On August 27, 2024, the Department of State (DOS) announced the issuance of all available visas in the employment-based first preference (EB-1) and fourth preference (EB-4) immigrant visa preference categories for fiscal year (FY) 2024. On August 16, 2024, DOS announced the issuance of all available visas in the employment-based EB-3 and EW (Other Workers) and EB-5 unreserved categories.
Regarding the EB-1 category, DOS said, “Maximizing these visas facilitates legitimate travel for individuals with extraordinary ability [who have] garnered national or international acclaim, outstanding professors and researchers, and multinational executives and managers.” Regarding the EB-4 category, DOS said that maximizing such visas “facilitates legitimate travel for a wide variety of special immigrants, including religious workers, special immigrant juveniles, certain U.S. government employees, certain international organization retirees, and certain international broadcasting employees, among others.”
The annual limits will reset with the start of the new federal fiscal year on October 1, 2024, DOS noted. “At that point, embassies and consulates may resume issuing immigrant visas in these categories to qualified applicants.” USCIS may also resume approving applications for Adjustment of Status to Lawful Permanent Resident (Form I-485) in these categories to qualified applicants starting October 1, 2024.