March 2026 Visa Bulletin: Major Advances in EB-2 and EB-3 Priority Dates

The U.S. Department of State released the March 2026 Visa Bulletin, delivering substantial relief for employment-based immigrants in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories. Priority dates advanced by 2 to 17 months across most categories, continuing a trend of steady progress seen throughout the first five months of fiscal year 2026 (October 2025 through February 2026). A particularly notable development is that EB-2 priority dates for applicants from Mexico, the Philippines, and the Rest of World are now listed as 'current' for adjustment of status purposes — meaning no backlog queue applies for the first time in years. This marks a significant milestone for thousands of sponsored employees who have been waiting since retrogression began in May 2023. The advancement means many sponsored employees whose petitions were filed shortly after May 2023 — when EB-2 and EB-3 retrogression began — will now find their priority dates current in March 2026. This opens the door to filing for adjustment of status inside the U.S. or obtaining immigrant visas abroad. The EB-3 category covers a broad range of professions including software developers, engineers, registered nurses, and teachers. Applicants in these fields should review their priority date against the March 2026 Visa Bulletin charts and consult with their employer's immigration counsel to determine whether they are now eligible to proceed. U.S. employers sponsoring foreign nationals are encouraged to continue the process, as visa availability fluctuates over time. The March 2026 bulletin serves as a reminder that backlogs can and do clear — sometimes rapidly — making ongoing sponsorship a viable long-term strategy for workforce retention.