The U.S. Department of State announced on May 22, 2026, that the EB-2 immigrant visa quota for India-chargeable applicants has been exhausted for fiscal year 2026.
The Employment-Based Second Preference category, commonly known as EB-2, covers professionals holding advanced degrees as well as individuals with exceptional ability in their field.
With the quota now reached, the EB-2 category has been made entirely unavailable for Indian nationals through the end of the current fiscal year, which closes on September 30, 2026.
This development carries significant implications for employers across the United States who rely on the EB-2 pathway to sponsor skilled workers originally from India.
Businesses that had been actively pursuing permanent residence applications for Indian-born employees under this category will now face delays until the new fiscal year begins.
Employers should consult with their immigration counsel immediately to assess how this closure affects pending or planned green card filings for affected workers.
In many cases, employees caught by this cutoff may need to explore alternative visa strategies or wait for the EB-2 India category to reopen in the next fiscal year.
The fiscal year 2027 quota for EB-2 India will become available from October 1, 2026, though demand historically outpaces supply, meaning backlogs are expected to continue.
Employers should also be aware that other employment-based preference categories and country chargeability rules may offer alternative pathways for certain qualifying employees.
The announcement serves as a reminder of the persistent strain on U.S. employment-based immigration quotas, particularly for nationals of high-demand countries such as India and China.
Companies with large immigrant workforces should review their immigration pipelines proactively, ensuring that future filings are timed strategically around annual quota availability.
Staying informed about monthly visa bulletin updates from the Department of State remains a critical practice for any employer managing employment-based immigration cases.