As anyone following the H-1B cap knows, the 2013 season kicked off on April 2, 2012. The cap is required because each year the United States only allows 65,000 cap subject H-1B visa holders into the United States. Additionally, each year the United States only allows 20,000 advance degree, cap subject H-1B visa holders into the United States. Just ten days into the season, the two quotas are filling up quickly.
As of 4/9/12, nearly 17,400 H-1B cap-subject petitions were receipted. Additionally, USCIS has receipted 8,200 H-1B petitions for aliens with advanced degrees. As the charts below illustrate, these available visas are likely to fill up quickly. If you are thinking of gaining H-1B status in the next year – start acting now. If you fail to get an H-1B visa that is subject to the cap, then you will not be able to get another H-1B cap-subject visa until October 1, 2013.
