United States | EB-2 visa cap limit reached for FY 2025

The Department of State announced on Sept. 2 that the annual limit for Employment-Based Second Preference (EB-2) immigrant visas has been reached for fiscal year (FY) 2025.

Key Points:

• All available EB-2 visas for FY 2025 have now been issued, and embassies and consulates will no longer issue EB-2 visas for the remainder of the fiscal year.
• The Immigration and Nationality Act (INA 203(b)(2)) mandates the EB-2 annual cap limit is set at 28.6% of the worldwide employment limit.
• EB-2 visa issuance will resume on Oct. 1, 2025, when the annual limits are reset for FY 2026.

Additional Information: This development follows recent warnings of high demand and retrogression in the EB-2 visa category. Individuals may be eligible for an EB-2 visa if they are a member of the professions holding an advanced degree or its equivalent or a person who has exceptional ability.

In the August 2025 Visa Bulletin, BAL reported that the issuance total of EB-2 visas was rapidly approaching the annual limit for FY 2025 and that the annual limit would most likely be reached sometime in August.

BAL will continue to monitor visa availability and provide updates as new information becomes available.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice Group.

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