⚠️ Heavy EB-2/EB-3 Backlogs: Due to country-based cap limits (7% limit per country), mainland-born Chinese nationals face multi-year final action date backlogs in the EB-2 and EB-3 employment-based green card categories.
Priority Date Alternative Estimator
Input the year of your approved PERM/I-140 priority date to evaluate strategic options:
Recommended Course of Action:
Your priority date is close to the current visa bulletin final action dates (currently around late 2021/early 2022). Keep monitoring dates monthly and prepare your I-485 package.
Strategic Alternatives to EB-2
If you face a long wait in the EB-2 queue, explore these alternative immigrant and non-immigrant pathways:
- EB-1A / EB-1B Porting: If you meet the criteria for Extraordinary Ability (EB-1A) or qualify as an Outstanding Professor/Researcher (EB-1B), you can file a new EB-1 petition and request to **port (transfer) your original EB-2 priority date**, bypassing the EB-2 backlog.
- National Interest Waiver (NIW): Self-petition under the EB-2 NIW category (using the Matter of Dhanasar framework) to establish a priority date independently of an employer's PERM labor certification process.
- O-1A Visa Bridge: Switch from F-1/H-1B to O-1A (Extraordinary Ability) to gain work authorization that allows for indefinite extensions and has no annual cap.
- AC21 Extension Protections: Under AC21 section 104(c), you are eligible for H-1B extensions in 3-year increments (beyond the standard 6-year limit) as long as you have an approved Form I-140 and your priority date is backlogged.