Visa Bulletin September 2026: EB-3 Other Workers Runs 2 Years Behind EB-3 Skilled

The September 2026 Visa Bulletin highlights a significant and often overlooked distinction between two separate EB-3 subcategories: EB-3 Skilled/Professional and EB-3 Other Workers (EW3). These categories maintain independent priority date cutoffs, and the gap between them is larger than many applicants realize. For Rest of World, the Other Workers cutoff sits at April 2022, compared to September 2024 for EB-3 Skilled/Professional — a difference of roughly 29 months. Mexico mirrors Rest of World with the same April 2022 versus September 2024 split, meaning Mexican nationals in the EW3 category face the same extended wait. The disparity is even more pronounced for high-demand countries. Philippines EW3 is at December 2021 versus August 2023 for EB-3, a gap of about 20 months. China presents the most severe backlog, with EW3 at May 2019 compared to January 2022 for EB-3 — a gap of nearly 32 months, representing years of additional waiting time for Chinese nationals in unskilled worker categories. This distinction matters significantly for applicants who may not realize their specific subcategory. Workers classified under unskilled or 'other worker' roles — such as certain agricultural, hospitality, or manual labor positions — fall under EW3 rather than EB-3 Skilled, resulting in substantially longer waits. Applicants should confirm with their employer or attorney which subcategory their PERM labor certification targets. For EB-3 applicants monitoring the bulletin, understanding which row applies to your case is critical for accurate priority date planning. Misidentifying your subcategory could lead to incorrect estimates of when your visa number will become available.