Is there a limit on how many people can qualify for the EB-1A?

For eligibility, no. The EB-1A evaluates individual merit: anyone who can demonstrate the extraordinary ability standard may be considered eligible, without a reserved pool of spots that would bar candidates due to too many applicants. In that sense, there is no cap on how many people can meet the criteria.

What does exist, as with all employment-based immigration, are annual numerical limits on the issuance of green cards, combined with per-country limits. This does not prevent anyone from qualifying, but it can affect the time until a green card becomes available, depending on demand.

• Eligibility: no quota; depends on demonstrating the required extraordinary ability.
• Green card issuance: subject to the annual limits of the employment-based immigration category.
• Actual wait times may vary depending on country of birth and demand at any given time.

Since availability changes over time, it is worth monitoring the current landscape through the official source (USCIS and the Visa Bulletin) or with a 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.