There are roughly 46,000 additional employment-based Green Cards available for Fiscal Year 2026, according to recent data from the U.S. Department of State.

That extra supply pushes this year’s employment-based limit to about 186,000. The number itself is significant — but the reason behind it may matter just as much for anyone watching the Visa Bulletin.

Every fiscal year, the government allocates a fixed pool of immigrant visa numbers:

• 140,000 numbers set aside for employment-based (work) Green Cards.
• 226,000 numbers set aside for family-based Green Cards.

When the family-based categories do not use all of their numbers in a given year, the leftover slots roll over to the employment side the following year. That spillover is exactly what created this year’s surplus and lifted the employment limit to roughly 186,000.

This larger pool likely helps explain the noticeable forward movement seen in the March and April 2026 Visa Bulletins.

Priority dates advance based on how many visa numbers are available compared to how many people are waiting in line. When the available pool grows by tens of thousands of numbers, the government can effectively reach further back into the queue — allowing more applicants to become current and move forward with filing for their Green Card.

There is also reason to think the trend could carry into the next fiscal year. Recent policies — including the expanded travel restrictions and a slowdown in immigrant visa issuance — may keep family-based usage low. If that happens, another sizable spillover into Fiscal Year 2027 is possible, which would continue pushing priority dates forward, especially for applicants from countries that are not the highest-demand.

A surplus of numbers does not benefit everyone equally. Because no single country can receive more than 7% of the total Green Card supply in a year, applicants born in high-demand countries often see slower Visa Bulletin movement even in a year with extra numbers.

For example, EB-2 India reached its annual limit for FY 2026 and will remain static until the new fiscal year begins on October 1, 2026. So while the overall picture improved this year, the per-country cap continues to shape how quickly any individual line moves.

If you have a pending or upcoming employment-based case, a year with extra numbers can create real opportunities — but only if you are ready to act when your priority date becomes current:

• Track each monthly Visa Bulletin and know your category and priority date.
• Have your Adjustment of Status or consular processing documents prepared in advance so you can file quickly.
• Understand how the per-country cap affects your specific category and country of birth.
• Plan around the October 1 reset, especially if your category is currently at its annual limit.

Visa number availability shifts from year to year, so timing and preparation often make the difference between catching a window and waiting another cycle.

The FY 2026 spillover is good news for many employment-based applicants, but how much it helps depends on your category, your country of birth, and how prepared you are to move when the window opens.

At Keller Law Group, LLC, we help clients read the Visa Bulletin in the context of their own case, prepare filings ahead of time, and act strategically when priority dates advance.

Schedule a consultation today.
Keller Law Group, LLC
Phone: (857) 810-8040
Email: hello@kellerimmigration.com