Indian IT and engineering firms that rely on the US talent pipeline received unwelcome news as the US State Department published the August 2026 Visa Bulletin. The document, reviewed on 21 July, continues the ‘Unavailable’ status for the EB-2 employment-based green-card category for India—extending a freeze that began in July—and, for the first time, cautions that EB-1 could also be closed in the “coming weeks” if annual numbers are exhausted before 30 September. Numbers in context: India’s 2026 country cap for EB-1 is roughly 11,200 visas. Robust demand from multinationals and start-ups has already consumed more than 90 %. EB-2’s quota was fully used by May, forcing the mid-year shut-off. EB-3 remains stalled with a Final Action Date of 1 January 2014, leaving many skilled workers facing a 12-year queue. Corporate implications: 1) Employers will find it harder to retain senior managers on L-1A visas whose green-card upgrades hinge on EB-1. 2) Assignment costs rise as staff cycle through H-1B extensions instead of transitioning to permanent residence. 3) Strategic workforce planners may accelerate Canada or Mexico near-shore hubs as risk diversification. Employee strategy: Immigration lawyers advise Indian nationals to ensure their priority dates are captured correctly; any clerical error could push cases beyond the fiscal-year cut-off. Spouses on dependent EADs should renew work authorisation early, as USCIS adjudication times have lengthened amid the surge. Policy outlook: The looming US presidential election has politicised high-skill immigration. A proposal to impose a refundable US$100,000 public-charge bond on certain green-card applicants—floated by conservative lawmakers this week—may further complicate the queue.
Source: The Economic Times
