FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCES 

“1st” refers to the First Preference in Family-Based Immigration category, i.e., unmarried children of U.S. citizens over age of 21;

“2A” refers to the first subcategory of the Second Preference in Family-Based Immigration category, i.e., spouses or unmarried children under age 21 of permanent residents;

“2B” refers to the second subcategory of the Second Preference in Family-Based Immigration category, i.e., unmarried children of 21 years of age or older of permanent residents;

“3rd” refers to the Third Preference in Family-Based Immigration category, i.e., married children of U.S. citizens; and

“4th” refers to the Fourth Preference in Family-Based Immigration category, i.e., brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens.

Immediate family members of U.S. citizens, i.e., spouses, parents and unmarried children under age of 21, are not subject to the numerical restriction of visa quotas.

EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES

Second:  Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability:  28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by first preference.      

Third:  Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers:  28.6% of the worldwide level, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences, not more than 10,000 of which to “*Other Workers”.

Fourth:  Certain Special Immigrants:  7.1% of the worldwide level.

Fifth:  Employment Creation:  7.1% of the worldwide level, not less than 3,000 of which reserved for investors in a targeted rural or high-unemployment area, and 3,000 set aside for investors in regional centers by Sec. 610 of Pub. L. 102-395.