The State of Employment-Based Visas in India on the June 2026 Visa Bulletin
The June 2026 Visa Bulletin has delivered a significant reality check for Indian employment-based green card applicants. After months of limited optimism in several categories, the latest bulletin reveals major regressions in EB-1 and EB-2 for India. This backward movement highlights the continued pressure on the U.S. immigration system and the overwhelming demand from highly skilled Indian professionals. For thousands of aspirants and applicants, the June bulletin reflects a system that is struggling to balance annual visa caps with surging demand. Here, our EB1A consultants have presented a detailed analysis and breakdown of the June 2026 EB-1 bulletin and provided useful insights on how applicants can prepare.
Where do the employment-based categories stand in the June 2026 bulletin?
According to the June 2026 EB-1 Visa Bulletin released by the U.S. Department of State, India’s employment-based categories now stand at the following Final Action Dates:
- EB-1 India: December 15, 2022
- EB-2 India: September 1, 2013
- EB-3 India: December 15, 2013
- EB-5 Unreserved India: May 1, 2022
The most dramatic development is the retrogression in EB-1 and EB-2 India. EB-1 India moved backward from April 1, 2023, to December 15, 2022, while EB-2 India retrogressed from July 15, 2014, to September 1, 2013.
This retrogression is not merely a coincidence. It is a strong indication that demand from Indian applicants has reached levels that are exceeding the available annual quota allocation under the employment-based immigration system. The State Department itself acknowledged that “high demand and number use” by Indian applicants forced the government to retrogress these categories in order to remain within FY2026 numerical limits.
Here is a clear list of the final action dates and dates for filing for the 2026 visa bulletin:
Why India faces the largest employment-based backlogs
Employment-based green cards are subject to an annual worldwide cap of approximately 140,000 visas, while no single country can generally receive more than 7% of the total allocation. That effectively limits India to roughly 9,800 employment-based immigrant visas annually unless spillover visas become available.
However, India’s demand massively exceeds that number. Indian nationals dominate H-1B approvals in the United States and represent a substantial portion of STEM professionals in sectors such as technology, healthcare, finance, engineering, and research. Over the past decade, this created an enormous pipeline of applicants transitioning from temporary work visas to permanent residency.
The issue has become especially severe in EB-2 and EB-3. With EB-2 India now processing priority dates from 2013, many applicants may effectively wait well over a decade for permanent residency. Some projections over recent years have even suggested that portions of the backlog could stretch far longer without legislative reform.
EB-1: Still faster than the other categories
For years, EB-1 was viewed as the premium fast-track category for Indian professionals. Many applicants pursued EB-1A Extraordinary Ability, EB-1B Outstanding Researcher, or EB-1C Multinational Executive pathways specifically to avoid the crushing EB-2 and EB-3 backlog.
However, June 2026 demonstrates that even EB-1 India is no longer insulated from demand pressure. The retrogression to December 2022 signals that extraordinary ability and executive categories are now experiencing unprecedented filing volumes. Yet, in the June visa bulletin, EB-1 India is still faster and racing ahead.
This trend reflects broader changes in immigration strategy among Indian professionals. Interestingly, highly skilled candidates are now upgrading from EB-2 or EB-3 into EB-1 classifications. The growth of EB-1A green card filings among all levels of aspirants (including entrepreneurs, researchers, senior technologists, startup founders, physicians, and industry experts) has significantly expanded demand in this category.
Yet despite retrogression, EB-1 still remains substantially ahead of EB-2 India. A roughly two-year waiting line is far more manageable than a backlog extending over a decade. This is one reason why interest in EB-1A mentorship and profile-building strategies has accelerated sharply among Indian-origin professionals in the United States.
EB-3 remains slightly ahead of EB-2
An interesting aspect of the June 2026 bulletin is that EB-3 India remains slightly ahead of EB-2 India. EB-3 India stands at December 15, 2013, compared to EB-2 India’s September 1, 2013.
This difference may continue encouraging “downgrade” strategies, where applicants with EB-2 approvals also file under EB-3 to take advantage of marginally better movement. While the gap is not enormous, even a few months of advancement can matter significantly for applicants waiting years in line.
Still, neither category offers immediate relief. Both remain deeply oversubscribed, and future movements will depend heavily on visa demand and USCIS processing patterns.
Growing pressure in EB-5 India
Another emerging development is the rising demand for EB-5 investor visas among Indians. The June bulletin warns that the EB-5 Unreserved category for India may retrogress further or even become unavailable in the coming months due to increased demand.
This warning aligns with recent reports showing a sharp increase in Indian EB-5 applications. In FY2025, Indian EB-5 filings reportedly surged to 1,903 applications, more than doubling from the previous year.
This suggests that affluent Indian professionals and entrepreneurs are increasingly viewing investment-based immigration as an alternative route amid prolonged employment-based backlogs.
What comes next?
The June 2026 Visa Bulletin confirms that India’s employment-based immigration backlog remains one of the most significant challenges in U.S. immigration policy. The retrogression in EB-1 and EB-2 is not an isolated event but part of a broader pattern of overwhelming demand from highly skilled Indian professionals.
Most importantly, the June 2026 bulletin highlights how competitive employment-based immigration has become for Indian nationals. In this highly competitive environment, strategic filing and early mentorship are more worthwhile to consider than ever.
For personalised guidance on the EB-1A criteria green card, you can directly get in touch with us. At GCEB1, we provide dedicated, proven guidance on the U.S. permanent residency pathway along with attorney support.
We wish you a safe and stress-free immigration journey.
Source: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/legal/visa-law0/visa-bulletin/2026/visa-bulletin-for-june-2026.html
