Many workers want to enter the United States on a visa in order to live and work within the country.
In order to achieve this goal, it is important to know the outlook for employment visas in 2023.
Immigrant visa number estimates in 2023
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services discuss some of the most common questions about employment visas as they apply to the upcoming year.
First, 2023 will see a higher number of employment-based immigrant visas than those given out in the years before 2020. However, the number will decrease in comparison to 2022 and 2021.
It is difficult to estimate the number of visas that will be used in 2023. However, current estimates set the annual limit at approximately 197,000. This number comes from the addition of the 57,000 unused family-sponsored visa numbers from 2022.
In light of per-country limits, these visas will go toward the five preference categories for employment in accordance with fixed percentages.
Visa number usage
Visa numbers get used up when the Department of State (DOS) issues a visa to a noncitizen, or when a noncitizen achieves lawful permanent resident status. Visa numbers do not get subtracted at any stage before the actual granting of the visa itself.
It is also essential to have all forms filled out appropriately. For example, the USCIS encourages applicants seeking an adjustment of status to include their sealed medical examination when they file Form I-485.
The application process for a immigrant visa often seems long, complicated, and tedious. This is something for applicant hopefuls to prepare for well in advance.