All Employment-Based US Immigrant Visas Exhausted for 2025 Fiscal Year

The US Department of State has confirmed that all available immigrant visas in the EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, and Other Workers (EW) categories have been fully issued for the 2025 fiscal year, ending 30 September. 

No further visas will be issued in these categories until the new fiscal year begins on 1 October. These employment-based visa categories offer permanent residency to individuals with exceptional ability, advanced qualifications, or experience in skilled or unskilled roles. 

The EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 categories each receive 28.6 percent of the total annual employment-based allocation, with the EW subcategory, under EB-3, capped at 10,000 visas per year. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), the total number of employment-based immigrant visas is currently limited to 150,037 per fiscal year. 

Each country may receive no more than 7 percent of this total, equivalent to 25,620 visas, with slight increases due to carryover from other categories. Dependent territories are limited to 2 percent, or 7,675 visas. This early exhaustion affects all applicants awaiting consular processing under the affected categories. 

US embassies and consulates will not resume visa issuance for EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, or EW applicants until the new quota is released on 1 October 2025. The continued high demand for employment-based immigration, particularly in the EB-3 and EW categories, highlights pressure on existing visa limits.