The October 2026 Visa Bulletin begins fiscal year 2027 with a mix of advances, restored availability, and retrogression. India has dated cutoffs again in EB-2 and EB-5 Unreserved. At the same time, EB-2 for Mexico, the Philippines, and all other countries returns from Current to a cutoff, and some EB-3 cutoffs move backward.
Every cutoff below comes from the employment-based Final Action Dates chart. Use our Visa Bulletin Tracker or Priority Date Calculator to compare a priority date against this approval-availability chart. This comparison does not determine October filing eligibility.
Which chart applies this month
For October 2026, USCIS requires employment-based adjustment-of-status applicants to use the Dates for Filing chart. We checked this instruction on the official USCIS filing-charts page. The Final Action chart discussed here governs visa availability for approval. Read the separate employment-based filing chart in the official bulletin before preparing a filing; the two charts serve different purposes.
Where each employment category stands (October 2026)
Current (C) means numbers are available for all otherwise qualified applicants in that category and chargeability area. Unavailable (U) means numbers are not authorized for issuance. Where a cutoff is listed, the priority date must be earlier than that date; equality does not qualify. Other eligibility requirements still apply.
EB-1 (Priority Workers)
China remains at 1 July 2023. India advances to 1 February 2023. Mexico, the Philippines, and all other countries remain Current.
EB-2 (Advanced Degree / Exceptional Ability)
China advances to 1 October 2021. India changes from Unavailable to a cutoff of 1 November 2013. Mexico, the Philippines, and all other countries change from Current to a cutoff of 1 January 2025.
EB-3 (Skilled Workers & Professionals)
China advances to 8 January 2022 and the Philippines advances to 15 August 2023. India remains at 1 January 2014. Mexico and all other countries retrogress to 15 May 2024.
EB-3 Other Workers
China advances to 1 October 2019 and the Philippines advances to 1 January 2022. India remains at 1 January 2014. Mexico and all other countries retrogress to 1 January 2022. This is a separate row from skilled workers and professionals.
EB-4 (Special Immigrants) and Certain Religious Workers
Both rows remain at 15 December 2022 for China, India, Mexico, the Philippines, and all other countries. The bulletin also states that the Certain Religious Workers program has been extended through December 11, 2026; consult the official bulletin for the program notice.
EB-5 (Immigrant Investors)
EB-5 Unreserved China remains at 1 December 2016. India changes from Unavailable to a cutoff of 1 December 2023. Mexico, the Philippines, and all other countries remain Current. Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure set-aside rows remain Current for every country.
What moved from September 2026
Fifteen of the 50 employment-based category-and-country cells changed. The following movements come from comparing the verified September and October Final Action tables.
- EB-1 India: advanced from 15 October 2022 to 1 February 2023, a 109-day move.
- EB-2 China: advanced from 1 September 2021 to 1 October 2021, a 30-day move.
- EB-2 India: changed from Unavailable to 1 November 2013. This is a status change, with no day-based movement calculation.
- EB-2 Mexico, Philippines, and all other countries: changed from Current to 1 January 2025. This is a return to a dated cutoff, with no day-based movement calculation.
- EB-3 China: advanced from 1 January 2022 to 8 January 2022, a 7-day move.
- EB-3 Philippines: advanced from 1 August 2023 to 15 August 2023, a 14-day move.
- EB-3 Mexico and all other countries: retrogressed from 1 September 2024 to 15 May 2024, a 109-day move backward.
- EB-3 Other Workers China: advanced from 1 May 2019 to 1 October 2019, a 153-day move.
- EB-3 Other Workers Philippines: advanced from 1 December 2021 to 1 January 2022, a 31-day move.
- EB-3 Other Workers Mexico and all other countries: retrogressed from 1 April 2022 to 1 January 2022, a 90-day move backward.
- EB-5 Unreserved India: changed from Unavailable to 1 December 2023. This is a status change, with no day-based movement calculation.
EB-4, EB-4 Religious Workers, EB-5 Rural, EB-5 High Unemployment, and EB-5 Infrastructure held steady across all countries.
We do not predict later bulletins from these changes. A flat month is normal, and an advance, retrogression, or status change in one month does not establish the next month's direction. The EB Visa Bulletin Trends chart now covers 18 verified monthly bulletins, from May 2025 through October 2026.
Reading the fiscal-year transition
The Department of State explains that FY 2027 numbers allow advances in several categories, while some worldwide employment-based dates must retrogress to keep issuance within quarterly and annual limits. The October table therefore cannot be described as a uniform advance. An earlier priority date than the relevant Final Action cutoff establishes only the date component of visa availability, not a promise of approval.
For October AOS filing decisions, return to the USCIS-designated filing chart. For a comparison of the two chart purposes, see Dates for Filing vs. Final Action Dates.
This analysis is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. The official Visa Bulletin and USCIS guidance always control, and immigration law is complex and fact-specific. For advice about your individual situation, consult a licensed immigration attorney or accredited representative.
Frequently asked questions
For October 2026, USCIS requires employment-based adjustment-of-status applicants to use the Dates for Filing chart. The Final Action Dates on this page describe visa availability for approval. Confirm the official USCIS filing instruction and the Department of State chart before filing.
EB-2 India and EB-5 Unreserved India reopen with dated cutoffs. EB-1 India, EB-2 China, and selected EB-3 cells advance. Worldwide EB-2 returns from Current to a dated cutoff, while EB-3 and Other Workers retrogress for Mexico and all other countries. EB-4 and the EB-5 set-aside rows hold steady.
Unavailable, shown as U in the Visa Bulletin, means no visa numbers are authorized for issuance in that category and country for the month. None of the employment-based cells in the October 2026 Final Action table is marked Unavailable.
No. This analysis is for general information only. The official Visa Bulletin and USCIS guidance control, and applicants should consult a licensed immigration attorney or accredited representative for advice about an individual case.
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