Cutoff date on EB1 India and China

[Tanyu Chang]

In April 2018 bulletin, a cutoff date is imposed on India and China born applicants. And the cutoff date is set to Jan 1. 2012.  The similar happened in last June. But this time it's scary because:

1. It's 2 months earlier than last year

2. In the bulletin, it is not said to be "retrogression" like last year. Instead, it is said to be "cutoff date". 

3. In June last year when retrogression happened, the bulletin explicitly said it will become CURRENT in Oct for new fiscal year. This year, the bulletin did not say it will become CURRENT. Only saying the cutoff date might move.  

 

The questions are: does it mean the cutoff date will stick there and move slowly as other category and EB1 for India and China will not become CURRENT even entering new fiscal year?  And a cutoff date of Jan1. 2012 is obviously not true. I don't believe there's anyone from China and India have their priority date before 2012 not approved yet. Please see the quote from DOS bulletin

 

" OVERSUBSCRIPTION OF THE CHINA-mainland born AND INDIA EMPLOYMENT-BASED FIRST (E1) PREFERENCE CATEGORIESThere continues to be an extremely high rate of demand for E1 numbers, primarily for USCIS adjustment of status applicants. Pursuant to the Immigration and Nationality Act, it has been necessary to impose E1 Final Action Dates for these two countries, which have already reached their per-country limit. This action will allow the Department to hold worldwide number use within the maximum allowed under the FY-2018 annual limits.

Should the level of worldwide demand for E1 numbers decline, there could be some future movement in this date prior to the end of the fiscal year."