fiscal year 2025 have been used. Consequently, U.S. embassies and consulates cannot issue visas in this category for the remainder of the fiscal year. The annual limit will reset with the start of fiscal year 2026 on October 1, 2025, allowing embassies and consulates to resume issuing immigrant visas to eligible applicants.
On September 9, the Department of State announced that third-preference (EB-3) employment-based visas were also unavailable for the current fiscal year. The annual limit for this category is 28.6% of the total worldwide employment-based green card limit, with up to 10,000 visas designated for unskilled workers. As all available third-preference visas for fiscal year 2025 have been utilized, U.S. embassies and consulates cannot issue these visas for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Similarly, on September 8, the Department of State reported that the annual quota for first-preference (EB-1) employment-based immigrant visas and green cards had been exhausted. This category, designed for priority workers such as individuals with extraordinary ability, outstanding professors and researchers, and certain multinational executives or managers, also has an annual limit of 28.6% of the total worldwide employment-based immigrant visa allocation. As a result, U.S. embassies and consular offices worldwide have ceased issuing these visas for the remainder of the fiscal year, ending on September 30.
In collaboration with USCIS, the Department of State has issued all available visas in this category, reaching the annual limit ahead of schedule. Issuance of these visas will resume on October 1, 2025, when the new fiscal year begins and the annual visa limits reset. Eligible applicants will then be able to receive their visas.
On September 2, the Department of State confirmed that all available immigrant visas in the second-preference (EB-2) employment-based category had been issued. Consequently, U.S. embassies and consular offices worldwide immediately stopped issuing new EB-2 visas. Additionally, in February, the Department of State announced that the annual limit for the fourth-preference (EB-4) employment-based category was reached within the first five months of the fiscal year.
Kishor Panthi
View More PostsKishor Panthi is the founder and editor-in-chief of Khasokhas and NepYork. He is the author of three books, “Kampan,” "UNTRANSLATABLE" and “Zero Mile.” He writes about social issues, immigration, and politics.
