FY 2020 H1B Cap Reached

Within the first 5 days of the FY 2020 H-1B Cap filing period, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has received sufficient number of H-1B petitions to reach the statutory annual H-1B Cap of 65,000 under the general category.

USCIS has not yet announced if it has received sufficient number of petitions to meet the 20,000 H-1B Masters Cap exemption.

The filing fees for all 2019 H-1B Cap-subject petitions that are unselected and that are not duplicate filings will be returned.

H1B Cap Exempt Petitions

While the 2019 H-1B Cap has reached, USCIS will continue to accept petitions that are H-1B Cap exempt, including H-1B petitions filed:

• on behalf of current H1B workers who have been counted previously against the H1B Cap, and who still retain their Cap number;
• to extend the stay of a current H1B worker;
• to change the terms of employment for current H1B workers;
• to allow current H1B workers to change employers; and
• to allow current H1B workers to work concurrently in a second H1B position.

We will continue to monitor developments related to the FY 2020 H-1B Cap filings and will keep our readers updated.

To learn more on alternatives to the H1B visa, check out H1B Visa Alternatives: After H1B Cap Has Reached.