The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has officially announced on their website on December 13 that they have received a sufficient number of applications to meet the Congressional mandate for the H-1B visa cap for the fiscal year 2024. The regular cap of 65,000 H-1B visas and the additional 20,000 H-1B visas under the master's cap have both been reached.
USCIS has started sending notifications to applicants' online accounts regarding their selection status. For those who applied for the H-1B in the fiscal year 2024 but were not selected, their accounts will display the following message:
"Not Selected: Not eligible to file an H-1B cap petition based on this registration."
This indicates that the applicants who have received this message cannot submit an H-1B application under the cap for this period.
However, USCIS will continue to accept and process H-1B applications that are not subject to these numerical caps. This includes:
- Extensions of H-1B status;
- Changes in the terms of employment for H-1B workers;
- Changes of employer for H-1B holders;
- Concurrent employment in different H-1B positions; and
- Positions offered by employers who are exempt from the H-1B cap (cap-exempt).
These ongoing processes ensure that certain categories of H-1B visa applications remain unaffected by the cap limitations.
This announcement is a crucial update for employers and individuals planning to apply for H-1B visas, and it highlights the high demand for H-1B visas in the United States. Applicants who were not selected under the cap for the fiscal year 2024 should consider alternative visa options or wait for the next H-1B visa cycle.
For more details, refer to the official USCIS announcement: "USCIS Reaches Fiscal Year 2024 H-1B Cap".
