Originally Posted by
Spectator
General questions should be posted in the forum.
longwait100,
The only actual extra visas available now (based on official documents) are due to the increase in 7% between 40,040 and 45,188 for the 6 months (Oct-Mar) to date.
That is (3,163-2,803)/2 = 180 visas
For a single month, there might be 285+180 = 465 visas available if CO decides to play "catch up".
Given CO mentioned that retrogression from 01SEP04 was possible without the extra visas, I think the extra numbers will not have a great effect and the Cut Off Date is still likely to remain at 01SEP04 through June 2013. If there is any forward movement, it is likely to be very small.
Spillover remains a potential bonus and I don't think CO will release it until the July 2013 VB. He released it too early last year and was burnt. By June 2013 (when the VB is released), he should have a better idea of what the other Categories (EB1 and EB2-WW in particular) are likely to use.
sandyn1116,
EB2-India received 16,923 spillover visas last year (19,726 in total). CO started releasing spillover from the beginning of the year.
Unfortunately, CO allocated far more visas to EB2-I than were actually available.
When he realised this (too late), he had to make EB2-I Unavailable and retrogress EB2-WW to stay within the numbers available for EB2.
For this year, to date, CO appears to have been only using the initial EB2-I allocation of 2,803 visas (now raised to 3,173). Because 27% can be allocated in each of the first 3 quarters, that was 252 visas per month (now 285 visas per month).
There have been sufficient EB2-I cases per month with a PD before September 2004 to use that number of visas, so the Cut Off Date has not moved.