Short answer: for EB-3 Unskilled workers the Visa Bulletin is the most important document after the I-140, because it decides when you can receive your visa. Your priority date must be earlier than the date printed in the bulletin for "Other Workers". In the November 2026 Visa Bulletin that date is 1 June 2022 for Bangladesh, Korea and all other countries not listed separately. Waiting for this line is the longest part of the process.
Why the Visa Bulletin matters for EB-3 Unskilled
An approved I-140 does not give you a visa. U.S. law limits the number of employment-based visas each year, and EB-3 "Other Workers" (the unskilled category) has a very small share: at most about 10,000 visas a year worldwide, shared with spouses and children. Many more people apply, so a waiting line forms. The U.S. Department of State publishes the Visa Bulletin every month to show how far that line has moved.
That is why the whole EB-3 Unskilled process takes about 5 years: roughly one to two years for PERM and the I-140, and most of the rest waiting for the bulletin to reach your date.
The two charts: Final Action Date and Dates for Filing
| Chart | What it means for you | EB-3 Other Workers, November 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Final Action Date | If your priority date is earlier, a visa can be issued to you now (if your case is complete). | 1 June 2022 |
| Dates for Filing | If your priority date is earlier, you can send your documents to NVC and get ready. | 1 July 2022 |
For workers who interview at an embassy (Dhaka or Seoul), the Final Action Date decides when the visa can be issued. The Dates for Filing chart lets you prepare your NVC documents earlier. People who adjust status inside the U.S. follow the chart USCIS names for that month.
How to read the Visa Bulletin in 5 steps
- Find your priority date. For EB-3 it is the day the U.S. Department of Labor received your PERM application. It is printed on your I-140 approval notice.
- Find your country column. This is your country of birth, not your passport country or where you work. Bangladesh and Korea are in "All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed".
- Find the right row. Use "Other Workers", not the "3rd" row (that row is for skilled workers and professionals and moves differently).
- Compare. If your priority date is earlier than the date shown, your date is "current". "C" means everyone is current; "U" means no visas are available this month.
- Check again next month. The date can move forward, stay the same or move back.
A worked example with real dates
| Visa Bulletin | EB-3 Other Workers Final Action Date (Bangladesh) |
|---|---|
| November 2025 | 15 July 2021 |
| November 2026 | 1 June 2022 |
So in the last 12 months the line moved forward about 10.5 months. Example worker: PERM filed on 10 March 2022. In the November 2025 bulletin this date was not current. In the November 2026 bulletin it is current, because 10 March 2022 is earlier than 1 June 2022. NVC can now schedule the interview once the documents are complete and the embassy has appointment space.
A second worker with a priority date of 1 September 2023 is still about 15 months behind the November 2026 date. Past speed is not a promise: in some years the date stopped or moved back. Every month since 1995 is on our Visa Bulletin history page, and our article on Visa Bulletin predictions explains how to estimate your own month honestly.
What the Visa Bulletin does not tell you
- It is not an interview date. A current date means a visa number can be used. NVC still needs your complete documents, and the embassy needs free appointments.
- It does not show PERM or I-140 speed. Those are on our PERM report and I-140 data page.
- It can move backwards. This is called retrogression. It often happens late in the U.S. fiscal year, which ends on 30 September, when the yearly visas run low.
- It does not cover rule changes. Interview pauses or new guidance are separate; see our rule changes page.
FAQ
When is the new Visa Bulletin published?
The State Department publishes it once a month, usually in the middle of the month before it applies. You can get a free email when it changes for EB-3 with our bulletin alerts.
My date became current. What now?
Make sure your NVC documents, police certificates and medical exam are ready, and follow NVC's messages. The interview is usually a few months later.
Does my wife's or child's country of birth matter?
Your family uses your priority date and normally your country of birth. For Bangladesh and Korea there is no separate column, so this rarely changes anything.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Your attorney decides on your case. Figures are from the November 2025 and November 2026 Visa Bulletins of the U.S. Department of State; they change every month.