U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced Friday it has received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated cap for H-1B visas for fiscal year 2026. The cap includes 65,000 visas under the regular quota and an additional 20,000 reserved for applicants with advanced degrees from U.S. institutions, commonly known as the “master’s cap.”
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What This Means for Employers and Workers
The cap being met means USCIS will no longer accept new H-1B petitions for FY 2026 that are subject to the annual limit. However, employers can still file petitions that are not subject to the cap, including:
- Extensions for current H-1B employees
- Changes to the terms of employment
- Transfers to new employers
- Requests for concurrent H-1B employment
This update does not impact ongoing petitions filed for individuals already counted under a previous year’s cap.
What’s Different From the April H-1B Cap Announcement?
In April 2025, USCIS announced it had received enough registrations to fill the H-1B cap for FY 2026 and completed the lottery selection. That meant selected applicants could begin submitting full petitions.
This new update confirms that USCIS has now received enough actual petitions to reach the cap. No new cap-subject petitions will be accepted for FY 2026 — but cap-exempt filings for current H-1B workers are still allowed.
Why It Matters
The H-1B program remains a key pathway for U.S. companies to hire foreign professionals in fields like tech, engineering, and healthcare. With the cap reached, employers who did not secure a spot in the FY 2026 lottery will need to explore alternative visa options or wait until next year’s cap season begins.
Employers can stay informed by subscribing to USCIS H-1B cap season updates here.
Boundless will continue to monitor H-1B developments and provide updates for both employers and foreign workers navigating the U.S. immigration system.