Articles Posted in nonimmigrant visas

H-2B Cap Count UPDATE – 11/9/20

The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. There is a cap limit of 33,000 for the first half of the fiscal year and 33,000 for the second half for a total of 66,000 per year. If the cap is not reached during the first half of the fiscal year, the extra numbers are then made available for the second half.

The H-2B cap limit for first half of FY 2021 (October 1 – March 31) is 33,000. As of the last count (11/9/20); 27,455 beneficiaries have been approved and 5,455 are pending for a total of 32,910.

H-2B Cap Count UPDATE – 11/5/20

The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. There is a cap limit of 33,000 for the first half of the fiscal year and 33,000 for the second half for a total of 66,000 per year. If the cap is not reached during the first half of the fiscal year, the extra numbers are then made available for the second half.

The H-2B cap limit for first half of FY 2021 (October 1 – March 31) is 33,000. As of the last count (11/5/20); 24,181 beneficiaries have been approved and 5,558 are pending for a total of 29,739.

H-2B Cap Count UPDATE – 10/26/20

The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. There is a cap limit of 33,000 for the first half of the fiscal year and 33,000 for the second half for a total of 66,000 per year. If the cap is not reached during the first half of the fiscal year, the extra numbers are then made available for the second half.

The H-2B cap limit for first half of FY 2021 (October 1 – March 31) is 33,000. As of the last count (10/26/20); 20,326 beneficiaries have been approved and 2,845 are pending for a total of 23,171.

H-2B Cap Count UPDATE – 10/13/20

The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. There is a cap limit of 33,000 for the first half of the fiscal year and 33,000 for the second half for a total of 66,000 per year. If the cap is not reached during the first half of the fiscal year, the extra numbers are then made available for the second half.

The H-2B cap limit for first half of FY 2021 (October 1 – March 31) is 33,000. As of the last count (10/13/20); 18,273 beneficiaries have been approved and 2,152 are pending for a total of 20,425.

The Trump administration announced additional immigration reforms on Tuesday, October 6th, making it more difficult for skilled foreign workers to acquire visas, specifically, the H-1b visa. The rule will take effect in 60 days and was done without a public comment period! It was done as an interim final rule (IFR), in order to speed up the process.

Changes made by the new rules:

  • Narrow the definition of “specialty occupation” by redefining and updating regulations

The Trump administration announced additional immigration reforms on Tuesday, October 6th, making it more difficult for skilled foreign workers to acquire visas, specifically, the H-1b visa. The rule will take effect in 60 days and was done without a public comment period! It was done as an interim final rule (IFR), in order to speed up the process.

Changes made by the new rules:

  • Narrow the definition of “specialty occupation” by redefining and updating regulations

The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. There is a cap limit of 33,000 for the first half of the fiscal year and 33,000 for the second half for a total of 66,000 per year. If the cap is not reached during the first half of the fiscal year, the extra numbers are then made available for the second half.

The H-2B cap limit for first half of FY 2021 (October 1 – March 31) is 33,000. As of the last count (10/1/20); 16,791 beneficiaries have been approved and 1,721 are pending for a total of 18,512.


The H-2B cap limit for second half of FY 2021 (April 1 – September 30) is 33,000. As of the last count (10/1/20); 0 beneficiaries have been approved and 0 are pending for a total of 0.

The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. There is a cap limit of 33,000 for the first half of the fiscal year and 33,000 for the second half for a total of 66,000 per year. If the cap is not reached during the first half of the fiscal year, the extra numbers are then made available for the second half.

The H-2B cap limit for first half of FY 2021 (October 1 – March 31) is 33,000. As of the last count (9/14/20); 10,424 beneficiaries have been approved and 3,418 are pending for a total of 13,842.


The H-2B cap limit for second half of FY 2021 (April 1 – September 30) is 33,000. As of the last count (9/14/20); 0 beneficiaries have been approved and 0 are pending for a total of 0.

USCIS announced that it has received a sufficient number of H-2B petitions to reach the congressionally mandated cap (33,000) for the second half of FY 2020. February 18, 2020 is now the “final receipt date” for cap-subject H-2B worker requesting employment start dates before October 1, 2019. The “final receipt date” is the date on which USCIS determined that it has received enough cap-subject petitions to reach the limit of 33,000 H-2B workers for the second half of FY2019, for a total of 66,000 for the year.

USCIS will reject new H-2B petitions that were received after February 18, 2020 and that request an employment start date before October 1, 2020, but there are some exceptions!

The exceptions are listed below:

The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. There is a cap limit of 33,000 for the first half of the fiscal year and 33,000 for the second half for a total of 66,000 per year. If the cap is not reached during the first half of the fiscal year, the extra numbers are then made available for the second half.

The H-2B cap limit for first half of FY 2020 (October 1 – March 31) is 33,000. As of the last count (2/10/20). (Cap Reached for 1st half of FY 2020)

The H-2B cap limit for second half of FY 2020 (April 1 – September 30) is 33,000. As of the last count (2/10/20); 7,770 beneficiaries have been approved and 13,456 are pending for a total of 21,226.

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