Do EB-1A and EB-1B compete for the same annual visa quota?

Yes. EB-1 is a single employment-based green card category, and its three subcategories (EB-1A, for extraordinary ability, EB-1B, for outstanding professors and researchers, and EB-1C, for multinational executives and managers) share the same annual visa cap set by law. This means an EB-1A petition and an EB-1B petition compete for the same allocation, not for separate quotas.

That annual cap is further distributed according to additional rules, including per-country limits, which help determine whether a backlog exists at any given time. Because these figures and availability change periodically, the exact cap number and the current queue status should be verified through official sources.

• EB-1A, EB-1B, and EB-1C share the same annual pool under the EB-1 category.
• The choice between EB-1A and EB-1B is driven by your profile and supporting evidence, not by separate quotas.
• The exact number of available visas and the existence of a backlog vary and must be checked through official sources.

For strategic planning, it is worth consulting updated data from USCIS and the Department of State Visa Bulletin, and reviewing your case with a qualified specialist.

About the author

Victoria Harper

Editor-in-Chief

Meet the author

As a journalist and lead editor at Visto n’ Visa, Victoria helps ensure that immigration topics are covered in a clear, trustworthy, and easy-to-understand way. Her focus is on delivering useful, human, and relevant content for people exploring new paths abroad.