Visa Bulletin March 2026: Significant Movement

The March 2026 Visa Bulletin has officially been published, bringing meaningful forward movement across several employment-based categories. This month’s update offers encouraging progress for many international nurses pursuing a healthcare career in the U.S.

March 2026 Visa Bulletin – EB-3 Category

• Philippines: Advanced by 2 months

• Rest of World (ROW): Advanced by 4 months

• India: No change

• China: No change

This four-month advancement for Rest of World represents one of the more substantial forward movements we’ve seen recently in EB-3. The Philippines also saw a positive two-month progression. While India and China remain unchanged this month, continued monitoring is important as movement can shift based on demand.

Understanding Retrogression

While the March Visa Bulletin shows encouraging forward movement, visa progression is not always linear. When demand exceeds the annual supply of employment-based visas, movement can slow or temporarily reverse, affecting when priority dates become current. These fluctuations do not stop key steps like the PERM labor certification (ETA Form 9089) or I-140 petition filing, but visa availability ultimately determines when cases can move to final stages such as embassy interview scheduling.

If a priority date is not current after documentary qualification, the case remains in the system until a visa number becomes available. During this time, nurses are encouraged to stay prepared by organizing documents, maintaining passport validity, strengthening English skills, gaining clinical experience, and staying connected with their advisor. Visa movement is a normal part of the process, and Health Carousel International’s Full Circle of Support ensures you are guided and supported every step of the way.

Learn more about what retrogression means, how it affects your priority date, and how to stay prepared while you wait.