The current annual cap of H1B Visa is 65,000, but not all foreign professionals holding H1B Visa are subject to this annual cap.
On April 1, 2015, USCIS will start acceptting cap-subject petitions for new H-1B specialty occupation workers seeking an employment beginning on or after October 1, 2015, the starting date of fiscal year 2015.
FY 2014 H-1B Cap Count USCIS reached the statutory H-1B cap of 65,000 for FY2014 within the first week of the filing period. It also received more than 20,000 H-1B petitions filed on behalf of persons exempt from the cap under the advanced degree exemption.
On April 7, 2013, USCIS used a computer-generated random selection process (commonly known as a “lottery”) to select a sufficient number of petitions needed from the approximately 124,000 H-1B petitions to meet the caps of 65,000 for the general category and 20,000 under the advanced degree exemption limit.
The following table lists the H1-B Visa Cap Reach Dates from FY2003 to FY2014
- U.S.-Chile and U.S.-Singapore Free Trade Agreements allow up to 6,800(1,400 for Chilean nationals and 5,400 for Singapore nationals) be set aside from the cap during each fiscal year. Unused numbers in this pool are made available for H1B use for the next fiscal year.
- Laws exempt up to 20,000 foreign nationals holding a master’s or higher degree from U.S. universities from the cap on H1B Visas.
- Laws also exempt all H1B non-immigrants who work at universities and non-profit research facilities from the cap on H1B Visas.
- Laws also exempt those who work in Guam or the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
On April 1, 2015, USCIS will start acceptting cap-subject petitions for new H-1B specialty occupation workers seeking an employment beginning on or after October 1, 2015, the starting date of fiscal year 2015.
FY 2014 H-1B Cap Count USCIS reached the statutory H-1B cap of 65,000 for FY2014 within the first week of the filing period. It also received more than 20,000 H-1B petitions filed on behalf of persons exempt from the cap under the advanced degree exemption.
On April 7, 2013, USCIS used a computer-generated random selection process (commonly known as a “lottery”) to select a sufficient number of petitions needed from the approximately 124,000 H-1B petitions to meet the caps of 65,000 for the general category and 20,000 under the advanced degree exemption limit.
The following table lists the H1-B Visa Cap Reach Dates from FY2003 to FY2014
| Fiscal Year | H1B Cap Reached Date |
| 2004 | October 1, 2003 |
| 2005 | October 1, 2004 |
| 2006 | August 10, 2005 |
| 2007 | May 26, 2006 |
| 2008 | April 3, 2007 |
| 2009 | April 7, 2008 |
| 2010 | December 21, 2009 |
| 2011 | January 26, 2011 |
| 2012 | November 22, 2011 |
| 2013 | June 11, 2012 |
| 2014 | April 5, 2013 |
| 2015 | April 7, 2014 |
No comments:
Post a Comment