What is the priority date for employment-based green card petitions?

The priority date for employment-based green card petitions in California is the date when the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) receives the properly filed application. This is the date used to determine when an immigrant may file to adjust their status or apply for an immigrant visa. Priority dates can change rapidly, depending on the number of applicants and the number of green cards available in a particular category. For example, the priority date for an individual filing for an employment-based green card in California can vary based on the particular visa category. If an individual is filing for an employment-based second preference (EB-2) or third preference (EB-3) visa, the priority date typically starts at the date of filing. For applicants filing for an employment-based first preference (EB-1) visa, the priority date tends to be earlier than the date of filing since there is often a shortage of visas in this category. The priority date in this instance is determined by the Department of Labor, and is usually the date when the labor certification application is filed with the USCIS. Priority date availability also depends on the geographic region, country, and sub-category of foreign nationals filing for an employment-based green card. It is important to check the current priority dates before filing to ensure your application has the best chance of being accepted in a timely manner.

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La fecha de prioridad para las peticiones de tarjeta verde basadas en el empleo es determinada por el orden en que fueron presentadas. Esta fecha puede variar dependiendo del país de origen del solicitante. El sistema de visas de inmigrantes se basa en la regla de "la primera en llegar, primero en ser atendido". Por lo tanto, para las peticiones de tarjeta verde basadas en el empleo, la fecha de prioridad es la fecha en que una aplicación fue presentada. Las aplicaciones se asignan según la fecha de prioridad que la persona recibió cuando presentó su solicitud. En California, la siguiente fecha de prioridad es el primero de enero de 2008. Las fechas de prioridad posteriores a esta fecha sólo se aplicarán a los solicitantes que sean retenidos en su país de origen y califiquen para el programa de retención de inmigrantes. Si bien los casos pueden ser procesados más rápido si el país de origen del solicitante no tiene una lista de espera, el programa de retención de inmigrantes proporciona una forma de compensar esa diferencia.

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