China EB2 Priority Date 2026: Stuck (Happily) at 01SEP21
Published 2026-08-08 · Sources: U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin, USCIS
Photo: Gaël Gaborel - OrbisTerrae via UnsplashThe china eb2 cutoff tells the calmest story in the August 2026 employment bulletin. After two years of steady climbing, it parked at 01SEP21 in January 2026 and has not budged through August. Compare that to the india eb2 unavailable 2026 collapse, and you can see why China-born applicants are in a very different spot. Here is the verified movement and why the line went flat.
Verified China EB-2 Final Action Dates
| Bulletin | China EB-2 Final Action Date |
|---|---|
| Aug 2024 | 01MAR20 |
| Jan 2025 | 22APR20 |
| Jul 2025 | 15DEC20 |
| Aug 2025 | 15DEC20 |
| Jan 2026 | 01SEP21 |
| Mar 2026 | 01SEP21 |
| May 2026 | 01SEP21 |
| Jul 2026 | 01SEP21 |
| Aug 2026 | 01SEP21 |
China EB-2 cleared about a year and a half of priority dates between August 2024 and January 2026, then held at 01SEP21 for eight straight verified bulletins. A cutoff that refuses to move is not a stall — it means the monthly release of numbers is being absorbed by steady demand, and the two are roughly in balance.
Why the cutoff plateaued
A Final Action Date that holds across many bulletins is a sign of equilibrium. China EB-2 is subject to the same 7% per-country cap that strangles the India backlog, but its demand profile has kept the cutoff anchored at 01SEP21 rather than pushed it to Unavailable, as happened with India EB-2 in 2026. The numbers coming in each month are just enough to cover the cases waiting at that date. No surplus to advance, no shortage to retrogress.
China EB-2 vs India EB-2 in 2026
| Region | EB-2 Final Action Date (Aug 2026) |
|---|---|
| China | 01SEP21 |
| India | U (Unavailable) |
The two regions draw separate per-country allocations, so their cutoffs diverge sharply. A China-born applicant with a priority date before September 1, 2021 can finish the case today. An India-born applicant in EB-2 cannot, full stop, this month. Track each region’s verified dates in the Visafig archive — the gap between these two lines is the clearest illustration of how the per-country cap plays out in practice.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the China EB-2 cutoff in August 2026?
In the August 2026 Visa Bulletin, China EB-2 has a Final Action Date of 01SEP21. Any China EB-2 priority date earlier than 01SEP21 is current for final action that month.
Why has China EB-2 been stable at 01SEP21?
Verified cutoffs reached 01SEP21 by Jan 2026 and held there through Aug 2026. The category advanced earlier (from 01MAR20 in Aug 2024 to 15DEC20 by Aug 2025) and then plateaued as demand matched the numbers released.
How did China EB-2 move before stabilizing?
From 01MAR20 (Aug 2024) it moved to 22APR20 (Jan 2025), 15DEC20 (Jul 2025), and 15DEC20 (Aug 2025), then to 01SEP21 by Jan 2026, where it has stayed. See the table above.
Could China EB-2 retrogress from 01SEP21?
That is an estimate, not a guarantee. Any Final Action Date can advance, hold, or retrogress with demand and annual number availability; the recent pattern has simply been stability.
Is China EB-2 ahead of India EB-2?
Yes. In Aug 2026 China EB-2 is 01SEP21 while India EB-2 is U (Unavailable). The two regions draw separate per-country allocations, so their cutoffs differ sharply.