USCIS Reaches FY 2018 H-1B Cap
USCIS Reaches FY 2018 H-1B Cap
WASHINGTON
— U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has
reached the congressionally mandated 65,000 visa H-1B cap
for fiscal year 2018. USCIS has also received a sufficient
number of H-1B petitions to meet the 20,000 visa U.S.
advanced degree exemption, also known as the master’s
cap.
The agency will reject and return filing fees for
all unselected cap-subject petitions that are not duplicate
filings.
USCIS will continue to accept and process
petitions that are otherwise exempt from the cap. However,
please keep in mind USCISsuspended premium processing April 3 for
up to six months for all H-1B petitions, including
cap-exempt petitions. Petitions filed on behalf of current
H-1B workers who have been counted previously against the
cap, and who still retain their cap number, will also not be
counted toward the congressionally mandated FY 2018 H-1B
cap. USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions
filed to:
• Extend the amount of time a current H-1B
worker may remain in the United States;
• Change the
terms of employment for current H-1B workers;
• Allow
current H-1B workers to change employers; and
• Allow
current H-1B workers to work concurrently in a second H-1B
position.
U.S. businesses use the H-1B program to employ foreign workers
in occupations that require specialized knowledge.
We
encourage H-1B applicants to subscribe to the H-1B Cap
Season email updates located on the H-1B Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Cap Season
Web
page.