H-2B Cap Count as of April 18, 2016

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has updated its count of H-2B filing for temporary non-agricultural visas (H-2Bs) for employment for the first and second halves of FY 2016.

On March 21, 2016, USCIS announced that it has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the congressionally mandated H-2B cap for the first half of FY 2016.  As of April 18, 2016, for the Second Half of the FY 2016 Fiscal Year, USCIS has receipted filings on behalf of 25,367 beneficiaries toward the 33,000 H-2B cap amount.  This count includes 19,021 approved and 6,346 pending petitions. 

USCIS places a statutory numerical limit, or “cap,” on the total number aliens that it would issue a visa or otherwise provide H-2B status to (including through a change of status) during a fiscal year.  Currently, the H-2B cap set by Congress is 66,000 per fiscal year, with 33,000 allocated for employment beginning in the 1st half of the fiscal year (October 1 – March 31) and 33,000 allocated for employment beginning in the 2nd half of the fiscal year (April 1 – September 30).  USCIS will accept filings in excess of the cap because of denials or withdrawn petitions and because employers may in the end employ fewer H-2B beneficiaries than shown in their petitions.

SOURCE