The Visa Bulletin confuses almost everyone the first time they read it, and the reason is that it contains two sets of dates that do completely different jobs: Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing. PERM only gets you a certified labor certification; these dates decide when that certification can actually turn into a green card. This guide explains both, what your priority date is, and how to use ImmiLane's Visa Bulletin tracker to follow the movement.
First, what is a priority date?
For employment-based cases that require labor certification, your priority date is the date your PERM application was filed with the DOL. It is your place in line. Everything in the Visa Bulletin is a comparison between your priority date and a published cutoff. If your priority date is earlier than the relevant cutoff, you are "current"; if it is later, you wait.
Your priority date is set at PERM filing — not at I-140 approval and not at I-485 filing. It carries forward through the rest of the process, and in many cases it can be ported to a later petition.
The two charts
Every month the U.S. Department of State publishes the Visa Bulletin with, for each preference category and country of chargeability, two cutoff dates:
| Chart | What the cutoff means | What it lets you do |
|---|---|---|
| Final Action Dates (Chart A) | A visa number is available for priority dates earlier than this date. | Your green card can actually be approved — I-485 adjustment granted or immigrant visa issued. |
| Dates for Filing (Chart B) | You are far enough along in line to submit your application. | You can file Form I-485 (and request work/travel authorization), even though final approval must wait. |
Final Action Dates — the finish line
The Final Action Date is the one that grants the green card. When your priority date is before the Final Action Date for your category and country, an immigrant visa number is available and USCIS (or a consulate) can approve your case. If your category shows "C" (current), there is no backlog and numbers are available to everyone. A date means there is a backlog and only earlier priority dates can be finalized.
Dates for Filing — the on-ramp
The Dates for Filing chart sits ahead of the Final Action chart. It exists so that people who are close — but not yet at the finish line — can submit their adjustment-of-status application early. Filing earlier can unlock an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and Advance Parole travel document, and lets USCIS pre-process the case so it is ready the moment a visa number becomes available.
The catch: the Dates for Filing chart is only usable for adjustment of status in a given month if USCIS announces that applicants may use it. Each month USCIS decides, per category, whether to accept filings under Chart B or require Chart A. Always confirm which chart is in effect before filing.
A worked example
Suppose your PERM was filed on 1 March 2023, so your priority date is March 2023, in EB-2 for a heavily backlogged country.
- If the Dates for Filing cutoff for your category is May 2023 and USCIS is honoring Chart B that month, you may submit your I-485 now and apply for an EAD — even though you can't be approved yet.
- If the Final Action Date is only at January 2022, your green card cannot be approved until that cutoff advances past March 2023.
- The gap between the two charts is your "filed but waiting" period, during which you can usually work and travel on the interim documents.
Movement, retrogression, and why it's bumpy
Cutoff dates don't always move forward smoothly. They can leap ahead, crawl, sit still, or retrogress (move backward) when demand in a category exceeds the annual numerical limits. Retrogression is most common late in the government's fiscal year as visa numbers run low, with movement often resuming in October when a new year's numbers become available. Per-country caps are why applicants chargeable to high-demand countries see much longer waits in the same category.
How this connects to your PERM case
PERM and the Visa Bulletin are two different queues. PERM determines when your labor certification is approved so the I-140 can be filed; the Visa Bulletin determines when a visa number is available for your priority date. For applicants from low-demand countries, the Visa Bulletin is often "current" and PERM speed is the only real wait. For applicants from backlogged countries, the Visa Bulletin wait can dwarf the PERM wait. ImmiLane's Visa Bulletin tracker shows how the cutoffs have moved over time so you can see the trend in your category, while the PERM dashboard tracks the labor-certification side.
Track cutoff movement in your category on the ImmiLane Visa Bulletin tracker, and learn which categories need PERM in our EB category guide.
Informational only — not legal advice. ImmiLane is an independent data project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Labor, USCIS, or the Department of State. Processing patterns change; verify specifics with official sources and a licensed immigration attorney before relying on them for your case.