USCIS Reaches H-1B Cap for FY 2015

USCIS announced this morning that it has received a sufficient number of cap-subject H-1B petitions to reach both the H-1B Regular and U.S. Masters Exemption caps for fiscal year 2015 (FY 2015). The filing period for FY 2015 began on April 1, 2014. Today (April 7, 2014) is the last day that USCIS will accept cap-subject H-1B petitions.

After it completes initial intake for all cap-subject H-1B petitions received April 1-7, USCIS will conduct the random computer-generated lottery to select visa petitions for receipting and adjudication. USCIS will first conduct a lottery for all petitions that qualify for the 20,000 U.S. Masters Exemption cap. Petitions that are not selected for the U.S. Masters Exemption cap will then go into the regular lottery for the 65,000 cap. We will notify clients as soon as USCIS announces a date for the random lottery.

USCIS will reject and return filing fees for all cap-subject petitions that are not selected in the lottery. Please review our previous article for FAQs and more information about the H-1B cap and and lottery system. 

USCIS continues to to accept H-1B petitions that are exempt from the cap, including those filed for workers who have been counted previously against the cap, requests for H-1B extension, change of employer, amended petitions, and concurrent H-1B employment.