Two days after the U.S. State Department halted immigrant-visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries, immigration attorneys are already gaming out the long-term arithmetic. Unused family-based immigrant visas “spill over” into the employment-based quota in the next fiscal year. Houston-based lawyer Emily Neumann told the Times of India she reviewed historical allotments and projects that roughly 50,000 family numbers will go unused if the pause lasts through 30 September 2026. That would boost the employment-based cap for FY 2027 from 140,000 to about 190,000—similar to the COVID-era windfall that advanced priority dates by four to five years.
Why it matters for employers: a larger FY 2027 quota would shorten wait times in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories where multinational companies file most green-card cases. HR teams should review PERM and I-140 pipelines now so approvals are ready when the new numbers become available on 1 October 2026. They should also budget for possible premium-processing fee increases if demand spikes.
For organizations and individuals that need real-time guidance on changing U.S. visa policies, VisaHQ can help by streamlining document preparation, appointment scheduling, and status tracking. Their U.S. portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) offers step-by-step instructions and personalized support, making it easier to navigate shifting immigration requirements while minimizing delays.
![State Department Visa Pause for 75 Countries Freezes Green Cards—but Could Add 50,000 Employment Numbers in 2027]()
Caveats remain. Congress could pass legislation reallocating visas, or the Administration could lift the pause before the fiscal year ends, reducing any spill-over. Moreover, priority-date movement will benefit only nationalities not subject to the pause and with long backlogs—chiefly India and China. Employers with large South Asian work-forces therefore stand to gain the most.
Practical tips: (1) File PERM applications by April to ensure certification before the FY 2027 visa race begins; (2) Update employee communication templates explaining how the spill-over works; (3) Coordinate with relocation providers on potential 2027 green-card approvals that will trigger permanent-move benefits.
Although the freeze adds uncertainty for families from the affected 75 countries, global mobility managers should view the prospective employment-visa dividend as a rare silver lining worth strategic planning.
Why it matters for employers: a larger FY 2027 quota would shorten wait times in the EB-2 and EB-3 categories where multinational companies file most green-card cases. HR teams should review PERM and I-140 pipelines now so approvals are ready when the new numbers become available on 1 October 2026. They should also budget for possible premium-processing fee increases if demand spikes.
For organizations and individuals that need real-time guidance on changing U.S. visa policies, VisaHQ can help by streamlining document preparation, appointment scheduling, and status tracking. Their U.S. portal (https://www.visahq.com/united-states/) offers step-by-step instructions and personalized support, making it easier to navigate shifting immigration requirements while minimizing delays.
Caveats remain. Congress could pass legislation reallocating visas, or the Administration could lift the pause before the fiscal year ends, reducing any spill-over. Moreover, priority-date movement will benefit only nationalities not subject to the pause and with long backlogs—chiefly India and China. Employers with large South Asian work-forces therefore stand to gain the most.
Practical tips: (1) File PERM applications by April to ensure certification before the FY 2027 visa race begins; (2) Update employee communication templates explaining how the spill-over works; (3) Coordinate with relocation providers on potential 2027 green-card approvals that will trigger permanent-move benefits.
Although the freeze adds uncertainty for families from the affected 75 countries, global mobility managers should view the prospective employment-visa dividend as a rare silver lining worth strategic planning.
