USCIS Hits H-2B Visa Cap for First Half of Fiscal Year 2025: What Employers Should Know

On September 19, 2024, USCIS announced that it had reached the H-2B visa cap for the first half of fiscal year 2025. September 18 was the final day to submit petitions for temporary nonagricultural workers starting before April 1, 2025. Any petitions received after this date for employment before April 1 will be rejected.

However, certain H-2B petitions are still accepted, including:

• Current H-2B workers extending their stay or changing employers.
• Fish roe processors and technicians.
• Workers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam until December 31, 2029.

The H-2B program allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers for temporary jobs when American workers are unavailable. The annual cap is set at 66,000 visas, with 33,000 allocated for each half of the fiscal year. Employers who missed the cutoff should plan ahead to file petitions for the second half of the year.

At PPID, we help businesses navigate the H-2B visa process and ensure compliance with immigration laws. For assistance with your H-2B petitions, contact PPID today.

For further details, you can also visit USCIS’s Cap Count for H-2B Nonimmigrants page.

About The Author

Conrad E. Pollack

Conrad E. Pollack is the Managing Partner and Director of Immigration at Pollack, Pollack, Isaac & DeCicco, LLP. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from New York University and earned his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. With over three decades of experience in immigration law, Conrad has helped countless clients achieve their American Dream. Under his leadership, PPID has expanded significantly, opening new offices in Peekskill and Brooklyn, NY. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and has been recognized for his professional excellence with numerous awards and distinctions. Education: Magna Cum Laude graduate from New York University; J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. Awards: Recipient of numerous professional excellence awards. Memberships: Active member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

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