The Department of State published the Visa Bulletin for November 2026 — Number 20, Volume XI. Here is the employment-based part, and what it means for someone deciding between categories right now.
Final Action Dates
| Employment-based | All other areas | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (EB-1) | C | 01AUG23 | 01FEB23 | C | C |
| 2nd (EB-2) | 01APR25 | 01OCT21 | 01NOV13 | 01APR25 | 01APR25 |
| 3rd | 15JUN24 | 22JAN22 | 22JAN14 | 15JUN24 | 15AUG23 |
| Other Workers | 01JUN22 | 01OCT19 | 22JAN14 | 01JUN22 | 01JAN22 |
Dates for Filing
| Employment-based | All other areas | China | India | Mexico | Philippines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (EB-1) | C | 01JUL24 | 01JUL24 | C | C |
| 2nd (EB-2) | 15MAR26 | 01JAN23 | 15JAN15 | 15MAR26 | 15MAR26 |
| 3rd | 01AUG24 | 01APR24 | 15JAN15 | 01AUG24 | 01JAN24 |
What stands out
EB-1 is current for every chargeability area except China and India. No queue, no priority date holding the case back — the limit is how long USCIS takes to adjudicate, not whether a visa number exists.
That column covers most of the world, Brazil included. Chargeability generally follows country of birth, so someone born in Brazil sits there regardless of where they live now or what second passport they hold.
EB-2 is not current for anyone. Even in the broad column it sits at 01APR25 for final action, with filing allowed from 15MAR26. For India the distance between the two categories is extreme: EB-1 at 01FEB23 against EB-2 at 01NOV13 — more than nine years apart.
What this changes, and what it does not
For someone whose record could support either category, this chart is an argument for looking hard at the EB-1A first. Not because it is easier — the standard is higher, and nothing about the Visa Bulletin changes 8 CFR 204.5(h)(3) — but because the queue that follows approval is the difference between months and years.
What it does not change is the decision rule. Picking a category by this month's chart rather than by what the record supports is how people end up with a denial in the faster line. The bulletin moves, sometimes backwards; a denial stays in your history. The two categories are compared on their own terms in EB-1A or EB-2 NIW.
And current is not fast. It means a visa number is available, not that USCIS is quick. Processing speed is a different problem, addressed by premium processing on the I-140 — see what an EB-1A actually costs.
One practical note
For adjustment of status, USCIS announces each month which of the two charts it will accept. That announcement lives on the USCIS page linked in the sources and does not always follow the obvious choice. If you are filing an I-485, check it for the month you file rather than assuming.
Next bulletin: December 2026, usually published in the second half of the previous month.