H-2B Visa cap for FY 2019 first half reached

The H-2B Visa cap for the first half of FY 2018 has been reached. This has been revealed by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services in its latest update. The final receipt date for fresh cap-subject H-2B Visa applications was 6 December 2018. This is for petitions requesting a start date for employment prior to 1 April 2019. Fresh applications requesting this will now be rejected by the USCIS.

The number of petitions of beneficiaries received by the USCIS on 6 December exceeded the total figure of H-2 B visas. This is for the H-2B cap available for the FY 2019 first half. USCIS determined that it was essential to opt for a process generated by the computer. It is popularly known as the lottery. This is to ensure the orderly and fair allocation of required H-2B Visa figures. It is also to ensure that the cap for the first half of FY 2019 is not exceeded, as quoted by the SAMPAN.

The lottery was held by the USCIS on 11 December 2018. This is for random selection of petitions received on 6 December. USCIS thus assigned the receipt date of 11 December to all petitions assigned in the lottery. The premium processing service also began on this date for the selected petitions.

The USCIS continues to accept H-2B Visa applications that are cap exempted. These include:

• Existing H-2B workers in the US applying for extending their stay and if applicable changing employment terms or employers
• Supervisors of Fish roe processing and/or Fish roe technicians, Fish roe processors
• Workers offering services or labor in Guam and/or Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands till 21 December 2029 (from 28 November 2009)

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