The September 2026 Visa Bulletin closes the government fiscal year with very little employment-based movement. In the Final Action Dates chart, the only employment-based rows that moved are EB-4 and EB-4 Certain Religious Workers, both of which advanced from 15 October 2022 to 15 December 2022 for every country. EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, EB-3 Other Workers, EB-5 Unreserved, and the EB-5 set-aside rows all held steady from August.
Every date below is drawn from the employment-based Final Action Dates chart. For a direct yes/no on your own priority date, use our Visa Bulletin Tracker or Priority Date Calculator.
Which chart applies this month
For September 2026, USCIS directs employment-based adjustment-of-status applicants to use the Final Action Dates chart. USCIS announces this choice separately from the Department of State bulletin, and it can change month to month. Always confirm the current instruction on the USCIS adjustment-of-status filing charts page before you file. If the two Visa Bulletin charts are new to you, our guide on how the Visa Bulletin works explains the difference.
Where each employment category stands (September 2026)
In the bulletin, "Current" (shown as "C") means there is no cutoff for that category and country. "Unavailable" (shown as "U") means no numbers are being issued in that row this month. A date means only applicants with a priority date earlier than that cutoff may proceed toward final action.
EB-1 (Priority Workers)
EB-1 is Current for Mexico, the Philippines, and all other countries. China holds at a Final Action Date of 1 July 2023, and India holds at 15 October 2022. There was no EB-1 movement from August to September.
EB-2 (Advanced Degree / Exceptional Ability)
EB-2 is Current for Mexico, the Philippines, and all other countries. China remains at 1 September 2021, and India remains Unavailable, meaning no EB-2 visa numbers are available for India-born applicants in this category this month. EB-2 was unchanged across every country.
EB-3 (Skilled Workers & Professionals)
EB-3 keeps a cutoff for every country. China remains at 1 January 2022, India remains at 1 January 2014, Mexico and all other countries remain at 1 September 2024, and the Philippines remains at 1 August 2023. The full row held steady from August.
EB-3 Other Workers
EB-3 Other Workers also held steady. China remains at 1 May 2019, India at 1 January 2014, the Philippines at 1 December 2021, and Mexico and all other countries at 1 April 2022. If your case is classified as "other worker," this row applies instead of the main EB-3 row.
EB-4 (Special Immigrants)
EB-4 is the employment-based bright spot this month. The Final Action Date advances to 15 December 2022 for every country: China, India, Mexico, the Philippines, and all other countries. That is a 61-day advance from the August cutoff of 15 October 2022.
EB-4 Certain Religious Workers
The Certain Religious Workers subcategory mirrors the main EB-4 row this month. Every country advances to 15 December 2022, also a 61-day move from August.
EB-5 (Immigrant Investors)
Under EB-5 Unreserved, China remains at 1 December 2016 and India remains Unavailable; Mexico, the Philippines, and all other countries remain Current. The three set-aside rows we track (Rural, High Unemployment, and Infrastructure) remain Current for every country. No EB-5 Final Action row moved this month.
What moved from August 2026
Only ten employment-based category-and-country cells moved from August to September, all in EB-4-related rows. No employment-based category retrogressed, and no new employment-based row became Unavailable. We do not predict the next bulletin from a flat month; we are describing only this month's published chart.
In EB-4, every country advanced from 15 October 2022 to 15 December 2022, a 61-day move.
In EB-4 Certain Religious Workers, every country also advanced from 15 October 2022 to 15 December 2022, the same 61-day move.
EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, EB-3 Other Workers, EB-5 Unreserved, EB-5 Rural, EB-5 High Unemployment, and EB-5 Infrastructure were unchanged.
Who should pay attention
EB-4 applicants of every nationality saw the clearest improvement. If your EB-4 priority date falls before 15 December 2022, your date may now be current under the September Final Action chart. That same point applies to Certain Religious Workers.
India-born applicants in EB-2 and EB-5 Unreserved remain in the hardest position because both rows are still Unavailable. EB-1 India, EB-3 India, and EB-3 Other Workers India did not move either. China-born applicants also saw no employment-based movement this month, with EB-1 China at July 2023, EB-2 China at September 2021, EB-3 China at January 2022, and EB-5 Unreserved China at December 2016.
A note on late-fiscal-year movement
September is the final month of the federal fiscal year, when annual visa-number limits are often tight. A flat month is common in that environment, and an Unavailable row can reopen only when numbers are available again. We do not forecast where any cutoff will go next; this page describes only what the September 2026 Final Action chart says. For the mechanics behind retrogression, Current, and Unavailable, see how the Visa Bulletin works.
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
USCIS directs employment-based adjustment-of-status applicants to use the Final Action Dates chart for September 2026. Always confirm on the USCIS filing charts page before you file.
EB-4 and EB-4 Certain Religious Workers advanced two months for every country. The other employment-based Final Action rows held steady.
Unavailable means no visa numbers are available in that category and country for the month. A priority date cannot become current while the row is Unavailable.
No. It is informational only. The official bulletin and USCIS guidance control, and you should consult a licensed immigration attorney about your own case.
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