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H1B Visa 2017 – News, Quota, Cap, Predictions, Lottery, FAQs

If you were one of the unlucky ones not picked in whopping 233,000 H1B 2016 Lottery Applications , you might be already wondering when is the next H1B season going to start.  Also, some of you may be studying in US and some working abroad and planning to work in US next year. This page will be constantly updated with the latest details and commonly asked questions around the next upcoming H1B Visa fiscal year of 2017 season news and updates.
[alert type=”warning” close=”false” heading=”H1B Visa Cap reached for FY 2017, Lottery Done “]  On April 7th, H1B Cap for FY 2017 was reached. Lottery was done on April 9th. Read News Summary – Over 236,000 Petitions for FY2017 [/alert]

When will the H1B visa 2017 season start ? Date ?

Short answer April 1st 2016. Typically, USCIS will start to accept petitions for the next fiscal year starting from April 1st of the previous fiscal year. USCIS fiscal year is from October 1st to September 30th. So, for H1B quota of fiscal year 2017, which starts from October 1st, 2017, USCIS would typically accept applications from April 1st, 2016.  The H1B Visa 2016 season started on April 1st of 2015.  Also, in the H1B Rejected Notices of 2016, USCIS mentioned that, the non-selected candidates can file H1B petitions for FY 2017 on or after April 1st, 2016.

USCIS announced on March 16th, 2016 that they will accept FY 2017 petitions from April 1st, 2016. Read Summary of USCIS press release FY 2017 .
Also, we have written an article summarizing on What to expect in H1B FY 2017 Season 

What is H1B 2017 Cap ? What are the H1B 2017 Quota numbers ? Regular vs Masters ?
If you new to H1B, I suggest you read All about H1B Visa Cap- Regular vs Masters. In simple terms H1B cap is a congressional mandated maximum number of petitions that USCIS can accept in a year.  As of now, below are the H1B cap number for fiscal year 2017.  The below numbers are confirmed in press release by USCIS on Mar 16, 2016.

  • Regular H1B Quota : 65,000
  • H1B Master’s Degree Quota ( only US Master Degrees) : 20,000
  • Out of the above, a total of 6,800 is usually set aside for Singapore and Chile citizens as part of the free trade agreement between them.

There have been many discussions around change in H1B cap numbers by Obama administration since 2013. The planned proposal was to increase the regular quota cap to 110,000 and Masters quota to 25,000.  No changes for FY 2017, the above numbers of 65,000 and 20,000 are officially confirmed by USCIS in their press release.

What is H1B Visa 2017 Prediction? Will there be Lottery again for FY 2017

Update :  USCIS Updated on April 12th, 2016 that they have received over 236,000 petitions for FY 2017 quota and the lottery was completed on April 9th.

Looking at the past trend of H1B season in the past three years, we could very likely have lottery for FY 2017. Last year for FY 2016 quota, there were 233,000 applications. We have done a detail analysis with the H4 Visa EAD rule in place considering the economy, students graduating, OPT news, etc.  You should read  article H1B Visa 2017 Lottery Prediction News, results, Date .

If H1B lottery, will there be any preference in lottery for Large companies ? Premium Processing 
Well, no preference for anyone, all are treated equally, including premium processing. There are many such misconceptions about lottery process, we have compiled a list of such myths and criteria, you should read Myths of H1B Lottery, Criteria

When to plan for H1B visa 2017 Application ? How soon ? What should be the strategy ?
It is never too late to start planning for your H1B 2017 season. If you plan to work in US on H1B visa in the next coming fiscal year, below are some suggestions based on your situation.

  • F1 Student in USA : If you are studying on F1 visa and about to graduate in next one year, you should seriously look at finding an internship or co-op at companies that can sponsor your H1B visa. You can search for H1B Sponsors in a particular area using our H1B Sponsors Search Tool and try to get an internship to work there on CPT or OPT after you graduate. This is a strategic move and will require sometime, so plan well.
  • Professional from outside USA : If you are a working professional outside US, planning to work in US on H1B, your best bet is to find Multinational companies that have major US presence and secure a job there, so that you can position internally for applying to H1B visa, when the season starts. This is a very strategic decision, you need to carefully assess your options, speak to the company if such options exist and then only choose it.
  • Other H4, L1 Visas : If you are on these visas, your best bet is to find companies just like I mentioned for F1 students that sponsor H1B visas and start interviewing and keeping the conversation going so that you can ask them to file H1B when the season starts.

We have put together a Step by Step Plan on How to apply for H1B 2017 Quota

How do I find a H1B Visa Sponsor – The most asked million dollar question ?
If you are student in the US, it is very straight forward, you find the list of H1B Sponsoring companies using the tool in an area as I mentioned above and get an internship in one of them so that they can sponsor your H1B visa.   Unlike, if you are coming from outside US, it can be tricky.  If you work for an Multinational company ( MNC), then they will have some internal process to pick the candidates and then process H1B visa for them…The other option that has been used and abused is the consulting companies route…Many a times, the H1B aspirants approach a body shop IT consulting company to file H1B for them and they apply for the same. It gets nasty with the body shop consulting companies.  The comments on this H1B Companies Reviews article are quite eye opening. I advise, you beware of the consulting companies and avoid fraud.  Also, WE as RedBus2US do NOT provide any guidance or assistance or sponsor anything. If someone claims that, it is pure fraud and they are trying to trick you, we are not responsible for that. Please be careful. Anyways, for various other options , You may read article How to find H1B 2017 Sponsors

What is the H1B visa 2017 filing fee ? Is it same or any changes ?
It changed slightly this year with the Omnibus Bill passed in December 2015, that will increase the H1B filing fee by $4000 for FY 2017, until 2025 for certain companies that have over 50 employees and have more than 50% of their employees as H1B or L1 visa holders in USA.  Check USCIS Guidelines on H1B Fee increase. Depending on the size of the company, the H1B filing fee can vary anywhere from $1,600 USD to $7,400 USD + Attorney Fee. There are various fees components that make up this number range, for more details Read Summary of H1B Filing Fee 2017 – Who pays for What ? . Below is a high level summary. Also, one key change is that,  there was $2000 USD additional filing fee as per Public Law 111-230, this law expired on Sep 30, 2015 and that is not included anymore.

H1B Fee ComponentFee in USD
 Base filing fee$325
AICWA Fee$750  or $1,500
Fraud prevent & detection fee$500
Fee based on Public Law 114-113 ( if applicable)$4000
Premium processing fee (Optional)$1,225
Immigration Attorney FeeVaries from $500 to $3000

What about Comprehensive Immigration Reform(CIR) and Obama Executive Actions for H1B 2017 Quota Increase ? 
There has been many articles and discussions since 2013 around immigration reform by President Obama and changes around and some like below have been discussed in the last couple of years, nothing moved significantly.

  • H1B Cap to be increased from 65,000 to 110,000 per year.  Also have provisions to have it up to 180,000 in case of extreme demand.
  • Advanced degree from US cap quota to increase from 20,000 to 25,000
  • The Filing fee for H1B could go up to 10,000 USD  ( Part of this came up as the fee increase in Omnibus Bill )
  • Additional H1B rules to avoid H1B Visa fraud by employers
  • Mandatory LCA posting for 30 days before it is certified.

The current status on all of the above are basically “No updates”,  there are no set deadlines for any of them and none of these are happening for FY 2017. You may read Summary of CIR Changes to H1B . Officially as per press release on March 16, 2016, the H1B cap is confirmed to be 65,000 for regular and 20,000 for masters…hence, no changes.

What is LCA for H1B Visa ? Processing times ?
LCA is a form that has to be filed with US Dept of Labor and get it certified before filing H1B petition with USCIS. It has to be sent along with H1B Package to USCIS.  It has all the relevant information about the job position like wage, location, title, etc. It takes about 7 working days for processing of the LCA by US Dept of Labor (DOL). You can read complete details at Why is LCA Needed for H1B – Processing Time, Salary 

H1B Visa 2017 Premium Processing Time :

USCIS Updated in their original press release on March 16, 2016 that the premium processing will begin no later than May 16, 2016.  But, on April 22nd, they updated that the premium processing for FY 2017 will begin on May 12th, 2016. What it means is that the official 15 calendar day SLA for premium processing petitions will be starting from 12th.  USCIS may process the petitions early as well, but officially their clock starts on that day.

H1B 2017 Case Tracker  :
Did you apply for FY 2017 ?  We have put together a tracker along with good graphs for analysis. It is completely anonymous as we do not capture your case number or any personal information. It is community contributed data, the more you add, the better for everyone, including  You !

[prompt type=”left” title=”Track your H1B Case” message=” Anonymously Track your H1B Case – Share and Get updated from Community.” button_text=”H1B 2017 Case Tracker” href=”https://redbus2us.com/trackers/h1b-visa-tracker/”]

Most Recent News of FY 2017 H1B
Below is the most recent news regarding H1B 2017 season. You can check the updates page as indicated below for the full history and details.

  • July 8th, 2016 ( Official ) : USCIS released a press note today indicating that they have completed returning all the petitions that were not selected in the H1B lottery for FY 2017. Read More details here 
  • May 2nd, 2016 ( Official Update ) : USCIS updated that data entry is complete for selected petitions in lottery. if you were selected, you should receive receipt notices in 2 to three weeks. If not, the chances are very slim to get selected. You should look at your plan B.  Read H1B Data Entry Complete Article for full details
  • April 22nd, 2016 : (Official Update) USCIS Updated that they will start premium processing from May 12th, instead of May 16th.
  • April 12th, 2016 – 6:30 PM EST : Official Update :  USCIS released a press note that H1B lottery was completed on April 9th and they received over 236,000 petitions for FY 2017 quota. Read Press Release Summary  
  • April 12th, 2016 – 11:50 AM CST ( Unofficial Update ) : It is reported on blog by attorney ( immigrationgirl ) that they have received about 40 email receipts of Premium Processing. What it means is that USCIS has already conducted lottery. We will keep you posted with updates. If I am not wrong, they are just drafting the press release now.

[prompt type=”left” title=”H1B 2017 – Latest News Updates” message=” Most recent and complete history of all latest breaking news updates from Official sources like USCIS and Unofficial sources for FY 2017 Season.” button_text=”Latest H1B 2017 News” href=”https://redbus2us.com/h1b-visa-2017-cap-count-updates-tracker-news/”]

When is the next H1B Season ?

The next H1B season starts on April 1st, 2017.  Wondering about your next chance for H1B and various details about the next H1B season, check out H1B Visa 2018 FAQs

Sample H1B Reject Notices for FY 2017 ?

USCIS has started to mail out the reject notices for FY 2017 petitions that were not picked in lottery. It says that the start date for next year H1B season is April 1, 2017. You can check out the Sample Reject Notice for FY 2017, Details

We have many more FAQs around H1B Visa 2017. We will continue to keep updating the page with latest news and updates regarding FY 2017. Bookmark this page and keep checking for updates.

   

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23,619 Comments

  1. Any one applied through through from “http://jeffgoldmanimmigration.com/”
    Jeff Goldman Immigration Attorney, Cambridge, MA.

    Do you know any one who did and got picked in lottery.

    Reply
  2. For advanced degree applicants.
    My friend wanted to get a new I-20 for OPT extension.
    He got it issued from Univ but noticed that the dates were wrong (till Sep 30, 2016 i.e. one day before H-1B kicks in) .
    He was expecting it to be till May or June 2016.
    He did not pay attention then, but few days back after noticing it he went to Univ to check if there is an error.
    Univ said no it is automatically generated in the portal. One reason may be you are picked in lottery for H-1B.

    So he waited for any news from law firm/ immigration team about H-1B.
    Indeed he was picked.

    So inshort – one way to check if you are picked or not is to generate a new I-20 from univ. Dont tell them why you need it, just say say you need it as you lost the old one.

    I think this is one way to check if you are picked in lottery or not. But I will recommend that you wait atleast for the data entry to complete (2016 it was May 2nd).
    Only then ask for the new I-20. It should show the updated date as your cap-gap.

    Again this is my conclusion, but it seems logical.

    He was AD/RP/VT/1st

    Reply
  3. Hi,

    As data entry is completed so does that mean if employer has not received any updates for my petition its not selected in lottery ???

    Reply
  4. Hi,

    I haven’t received any update from my employer. From the data entry completion announcement form USCIS, how long I can hope for the best? Could you please share your opinions . Many people conveyed that , end of next week. Is it mean 2nd week of 2016 ???

    As data entry is completed so does that mean if employer has not received any updates for my petition its not selected in lottery ???

    Reply
    • hey kumar,
      data entry is completed on 2nd may that means they must have posted few receipts on that day as well so few more days you can expect. RP is bit slow this time .
      all the best!
      hope you will hear a news soon.

      Reply
    • KumarN,

      Most of the petitions should be received within 1-2 weeks of data entry completion. Then there are outliers where address is incorrect or USPS lost it in transit.

      Reply
  5. Admin,

    USCIS has officially announced the data entry for RP is over. Request you to please update the page so that guys don’t have unnecessary high hopes.

    Guys,
    For smaller companies if you can confirm that your cheque is not cashed by now, then its officially game over. People with MNCs can still wait.

    Reply
  6. I have tried twice and failed.

    I will not let this lottery decide my life for third time.

    This one month has been really stressful. And i dont want to go through his again.

    Already started working on plan B and plan C.

    Guys don’t put all your trust on this H1b alone as some one just said rest of world EU, Aus , Canada are still the options and still better than waiting for lottery.

    Reply
  7. Hello Saurab,

    My employer said my check was encashed on 27.04 but till now I did’t receive receipt number. Can you please let me know how long it will take to receive the receipt number after check encashed.

    Regards,
    Rahul

    Reply
    • Wait Rahul. My check was deposited on April 21st. Got receipt on 29th. If deposited means you have hope.

      Reply
    • Rahul,
      It could easily take 2-3 weeks to get a receipt. But remember this is not the end of the story. You will have respond to the RFE & there is still a probability that your petition can be denied by USCIS. So, start thinking of plan B if you haven’t already.

      Reply
    • Rahul,

      Ask employer if they can look at the back-side of the cashed check. Usually banks provide that facility in their online system. If so, the receipt number should be there.

      Reply
  8. Hi there,
    I work for Wipro and I have received intimation that my application has been accepted by USCIS (I am taking that to mean selected in lottery; what is with the cryptic language!?).
    I have few queries on the same now:

    1. Mine is regular processing, by when can I expect info on petition approval?
    2. I have a personal US trip planned in August – my office immigration team says that I cannot & should not file a B1/B2 visa until my visa is approved – else my H1B petition will be rejected. Is that right?
    3. How can I track the status – I do not have the petition/file number. Will Wipro ever provide the file number? I am worried that my application will be approved and that Wipro will not let me update unless my manager requests for stamping.

    Reply
    • Wipro_Employee,

      1. It could take 2-6 months or more. If RFE is issued, then it can take longer.
      2. I don’t think it will be an issue. Only when you have received H-1B visa stamped in the passport and go for B-1/2 visa stamping, could it be an issue (which is still manageable).
      3. Don’t know

      Reply
    • Hi, I am also Wiproite selected in lottery last year. Have been in US for 1 year.

      1. Expect petition number to be come approx by 15 aug.
      2. No idea about it.
      3. Your assumption is correct, they will not give you petition number unless your manager want.

      Reply
  9. Hi all
    Took a direct “NO” from my employer.. no more cheque being encashed… receipts may crop in for ppl whose check is already encashed..
    Its always the next tym..
    And i envy all the ppl whose lottery is picked.. u guys have really done some good deeds 😀

    Reply
    • I am not so sure about that – at least my employer thinks few regular processing cases will still be accepted. Last year, I know of acceptance emails coming in late May even. But then, Wipro is a little slow and I don’t really know when they received info from USCIS 🙂

      Reply
      • Agreed…
        u may get receipts even in mid of july(acc to few cases of previous year).. but encashment of check is over 🙂
        It is just that we need to take the bitter truth and don’t wait for miracles to happen for the remaining 2L plus ppl .

        No Offense to anyone 🙂

        Reply
      • chances are still alive Raja. Not giving you high hope but yeah you can still expect till coming Wednesday.
        keep hope alive.
        all d best!

        Reply
  10. Anyone from CTS EAS Testing OSP domain received receipt. Want to ensure if QEA domain received any receipts ????

    Reply
    • one of my friend got today.. Pune VT center..
      Lost hope to get any mails from GM now… Never believed in luck, but this thing forced it 🙂 .. Anyway, best wishes to all .. keep hoping & have faith in your skills for future …

      Reply
  11. Hi,

    What are the chances for NonAD/PP/Vt?

    I still didn’t hear anything at all and my lawyer said to keep waiting until mid-May.

    Reply
    • PP, you could still wait until the next week. But be mindful that the chances are very slim! You can wait for the result but do not bank on a positive output. If it is, then that’s a blessing most of them are waiting for. If it doesn’t turn out your way, there’s always next year. But I guess it is time to start formulating a Plan B, just in case.

      Reply
  12. Quick question on multiple petitions: Is there any one who has applied multiple petitions and more than one petition got picked??

    Reply
        • That – you are never going to know! There will be multiple people doing multiple applications. And someone with a single application might not get picked up and they try and complain on the multi-petitioners. The sad truth is that’s the way the system currently works. And there are a lot of people in the same boat as well. Sure, multiple applications screw the chances of multiple single applications, but there’s no one you can point a finger at. It is just random, based on luck. If not this year, then next year. Multiple applications is not wrong from a legal stand point. It is wrong on an ethical level. God bless us, ethical levels of no two people are usually the same.

          Reply
  13. Sorry for posting the same question again.

    Hello all.. Any hope for hopes….. This my 3rd attempt and this time i have filled through 4 different employer…. I think i am the most unlucky person in the word. If USCIS has been received only 65004 applications for this year also i should heave not selected… :(…. Feeling very bad… Please suggest me…

    Reply
    • OMG! 4 employers..I am happy that you are not selected as you dint played fair..which is why God didn’t select you in any of them. If you had applied through 1 employer, maybe you could have been selected.

      Reply
      • Thanks for the response based on others feeling… two times I was filling only through one employer. Later i have realized that may are filing through more than one employer that is the reason i have filled. But you need to understand one thing, even though more than one application selected for a person, they are going take only one . So my point is, it is not bothering others how many applications you have filled.

        Reply
        • are you nuts? if all were selected, though only 1 would be filed however coz of ppl like you, 3 persons couldn’t be selected..are you getting my point?

          Reply
          • Not really – I am sure USCIS has some folks on ‘wait list’ to take care of rejections/multiple petitions.

          • Sorry, I read it as multiple petitions by the same employer – if these were all different employers (and that my friend, is acceptable to USCIS) – what is your gripe?

          • They will have waiting list to cover for multiple application selections and rejections/not interested cases to be covered. In summary, they will fill full 65000 H1B every year and no one will not grab others opportunities.

          • If I relate in his view – some other 4 guys filed multiple petitions and selected more than ones in the lottery and wasted 4 which is of Mr.Hello- 3rd Time—

  14. Gandhi Bapu struggled for freedom of India and now Indians are struggling to get freedom from India. Some are moving in US some in UK some in Canada some in Australia. Why can’t Indians make India better than these countries

    Reply
    • Because the System is not Proper, Government loot the blood from hardworking tax payers and don’t provide amenities what required for professionals.

      Reply
      • Hey there,

        Agreed conditions in India aren’t great.

        But do you really think going to the US is the way out?

        Hear me out – First of all, H1B is a lottery system – the best doesn’t win. The needy doesn’t win. If you have authored a dozen papers in your area of expertise, there is no guarantee that you get through H1B lottery, agreed there are other avenues you can pursue. If you have gone to the US to complete your undergrad and masters & completes max OPT time as well – you are the needy; you will lose your job & country of residence if you don’t have a status/ don’t get picked in lottery. Either look at other avenues or come back to India/home country.

        Lucky ones get through the lottery!

        And even with H1B status, you run the risk of being deported/losing status.

        And other than paying tax, what else do you/ we do for this country as a citizen? You/We will readily throw garbage on the roads here or be a silent spectator if your/our neighbor does. How does our behavior suddenly change in the US/Singapore etc. ?

        Reply
    • bapu said if someone slaps you on one side, show him the other side as well. Based on the same logic, he meant that we should apply through multiple employers so we can put forth the next application of previous one gets rejected

      Reply
  15. Non-AD / RG / VT

    5th time here and no letter so far. Wow! They shipped me to Europe to work in a meanwhile. I guess L-1B is my only option from this point, but it’s also very nice here in Europe. Only sad part is the tax is higher and I make a little less than the US. The quality of life is much better though.

    I would say I am a lot less stressful here in EU than the US during my h1b waiting period. The thoughts of being kick out of the country via some lottery really put a lot of stress when I was in F-1 OPT. Other countries they would just give you the visa up front as long as you meet the qualification. No lottery was involved.

    There are opportunities not just in the US guys, so don’t put all your eggs in one basket!

    Cheers

    Reply
  16. Yay…

    Got the lawyer’s email with my recepit details…

    I am a 3rd timer Non-AD/Regular (single application every time from same employer). I came to US few years back on L1 and trying to change to H1 for quite some time. My employer (for 8 years now) helped me to try again and again.

    In my opinion, this whole lottery process is totally unfair. So, don’t expect a fair treatment in an unfair system.

    Congrats to those who got selected and best of luck for those who still waits for the result.

    Reply
  17. Hi folks,
    Im Non AD/RP.applied in VT.
    I still did not received any response. Is there any hope?
    My employer is telling there is very slim chance.
    Till when I can have hope?
    Please some one give some advice.
    Thanks and Regards

    Reply
      • Hi,

        You said receipts are generated in random order. But USCIS declared that data entry for all the selected petitions are already completed by May2nd. We only have to wait for return packages. Do you have any case in last year who got receipt notice by May 2nd or 3rd week. It really gives some hope !!!

        Reply
  18. I have checked with one of my colleague in TCS who got H1B last year from my account. He got email notification for H1B selection only on mid of September- last year.
    I think we might need to wait few more month in this year as well 🙁 🙁 Kindly share your view on this.

    Reply
  19. I am on H4 and this is 2nd attempt.
    Is there any point in still holding hope for Non-AD/RP/VT?
    Cheque not encashed yet

    Reply
  20. Just now I got a confirmation from my employer that ” Not to keep hopes and they are expecting my return packages”. This is my third time and not selected.

    Thanks to redbus2us for creating such a wonderful forum.

    Reply
      • Mine is not an mnc. I think the communication in mnc will be different as they have to communicate to many people. So, if you guys are from MNC, please don’t loose hopes by seeing my post.

        Reply
          • Hi Muruga ,

            Am also Applied through consultancy . still there is any chance for regular processing . di du get mail from employer ?

            if there is any chance for regular processing or GAME IS OVER ?

    • Most of the people are saying to expect return packages now.But few discussions also say to wait for 2 more weeks. Can any one share any cases in last year where people got receipt notices in May 2nd or 3rd week. ?

      Reply
  21. How to know my case filed for lottery or not.
    Anywhere they are updating status where it display or showing with my name

    Reply
    • Once it is not picked in lottery, the employer will get the package back with the rejected receipt notice. We can ask the employer to mail it.

      Reply
      • These guys r doin sumthing strange
        Nichesoft has some standard way of replying
        Wat does it mean if they say they dnt have the list????

        Reply
    • I mailed nichesoft and got reply that wait till 15th may..

      And thy said they don’t have names as of now.. So wait…and i m waiting

      Reply
    • Got an email today from Niche Soft legal team saying “We don’t have names in list so we cannot inform now. Once we get those details we will update you on May 15th”.. don’t know whats going on!!

      Reply
  22. keep Cauliflower in your Head not to others. Eat Samosa if you like and don’t Compel others. Final Warning to Niramala Baba – Who the HELL he is ?? /

    Reply

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