EB-3 Visa Bulletin for Other Workers (EW-3)
The U.S. Department of State publishes a monthly Visa Bulletin that controls when EB-3 Other Workers (EW-3 / unskilled) applicants can take final green card steps. This hub explains Final Action Dates, Dates for Filing, country-specific cutoffs, and how the ~10,000 Other Workers visa sub-cap affects movement.
What the Visa Bulletin shows
- Final Action Dates (Table A) — When a green card or immigrant visa can actually be approved.
- Dates for Filing (Table B) — When you may file DS-260 or I-485 earlier, if USCIS is accepting Table B.
- Country of chargeability — India, China, Mexico, and the Philippines often have later cutoffs than "All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed" because of per-country limits.
How to know if your priority date is current
Compare your PERM / I-140 priority date to the Final Action Date for your country of birth. If your date is on or before the listed Final Action Date — or the chart says Current — you are eligible to proceed with final green card steps (subject to USCIS and State Department rules).
Why Other Workers dates move slowly
Congress limits Other Workers (EW) to roughly 10,000 immigrant visas per year worldwide, including derivatives. High demand relative to that sub-cap is a main reason EW-3 dates often move slower than skilled or professional EB-3.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the EB-3 Other Workers (EW-3) Visa Bulletin?
The monthly State Department Visa Bulletin shows which priority dates are eligible for Final Action and which may file under the Dates for Filing chart for EB-3 Other Workers.
What is the difference between Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing?
Final Action Dates control approval. Dates for Filing can allow earlier paperwork when USCIS uses Table B. Your priority date must be on or before the listed date for your country of chargeability.
Where does Immilink get these dates?
Dates are sourced from the U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin and refreshed into Immilink's public processing-times data. Always verify against travel.state.gov for formal filing decisions.