🇺🇸 May 2025 Visa Bulletin Analysis – EB-3 Nurse Immigration Still Frozen

Today, we’re diving into the May 2025 Visa Bulletin, with a special focus on the EB-3 category for nurses. Following April’s update, the priority date remains unchanged, marking another month of no movement. In this post, we’ll break down what this means, why it's happening, and how you can stay prepared as an aspiring U.S. nurse immigrant.


📌 Our Current Status

We filed our I-140 petition in November 2024, and as of today, we are still waiting for approval. Although we have a set Priority Date, the Visa Bulletin has not advanced, which means we cannot move forward to the interview stage yet.


✅ EB-3 Final Action Date (as of May 2025)

CategoryFinal Action Date
EB-3 Skilled WorkersJanuary 1, 2023
EB-3 Other WorkersMay 22, 2021

👉 Unless your Priority Date is earlier than the Final Action Date listed above, you cannot proceed to the NVC or interview stage.

📌 This date remains the same as April 2025.


🤔 Why Is It Still Frozen?

  1. Post-COVID surge in EB-3 nurse applications

  2. Strict annual quota (7% per country)

  3. Policy uncertainty under the current administration

  4. USCIS and Department of State backlog and delays


🧭 President Trump’s Immigration Policy: Cautious but Open

In 2025, President Trump maintains a tough stance on immigration, but he has emphasized the importance of legal immigration:

"We need to protect American jobs for American workers."

This doesn’t necessarily mean a crackdown on EB-3 nurses. In fact, many hospitals in the U.S. continue to struggle with nursing shortages, especially in critical care and night shift roles. Foreign-trained nurses remain a strategically important part of the healthcare workforce.


💥 U.S.–China Trade Tensions and Immigration Outlook

The Trump administration has renewed focus on U.S.–China trade relations, increasing tariffs and tightening restrictions on Chinese imports and investment. At the same time, the U.S. continues to prioritize recruiting skilled foreign workers, particularly in essential sectors like healthcare.

  • Proposed tariffs on Chinese medical products

  • Regulatory scrutiny of Chinese-funded hospitals and institutions

  • Push for "Made in USA" in healthcare infrastructure

✅ In this context, the demand for foreign nurses in under-resourced hospitals is likely to remain high.


📊 EB-3 Visa Bulletin Trends Since COVID-19

Release DateFinal Action Date
April 2020January 1, 2017
April 2021January 1, 2020
April 2022January 1, 2021
April 2023January 1, 2022
April 2024January 1, 2023
May 2025January 1, 2023

📌 The EB-3 priority date has barely moved in the past year.


✨ How to Stay Ready While You Wait

  • Consider filing an SR (service request) for delayed I-140 processing

  • Organize NVC-related documents early (birth certificate, financial docs, etc.)

  • Maintain your English proficiency (interviews may happen suddenly)

  • Stay active in online communities and track Visa Bulletin updates monthly


Even though the priority date hasn’t moved for another month, we’re staying hopeful and ready. We hope this update helps fellow nurse immigrants stay informed and motivated.

📩 Got questions or experiences to share? Leave a comment or reach out – let’s support each other on this journey!

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