Learn how priority dates work, how to read the visa bulletin, and what determines your wait time.
Your priority date is essentially your place in line for a green card. It is the single most important date in the employment-based immigration process, yet many applicants don't fully understand how it works or how to track it. This guide breaks down everything you need to know about priority dates, visa bulletins, and wait times.
A priority date is the date that establishes your position in the employment-based green card queue. For PERM-based cases (most EB-2 and EB-3), your priority date is the date the Department of Labor accepts your PERM labor certification application. For EB-1 cases and EB-2 NIW, the priority date is when USCIS receives your I-140 petition. Once established, your priority date stays with you — even if you change employers — as long as your I-140 has been approved and not revoked.
Each month, the Department of State publishes the Visa Bulletin, which shows which priority dates are eligible to move forward. The bulletin has two charts:
When a category shows "C" (Current) in the visa bulletin, it means there is no backlog — any approved I-140 can proceed immediately. When a specific date is shown, only applicants with priority dates before that date can proceed. The difference between Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing can be significant — sometimes months or even years apart — which affects when you can file I-485 and obtain work/travel authorization through EAD and advance parole.
Wait times vary dramatically by country of birth and EB category. For most countries, all employment-based categories are current, meaning no wait. For India, EB-2 and EB-3 backlogs can exceed 10 years. China faces shorter but still significant backlogs of 3–6 years in some categories. These backlogs exist because each country is limited to approximately 7% of total employment-based visas per year, regardless of demand.
One of the most valuable features of the priority date system is portability. If your I-140 has been approved for at least 180 days (or your employer hasn't revoked it), you can "port" that priority date to a new I-140 petition with a different employer or even a different EB category. This means changing jobs doesn't reset your place in line — a crucial protection for workers in long backlogs.
Monitor the visa bulletin monthly at the Department of State website or through Wisa's tracking tools. Pay attention to trends — priority dates can move forward, remain static, or even retrogress (move backward). Retrogression happens when demand for visas exceeds supply in a given category and country. Sign up for visa bulletin alerts to get notified when dates move for your category.
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Search H-1B Sponsors on Wisa →For most employment-based green cards (EB-2 and EB-3 through PERM), your priority date is when the Department of Labor accepts your PERM application. For EB-1 and EB-2 NIW cases, it's when USCIS receives your I-140 petition. This date establishes your position in the green card queue.
Yes, this is called retrogression. It happens when demand for green cards in a particular category and country exceeds the available visa numbers. When retrogression occurs, the cutoff date in the visa bulletin moves backward, meaning some applicants who were previously eligible must wait longer.
Final Action Dates show when you can actually receive your green card. Dates for Filing show when you can submit your I-485 application to USCIS. Filing early lets you get EAD work authorization and advance parole travel documents while waiting for your Final Action Date.
Yes, if your I-140 has been approved for at least 180 days or hasn't been revoked by your former employer. You can port your priority date to a new I-140 with a different employer, preserving your place in line. This is one of the most important protections in immigration law.