The U.S. Department of State's Immigrant Visa Control and Reporting Division, has confirmed a dramatic reduction in the use of EB-1 immigrant visa numbers and the resulting favorable effect on the EB-2 category for immigrant visas chargeable to India.
DOS advised that demand for visa numbers in the EB1 category has declined significantly. Thus, approximately 12,000 unused EB1 numbers will be available to shift downward to the EB2 category, starting in May 2011.
The Department of State recently posted its July Visa Bulletin indicating that the cut-off date for EB-2 Worldwide, Mexico and the Philippines has regressed to Jan. 1, 2009. The June cut-off date for EB-2 Worldwide, Mexico and the Philippines is "C" for "current." This means that a cut-off date is not specified for these categories through the end of the month.