U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it has received a sufficient number of H-1B petitions to reach both the 65,000 regular cap and the 20,000 U.S. advanced degree (master’s cap) exemption for Fiscal Year 2026.
What This Means:
While no new cap-subject petitions will be accepted for FY 2026, USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions that are exempt from the cap, including:
- Petitions filed for current H-1B workers who were previously counted against the cap and still hold their cap number;
- Petitions seeking to:
- Extend the stay of current H-1B workers;
- Amend the terms and conditions of existing H-1B employment;
- Change employers; or
- Allow concurrent H-1B employment with a second employer.
The H-1B program enables U.S. employers to hire foreign professionals in specialty occupations requiring theoretical or technical expertise.
If you have any questions about this update, please contact one of our offices in Chicago, IL, Naperville, IL, Raleigh, NC, or Clark, NJ, for guidance.
At HSD Immigration Lawyer, we specialize in complex employment– investment- and family-based immigration matters.