Employment-Based Visa Processing Times
Processing times for employment-based immigration petitions, including immigrant worker petitions, EB-5 investor visas, and related applications.
9 forms tracked. Data from Jun 23, 2026. Fastest: I-129 at 4.0 mo.
Employment-Based Immigration Trends
Upper bound of processing time range shown. Source: USCIS.
Employment-Based Immigration Forms
9Status labels are relative to each form's own historical processing-time distribution, based on the current average upper-bound estimate. They are not absolute rankings across forms.
| Form | Avg. Processing Time | Status |
|---|---|---|
| I-129 (H-1B / L-1) | 8.9 mo – 12.2 mo | Slow |
| I-140 (EB-1 / EB-2 / EB-3) | 16.6 mo – 19.8 mo | Normal |
| I-129CW | 8.0 mo – 10.0 mo | Very Slow |
| I-485 — Green Card (AOS) | 14.6 mo – 30.6 mo | Normal |
| I-956F | 12.0 mo – 22.0 mo | Normal |
| I-526 | 33.5 mo – 35.5 mo | Fast |
| I-526E | 34.5 mo – 36.5 mo | Very Slow |
| I-956 | 13.5 mo – 38.0 mo | Very Slow |
| I-526(L) | 105.0 mo – 115.5 mo | Very Slow |
Frequently Asked Questions
Current employment-based immigration average processing times range from 10.0 mo (I-129CW) to 115.5 mo — I-526(L) depending on the form. Data is updated daily.
Based on current data, I-129 (Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker) has the fastest processing time at 4.0 mo.
Cite This Data
Citation
ImmigrationTimes.org. (2026). Employment-Based Immigration Processing Times (data as of Jun 23, 2026). Retrieved Jun 29, 2026, from https://immigrationtimes.org/employment-based/
Compare by service center — see how wait times for these forms vary by USCIS office.
See all green card processing times — compare family-based, employment-based, and other pathways.
Source: USCIS. Data from Jun 23, 2026. Permanent link.