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H1B Visa 2018 Cap Count Updates Tracker, Latest News, Info

This page tracks latest H1B news, updates, info for fiscal year 2018, official & unofficial 🙂

Latest News Updates – Official and Unofficial ( Most recent on top ):

  • Sept 18th, 2017 ( Official ) : USCIS resumes premium processing for application that were filed for FY 2018 and still awaiting result. Still premium processing is not fully available for transfers and extension petitions yet. Check USCIS press note
  • July 19th, 2017 ( Official ): USCIS Updated in the form of a press release that they have returned all the unselected petitions for FY 2018. What this means is that you should see the rejected petitions that were not selected in lottery in couple of weeks or so. They also gave guidance that, if you have not heard anything by July 31st, you can reach out to USCIS. Check USCIS Press note 
  • June 14th, 2017 ( Unofficial: Immigration attorney have reported that they are seeing rejected petitions packages received by them and they have shared sample  H1B rejection copies of the same. We are yet to hear from USCIS, but the whole idea is that rejection packages are on the way…
  • May 1st, 2017 ( Unofficial) : We see more and more checks cashed and receipt notices as reported by our readers. If you have received one, good..if not, do not worry, it is not over yet. Read H1B Lottery Results Date – Game Over ?
  • April  17th, 2017 ( Official ) : USCIS released a press note indicating that they received 199,000 petitions for FY 2018 quota. Check article : Summary of FY 2018 H1B Cap Lottery 199k Petitions
  • April 13th, 2017 ( Unofficial ) : ImmigrationGirl, an attorney’s blog, confirms that one of their H1B petitions Masters’s cap checks were cashed yesterday. It is weird that USCIS is processing the petitions, without announcement. It means that Lottery was done to some extent at least Masters quota, but announcement is yet to come.
  • April 7th, 2017 ( Official: USCIS made a press release on April 7th indicating that they have received enough number of petitions for both regular and Masters Quota. Check out details at H1B Cap Reached Press Release Summary. 
  • April 3rd, 2017 ( Official: USCIS made few announcements today to report and prevent H1B visa program fraud. New measures include that anyone can report H1B abuse to USCIS, new memorandum on computer programmers eligibility for H1B visa. Check summary at USCIS -H1B fraud prevention, memorandum
  • March 15, 2017 ( Official ) :  USCIS Release official press note stating that they will accept H1B Petitions for Fiscal year 2018 quota starting from April 3rd, 2017. Missing info from the press release is on the H1B Lottery scenario. More details at :  Summary of Press Release April 3, H1B 2018 .
  • March 3, 2017 ( Official ) : USCIS released a press note indicating that they are suspending premium processing for H1B petitions filed this season for upto 6 months.  Check out Summary :  H1B 2018 Premium processing Suspended 

Key Timeline for H1B 2018 Lottery and Results, Premium Processing  : 

  • H1B 2018 Lottery Date :  You can expect the H1B lottery date to be in the week of April 10th, 2016.   Last year, the lottery was conducted on April 12th and the year before it was April 13th.
  • H1B 2018 Lottery Results : This depends on many factors and there is no set date. Last year, USCIS did a news alert indicating that they have returned all the rejected H1B petitions on July 8th, 2017. So, you can expect the last date for receiving lottery decision around mid July 2017. â€¦depending on the number of petitions filed this year, it may be earlier or even later in July or even early August 2017…

Reference Articles related to H1B visa 2018 season :

H1B Visa 2018 Cap Count updates Tracking Table:

USCIS Update DateRegular H1B Cap (65,000)Advanced Degree Cap (20,000)Analysis and Cap Count Update Article.
April 7th, 2017  65,000 20,000 H1B 2018 Cap Reached 
Remaining H1B Cap0  0

   

Other Articles

29 Comments

  1. Hi,

    My H1b status is same from last 3 months

    Response To USCIS’ Request For Evidence Was Received
    On October 23, 2017, we received your response to our Request for Evidence for your Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Receipt Number ——-. Our California Service Center office will begin working on your case again. We will mail you a decision or notify you if we need something from you.

    and my employer have not received any communication since then.
    what does this means? Can i still expect +ve responce from USCIS, its time that people started filling for 2019 year.

    Reply
  2. I received an RFE on Aug 3 and my employer responded on Nov 3. My Petition has been denied on Dec 8. My employer isnt responding since then. I still do not know what to do and also the reason for the Denial.

    MTR has to be filed within 30 days of denial and now i have only a week left. What should i do? Can i file MTR by myself by talking to a different attorney?

    Reply
  3. Hi Admin, We have been hearing news that for many people the H1B Extension/Renewal has been rejected by USCIS saying the BE Degree they hold is of Non-IT field (EEE, ECE etc…) But they have been working for IT Field. Could you please provide your input on this… We have been eagerly waiting for opportunities and holding H1B Visa but such news really disappointing.

    Reply
    • We do not have enough data as it is not public. There have been good amount of Level 1 wage RFEs based on what users have posted on the blog.

      Reply
      • Thanks admin…
        For my Case, I am holding H1B stamped in last Feb and valid till June-2018. Due to new rules in 2017 (Min 50% of employee should be locals), My organisation couldn’t send me to onsite. Now the My organisation planning to find opportunity for me. Could you please advice whether it is safe for me to travel and do the extension. Do you foresee any issue in getting the extension/renewal for H1B.?

        Reply
  4. Many applicants for H 1B visa who are picked in the lottery are eagerly waiting for confirmation hoping to get the visas before 30 Sept 2017. Is the process expedited and will
    they be informed before 30 Sept ’17? If no communication is received, what should they do? As there are only about ten days , anxiety is increasing. Please reply regarding the
    the latest position. Thanks. mgnmurthy4@gmail.com

    Reply
    • Yes Premium processing has been started for FY2018 cap subject H1B petitions. The pending petitions can expedite the process and get response soon.
      https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-resumes-premium-processing-some-categories-applicants-seeking-h-1b-visas

      Reply
  5. My Case is still shows case was transferred to new office. My cap-gap i-20 is upto 30 September 2017. In case, I get RFE and it will not resolve before 30 sep then what should be my status after 30 sep ?Right now I am doing a job ,can I do the job after 30 ? My opt is already expired on 2nd July. Please give me correct suggestion?

    Reply
  6. Hi Guys ,
    FYI
    I recently had been for Visa Stamping in Hydrabad Location , On day one at Bio-metric location where no US officers presence . There will be bunch of pre-check ladies will checking ur documents , They will try fool you by saying you should have entered ur sar name last , OR if u dont have sar name u have to put fnu in last , Or put fnu first sir. Please correct and get new DS160 . Out side xerox shop ppl and these ladies will play a false game and snatch money from you to correct form, so pls don’t entertain them unless you have really done wrong in form .

    Reply
  7. Who knows, under trump administration, they might give visa to say only 50% of 85000 cap, or may be less. As you can see they work mostly hiddnely in white house on other matters, and so for H1b lottery and processing etc are all behind doors. They do not share full results with transperancy after completing entire process.

    With all these immigration hurdles in USA, I can see now even if they poster themselves as a country of immigrants, they do not act like that. Purposefully they made laws and process of visa and Green Card such a complex that everybody from employee to employer would discourage to sponsor visa BUT still for the purpose of macro economy of immigration to employ US citizens (lawyers, ICE, USCIS staff etc.) for this macro economy, they would still have to keep on working and allow few people to enter and stay in country.

    Lesson learnt for us is, if you really want stable , peaceful life either go back to your home country and do well there OR maybe go for another country like Canada. problem with Canada is they have straight forward process of immigration but job scope are not much lucrative.

    Reply
    • Hi I am from CTS. I have no updates whether any communication is going on within CTS on application selection or petition package returned.

      How do you know that the company has not received any Notification after May 11th? Is there any helpline number or GSD which can be raised? Do we know if atleast any Unselected petition is received and the same is updated to the candidate?

      Reply
      • Atleast one person who have been responded saying that their package is not selected ? I assume USCIS have started returning back the unselected packages back to employer? Any idea if CTS has received any such and dont want to inform people unless End of June or they inform immediately they receive the unselected package

        Reply
  8. At first, many hanks to Kumar, and it’s been year now providing H1B filing process, latest updates and giving a platform to everyone to discuss every mind or thought or vent your spleen. Secondly, I do not think lottery would happen this time. If lottery happens, then there is no difference with previous years. Understanding the mindset of Trump and USCIS this time, their top notion is to bring H1B soul back, the reason for which it was originally created and came into existence. Most likely this time, they are opening each case and reviewing if it’s really worth or fulfils the original purpose of H1B, and accordingly decide whether select or not. ImmigrationGirl case could be true due to above reason that no lottery but scrutening each case rigorously and evaluating if it’s really one of rare talent, may be with the help of the DOL.

    Reply
  9. Is this a new condition?

    This is found on the 2018 h1b cap season page of US gov

    Multiple or Duplicative Filings

    Employers may not file multiple or duplicative H-1B petitions for the same employee. To ensure fair and orderly distribution of available H-1B visas, USCIS will deny or revoke multiple or duplicative petitions filed by an employer for the same H-1B worker and will not refund the filing fees.

    Reply
  10. Guys please stop spamming the page with the same comments as other pages (intimidating, cribbing, etc). Be it the OPT or the current working professionals, we are all impacted in a big way. Nevertheless, the system is being abused by both the groups, the impact is also suffered by both. I’d sincerely request everyone, that do not post comments that hurt each other. We are all very certain that going forward, the scrutinization for Indian documents is going to be very strict, and we all know what is good or bad for us and we can take our decisions accordingly.

    If anyone is looking for some advice, be kind and help them and if you cannot, do not express your extreme emotions here. This is not the place for emotional outbursts.

    Thank you !

    Reply
  11. Companies like INFOSYS, TCS, WIPRO became SHITT (useless) under Trump Administration. THose companies have created enough MESS here in US, By bringing CHEAP Labor & Supply to Clients and Making Money . These INFY, TCS, WPRO have looted Indian Talent by shifting to US, Made enough money by Hard working Indian Talent. Indian IT Service based companies SUCK the blood like Parasites, Mosquitoes and make money out of it. NOW IT WON’T HAPPEN because of MR TRUMP

    Reply
  12. Know the fact. These days no calls for consultenciez based h1b candidates. One of my friend here from last 3months, he just attended one call. Most of the job descriptions mentioning clearly that gc or citizenship needed. One strategic movement was to stopping H1b transfer in premium. This stops h1b people demand as no company waits for long time to get h1b transfer approvals. Mean while companies look for local talent.

    Reply
    • Dont try to do Double/Triple filing this time, last year one of my friend filed double and both got picked, he cancelled one but the other is still in RFE now as process became very strict from last year. There are chances that double filings becomes invalid from this Year.

      Reply
  13. Hi Admins,

    As per the comments, you could see CTS files only 40% from last years count. Is there any other companies files like this?
    Whether you guys considered this reduction?

    Just wanted to know the analysis is with this reduction data included or not.

    Reply
    • My gut feel is that the no of fillings will be in the range of 150 -180K. Less that last year but lottery never the less. Brace for it!!!

      Reply
    • Something strange going on,looking for onsite opportunities from 3 months but unsuccessful.Either clients are hesitant to hire H1-Bs or companies not willing to send many resources onsite to avoid scrutiny.

      Reply
    • That’s because CTS and HCL had legal issues within the US. Reducing the number of applications is to stop affecting the company’s reputation

      Reply

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