On Monday, April 2, 2012, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration
Services (USCIS) will begin accepting cap-subject H-1B petitions
for fiscal year 2013, with an employment start date of October 1,
2012. We recommend that all H-1B petitions subject to the FY 2013
cap be sent to USCIS on Friday, March 30 for receipt by USCIS on
Monday, April 2. Any H-1B petitions subject to the cap received by
USCIS before April 1, 2012 will be rejected.
There is a quota of 65,000 cap-subject H-1B visas each fiscal year.
A separate allotment of 20,000 H-1B visas is available to foreign
nationals holding a master's degree or other advanced degree
from a U.S. institution. Demand for H-1B visas has fluctuated in
past years, with the cap being reached on the first few days of
filing in 2007 and 2008. While it is not possible to predict H-1B
visa demand for the coming year, we recommend that employers submit
their petitions as early as possible.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
