Key Points
- USCIS has concluded the FY 2022 H-1B cap season
- USCIS has received enough H-1B cap-subject petitions after the third lottery in November 2021
- A fourth lottery will not be conducted
- USCIS received a total of 308,613 registrations in FY 2022
- USCIS is still accepting non-cap-subject H-1B petitions
Overview
US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reached the congressionally mandated limit for FY 2022 H-1B cap-subject petitions.
USCIS conducted three lotteries in FY 2022 to reach the cap limit for the fiscal year. After the third lottery, USCIS has concluded that it does not need to conduct a fourth lottery to select additional cap-subject petitions. Along with closing the third registration lottery, USCIS has also finished sending non-selection notifications to registrants’ online accounts.
Although the lottery has closed for cap-subject H-1B petitions, USCIS is still accepting cap-exempt H-1B petitions for current H-1B workers to change terms of employment, to extend the amount of time H-1B workers can stay in the US, to permit current workers with an H-1B visa to change employers, and to allow workers with an H-1B visa to work in other H-1B positions.
In total, USCIS received 308,613 registrations for FY 2022, and it conducted lotteries in March, July, and November of 2021.
Looking Ahead
While USCIS has ended the FY 2022 H-1B cap season, the FY 2023 H-1B cap season is beginning. USCIS will provide updates for the current cap season when available.
Written by: Lucy Halse, Content Marketing Associate, Envoy Global
Edited by: Frank Fogelbach, Supervising Attorney, Corporate Immigration Partners
Source: US Citizenship and Immigration Services
