H1B Visa Lawyer Blog
Many people seem to be wondering whether they should work based on their employment authorization documents (EADs). This dilemma is likely tied to the large number of individuals who were able to file adjustment of status applications (I-485s) in late 2011 or early 2012. For these individuals, the option of employment using an EAD is a recent development.
Background: Cutoff Date Retrogression and Fluctuation
There was rapid advancement of the EB2 India and China cutoff dates from December 2011 through April 2012. Thereafter, for most such applicants, visa numbers have been unavailable due to a phenomenon known as retrogression. As of this writing, the cutoff date for EB2 India has retrogressed – or moved backwards – to a cutoff date of September 1, 2004, valid during the months of October, November, and December 2012. EB2 China has less extreme retrogression, with a cutoff date of October 22, 2007 during the month of December 2012.