On September 9, 2025, the U.S. Department of State announced that it had issued all available immigrant visas for Employment-Based Third Preference (EB-3) and Other Workers (EW) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025, and will not release additional visas in these categories until October 1, 2025. This announcement highlights the high demand for these categories in the U.S. economy and directly affects U.S. employers and foreign employees.
Employment-Based Third Preference (EB-3)
With an Employment-Based Third Preference (EB-3) visa, foreign citizens may qualify for U.S. permanent residence through the sponsorship of a U.S. employer. The visa is intended for three categories of workers:
- Professional: Foreign citizens with at least a U.S. bachelor’s or foreign equivalent degree are members of the profession.
- Skilled: Foreign citizens with a minimum of 2 years of experience, training, or education are considered members of the skilled worker category.
- Unskilled/Other: The unskilled subcategory, also known as “other workers,” is intended for Foreign citizens who possess less than a U.S. bachelor’s degree or its foreign equivalent and have less than two years of training or experience.
Fiscal Year (FY) and It’s Role in EB-3 and EW Visas
The U.S. government’s fiscal year plays a major role in deciding how many Employment-Based Third Preference (EB-3) visas can be issued. A fiscal year starts on October 1 and ends on September 30 of the following year. Within this time frame, there is a fixed limit on the number of immigrant visas that can be granted.
This limit is not random—it is required by law under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). According to INA § 203(b)(3), about 28.6% of all employment-based green cards each year are reserved for the EB-3 category. This category is designed for professionals, skilled workers, and certain other workers.
A subset of the EB-3 category, known as “Other Workers” (EW), has its own limit. No more than 10,000 of the available EB-3 visas can be granted to this group each fiscal year. This system ensures that the number of visas issued remains within the legal limits, directly impacting the processing and availability of green cards for applicants.
Because of these limits, the number of green cards available in EB-3 and EW is directly tied to the fiscal year. Once the yearly cap is reached, applicants must wait until the next fiscal year for more visas to become available.
Reaching The Annual Limits for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025
On September 9, 2025, the U.S. Department of State announced that the annual limits for Employment-Based Third Preference (EB-3) visas, including the “Other Workers” (EW) subcategory, for Fiscal Year 2025, have already been reached. This means that all the visa numbers allocated for this category during the period from October 1, 2024, to September 30, 2025, have been issued, and embassies and consulates may not issue visas in these categories for the remainder of the fiscal year.
As the annual limit for the current Fiscal Year (FY) is met, no additional EB-3 or EW immigrant visas will be approved until the start of the next fiscal year on October 1, 2025. As a result, applicants may experience delays in their green card process.
What Does This Mean: Impact on U.S. Employers and Foreign Employees
The early exhaustion of EB-3 and EW visa numbers for FY 2025 highlights the strong demand for these categories in the U.S. economy, impacting both U.S. employers and foreign employees. Many U.S. employers rely on these visa categories to bring in foreign workers when no able, willing, qualified, and available U.S. workers can fill the positions. At the same time, many foreign employees depend on these visas to enter the United States and pursue permanent residence through employer sponsorship.
For U.S. employers, reaching the annual limits means longer wait times, which may affect business needs, as they must wait until the new fiscal year begins on October 1, 2025, to continue with their sponsored employees’ visa applications. For foreign employees, it means delays in progressing with their green card process.
While this pause may be frustrating and create uncertainty, it is a normal part of the immigration system and reflects its dynamic nature. Visa availability will reset on October 1, 2025, when the new fiscal year begins, and applicants can expect the process to resume at that time.
Until then, cases will be held until new visa numbers become available, potentially leading to longer waits for U.S. permanent residency. This situation underscores the importance of timely application submission and demonstrates the ever-changing nature of the U.S. immigration system.
Conclusion
The exhaustion of EB-3 and EW visa numbers for FY 2025 is a reminder of how quickly these categories reach their limits due to high demand. Although the pause may cause delays for both U.S. employers and foreign employees, visa availability will reset with the new fiscal year on October 1, 2025. Planning ahead and staying informed about these cycles can help minimize disruption and ensure a smoother path forward once the process resumes.
