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Department of State Revised Skills List Effective December 9, 2024

December 11, 2024

The Department of State (“Department”) announced a revised Skills List which supersedes the April 30, 2009, Skills List. This revised list is effective as of December 9, 2024, and applies retroactively. This means that if an individual received a J-1 visa when their country was on the Skills list, but the country is no longer on the list, they are no longer subject to the two-year home residency requirement. This allows for “J” nonimmigrant exchange visitors to apply for an immigrant visa, for permanent residence, or for certain nonimmigrant visas without leaving the United States for an aggregate sum of two years.

To discuss what the Revised List may mean for your case, please contact the attorney at LHSCD working on your case. Or, you may set up a consultation with one of our attorneys by filling out our Consultation Request Form.

The following countries are not on the Revised List that requires their citizens to a two-year home residency:

Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Armenia
Bangladesh
Bolivia
Brazil
Chile
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
Dominican Republic
Gabon
Georgia
Guyana
India
Indonesia
Kazakhstan
Laos
Malaysia
Mauritius
Namibia
Oman
Paraguay
Peru
Romania
Saudi Arabia
South Africa
South Korea
Sri Lanka
Thailand
Trinidad and Tobago
Turkey
United Arab Emirates
Uruguay