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H1B Visa 2016 – FAQs – Lottery, Quota, Immigration Reform, News

Updated : November 25th, 2015

H1B Visa 2016 Filing Season Complete, Cap reached on April 7th, 2015.

Planning for next H1B season, Check out H1B Visa 2017 FAQs

As many of you know, H1B Visa 2015 quota was over in the first week and a whopping 172,500 H1B petitions were received in first week by USCIS.  H1B Lottery / random selection was held by USCIS to select 85,000 H1B petitions to fulfil the work permit cap. Many of the unlucky ones are already wondering about next year H1B Visa quota. Also, some of you are planning for H1B visa for next year, you also would be wondering regarding the same. This article addresses many of the common questions, it will be updated constantly, whenever any changes to info.  Bookmark this page !  To start with, firstly the news updates on this season, followed by many commonly asked questions.

Official & Unofficial USCIS News Updates Regarding H1B 2016 Season 

When will the H1B season for fiscal 2016 begin ?

USCIS will accept petitions for H1B Visa 2016 season starting from April 1st, 2015.  USCIS did a press release on March 12th outlining the details. Read summary of press release by USCIS on H1B 2016 .

Will there be lottery again for H1B Visa 2016 ? Predictions ?

We had lottery for FY 2015 and FY 2014. The total number of petitions filed for FY 14 were about 125,000 and for  FY 2015, there were about 172,500 petitions… As H1B Quota did not increase for FY 2016, and the demand does not seem to decrease, we would very likely have lottery for FY 2016.  Read H1B Visa 2016 Lottery Predictions, Dates, Results

What is the H1B Visa quota Cap Count ? Would there be any changes to H1B 2016 count ?

H1B Visa quota cap count is the total number of petitions that USCIS will accept for a fiscal year to provide temporary work permit for highly skilled workers.  For the 2016 fiscal year, the cap count is as below :

  • Regular H1B Quota : 65,000
  • H1B Masters Degree Quota ( only US 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.

As per the press release in March 2015, the quota did not increase.  To give some background, as per the Obama executive action in Nov 2014, no changes were announced to the H1B Cap count. There was proposal in 2013 to increase H1B cap from 65,000 to 110,000 and Masters quota to increase from 20,000 to 25,000 did not go through as of March 2015. At least, for this FY 2016 season, the quota is fixed and it will be as above and no changes.

When should I start planning for H1B Visa 2016 ? What are the steps ?

It depends on your situation. Below are few scenarios and your plan.

  • If you are a student on F1 Visa in USA, you need to plan for your internship/ CPT or OPT employment  at a company that can sponsor your H1B Visa for FY 2016. In my view, you should start now to find something for the fall 2014 and continue that for next spring so that you can file for FY 2016
  • If you are in other country and planning for H1B, it is good to start your process around the end of this year 2014. It will give you enough time to find sponsors, search for job, etc.
  • If you are on H4, L1 or other visa in USA and planning for H1B for FY 2016, you also should consider looking around end of this year i.e. December 2014.

We have published step by step plan, you can read the article How to plan for H1B Visa 2016 ?Step by Step Guide 

Most asked Question – How do I Find H1B Sponsors for FY 2016 ?

This is a million dollar question !  One of the biggest challenges is to find a good sponsor that can offer you a job and wait for you to start work after 6 months of filing your petition.  You should review the detail article on How to find H1B Sponsors for FY 2015. Your first place of start is to find the H1B Sponsors in an area or by company. Use our H1B Visa Sponsors Database to search and filter. Read this article on details on how to search in our H1B Sponsor database. We keep the database updated as DOL publishes data. Do NOT share your email or phone number on our website as comments, there are many people do H1B Sponsorship fraud by requesting money using your contact info. RedBus2US.com never provides personal guidance on H1B sponsors or seeks money from anyone, we only display publicly available data on our H1B Sponsors Database page. We DO NOT sponsor H1Bs or guide anyone. Beware of H1B sponsorship Fraud ! 

What about Comprehensive Immigration Reform ( CIR) – H1B Visa Changes ? What are they ?

There have been some proposed changes to the H1B Visa program to cater to the demand in the  US economy as part of the Comprehensive Immigration reform. Below are some of the proposed changes.

  • 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
  • Additional H1B rules to avoid H1B Visa fraud by employers
  • Mandatory LCA posting for 30 days before it is certified.

These were proposed in 2013, but nothing has moved significantly and all the above are just proposed rules. We are not sure when they will be implemented. You can read  Summary of CIR – Immigration reform – H1B Visa and Green Card  to get an idea. The latest update is that Obama has taken executive action on Immigration in Nov  2014  and none of the below are included as part of that.  Stay tuned for updates.

H1B Visa 2016 Fees – Any changes ? How much does it cost ?

There are various components of the fee. The H1B Application filing fee could range anywhere from $1,600 USD to $4,400 depending on the size of the company. The attorney fee can range from $500 to $3000 depending on the attorney. If you apply for premium processing that is another $1,225. The fees has not changed in the past couple of years for FY 2014 and FY 2015. Unless USCIS revises fee based on immigration reform, it should be same. We will keep you all posted. For complete details of the fee by components and break up, read the article H1B Visa  Fees and Who Pays for What ?

H4 Visa EAD rule impact on H1B Visa 2016 Season ?

As you know, certain H4 visa holders are now eligible for EAD. The H4 Visa EAD Rule Passed earlier in 2015 and is effective from May 26, 2015.  USCIS will start accepting applications for EAD from those eligible H4 visa holders starting from May 26th. The question is that will that have an impact on number of H1B petitions for this fiscal year  ?  It very likely will have certain impact on the number of H1B applications that are filed for this year 2016 quota. Many of the H4 holders, who would now be eligible for EAD, may not apply for H1B visa, just because it gives them more flexibility to work and more choices to work as well. We would have to wait and see, how much of an impact that would have, but it is very straightforward and no brainer for eligible H4 visa holder to avoid the H1B processing.

H1B visa Premium Processing Changes to H1B Visa 2016 quota ? 

USCIS updated in their press release that the premium processing will be accepted for FY 2016 quota and they will only begin that “no later than May 11, 2015”. What it means for the petitioners is that the official 15 day premium processing clock starts from May 11th, 2015 and their petition could be adjudicated within 15 days from May 11th, which would be May 26th, 2015.  USCIS can process them earlier as well, but their new timeline is just indication for setting the right expectations to meet the stipulated time frame for premium processing.

Track H1B Visa 2016 Cap Count updates ?

As in previous years, we have created a page, where would track the cap count updates for FY 2016. You may check out  H1B visa 2016 Cap Count Tracker.

While you wait, you can check out April 1st – USCIS H1B Visa 2016 Season Starts Today, When to expect Lottery ?

H1B Lottery Completed – Official Tweet and Press Release 

H1B Cap Reached – Official USCIS Tweet and Link to Press release :


Any other questions ?

Photo of author
Satheesh Kumar Ilu, commonly known as Kumar, is the founder of RedBus2US.com. He is an Immigration and Study Abroad expert. He holds an MS from the University of Houston–Clear Lake and an MBA from the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. He studied, lived, and worked in the U.S. and Singapore for nearly two decades, and has traveled to over 25 countries.

   

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28,610 Comments

  1. Regular processing(AD/RP) receipts will still keep coming for a couple of more weeks right !? I am getting tensed now 🙁

    Reply
  2. Finally!! A long wait of 1 year ended today.
    Had applied H1B second time this year. Being an MBA student had got OPT for only 1 year so took readmission for other masters course last year. Have finished half of my second masters degree by now. I had almost lost all hopes. Finished crying too on Friday. And today I got the receipt.

    I pray all the AD students get their H1B’s picked.I have been through the suffering and can’t empathise enough!Thank you to the red bus forum which I have been following since last April. Wish you all good luck!! Today I will sleep 🙂

    Reply
  3. Guys till you receive your packet back. Do not give up. Do not. if AD , non ad ,pp or reg. Just stay positive. Always #####Hope for the Best. But Prepare for the Worst. #####

    Reply
  4. Three of my friends got rejection email today. All three AD/PP/CA. Looks like its game over for all PP 🙁 This sucks so bad!

    Reply
    • whom are you kidding never will they email rejection. First of all it’s not rejection if you are not selected I lottery. Like selected is not approval. And they just send the packet back do not email anything.

      Reply
      • There is nothing here to kid. All three work for Amex and are AD/PP/CA. The email says not selected in lottery and will be receiving the application package back. I don’t gain anything by bluffing here man. It’s been dreadful for the past few weeks and even more painful since I heard this news from friends.

        Reply
        • As far as I know, USCIS just returns the petition packages to employer/lawyer that weren’t selected in lottery. This is the first time I am hearing USCIS is emailing this news.

          Reply
          • It’s true that uscis sends a mail that your petition did not get selected in the lottery. I applied last year, it didn’t get selected in the lottery . In the month of May, uscis send a mail to my employer that it was not selected. My employer forwarded me the same.

        • Thanks for sharing.
          I didn’t get picked as well.
          Next year I’m going to file multiple in case bad luck strikes again.

          Reply
  5. As per my analysis:

    Daily USCIS site is updating around 10,000(5,000 WAC & 5,000 EAC) receipt numbers.
    Last four working days they have updated most cases is non premium.

    USCIS working days after lottery done, it is 10 days(including today).

    Mostly every employer will receive the receipt numbers by eod this week , if they did not got any updates then our chances are very low.

    Reply
    • There are bunch of other cases besides H1B and they all start with eac so those 5000 cases can be opt/opt stem/h1b or something else.they will go through selected candidates till mid may.

      Reply
      • But if you look random numbers like EAC1514452500, most of them H1b2016 applications only.. (if you take out 3k(10k-3K) for other applications, then(10 *7 =70k), they have updated into USCIS site and they sent receipt numbers to employers through(mail or snail)

        Reply
    • I think you should still wait for 1 week, Keep praying. if you don’t get it unfortunately, go to school again and work on CPT which I did last year. Good Luck…:)

      Reply
      • no man…I will start a business…back in india…this is just waste of time and money…study one more year to get a visa and then continue fighting for green card and then pay heavy taxes till i get a citizenship….too much…i need some control on my life …cant let USCIS decide it for me…..

        Reply
    • Its game over guys. There is a slight chance we might get it. Three of my friends who work for American Express got their rejection email today 🙁 All three AD/PP/CA

      Reply
  6. I am a non AD/ pp/ vt and I know I haven’t been selected in this lottery . I have been in the Us for 7 years trying to work my way Up and paying school and now working and paying school fees and going through a lot of things to keep my status legal Now I feel this thing it’s unfair and not worth it . People from abroad are given more chances and I am not saying they do not deserve it but I know we deserved it more than anybody else as we got good US degree and job experience as well . But I am still happy cuz I know God got something else for me and I am not going to kill myself for this unfair lottery that I don’t have control of . I will just keep working hard wherever I will be at and hope for the best . Congrats to all of you that got selected and good luck for the one like me and others that are not . There is always losers and winners in a lottery game so don’t think that the end of the world . Just start thinking about plan B . God always do something for a reason

    Reply
    • Hi
      how do you know that you have not been selected ? Did your lawyer got any notification ? I am also waiting for notification. Quiet worried.

      Reply
    • Hey, I want to say the same thing. This is my 2nd year getting into the lottery as AD/PP/Vermont. It’s most likely that I didn’t got selected again..I hate the system. I hate it when I’m helpless. My OPT expires next year June…it really sucks. I wish there was a 3-year guarantee…so sad….

      Reply
      • Hey don’t be hopeless, as you might get a delayed positive response. Moreover, you still have one more chance as you OPT expires in June next year. Next year if your lottery goes through, then you OPT will auto extend from June to Oct so that there is no gap in employment.

        Reply
    • got a call from my consultancy that my case got picked up ! big relief I can now explore better option. Was on L1a though.

      Reply
  7. Hi,
    Applied for H1B via ntc-us(oh) in NAD/PP
    What are the chances of getting selected in the lottery?
    How much more time can we wait for PP lottery results?

    Reply
  8. I just got my receipt number from my employer. Non-AD RP Vermont. My name starts with S. So, i don’t really think it is alphabetical.
    EAC-15143-52XXX

    Reply
      • Sorry, I have no idea of that. Our lawyer does not like being called, mailed with questions like that, and directly communicates with the HR when the receipts are received. However, I know that I am one of the first, if not the very first, to get receipt for RP in the firm. So, more are sure to come.

        Reply
  9. Hi All,

    Guys this is my 2nd attempt in the lottery, since last year i did not get selected. I was expecting too much last year, had no other plan other than going to USA and i could not clear the lottery. Dreams crashed in a second, took a few days to stabilise and i could plan for the next steps or Plan B. Being in India, i started considering for immigration to Australia or Canada and was working parallel. This year i could only get one petition ready and with luck i could clear the lottery. I did not expect and was ready for any news(good or bad) keeping in mind the number of applications for RP/non-AD, so chances for me were very less. Yes, I am quite lucky to have been selected and i hope for the best to all of you. For people who are still waiting to hear, if this helps :-

    1. There is nothing in your control, so worrying might not change the result. Just leave it to god or luck and please do not worry.
    2. For sure not all will be selected, we all want all to be selected but it is not possible. So please be ready for any news good or bad.
    3. Being neutral will help you plan for both the cases, if you are selected and if not.
    4. For ppl like me who are in India and want to go abroad to earn more money can consider Ireland, Australia and Canada. If i had been not selected this time, i would have got a PR to Australia.
    5. I pray for all and since i have researched a lot about Australia PR can help ppl who are interested.

    Wishes to all !

    Reply
  10. Hi Everyone, Is lottery done for California AD/RP? I am waiting and waiting all my friends received or their sevis updated because I am not seeing any one updating on California center? please reply.

    Reply
  11. Hi All,

    I have been following this site and people’s opinion/comments since lottery happened and getting really nervous. I don’t know what will happen to me. There are lot of people who got their results and petition number..I am Non AD/Reg/CA…Is there anyone who applied through galaxy soft in regular processing? Pl reply ..this wait is seriously killing and painful

    Reply
    • You should already have a Plan B man, its lottery nothing is sure.
      But as you are non-AD/RP there is still time. hang in there.

      Reply
  12. Hi Guys,

    Anybody got status update on their cases( I mean the premium processing ones). I mean RFE/Approved/Rejected. I got d receipt on 13 April. I am AD/PP/CSC. No case update yet.

    You guys are checking on this website right??

    egov.uscis.gov/casestatus/landing.do

    Reply
  13. AD/RP/VT First attempt
    Just received email from my boss few minutes ago that my application got picked. EAC151415xxxx. Good luck to all who are waiting!

    Reply
  14. Anybody still waiting for AD PP VT?
    My employer says that we still have to wait this week. One of my friend got the update on may 1st last year for PP.
    So a bit confused if VT has more receipts to send.

    Reply
      • Don’t freak out. This isn’t the end of the world. Read lot of stories of people not getting through but the year after they come back stronger.

        I’ll pray that you get through this year itself but start working on a plan b

        Reply
    • Me and one of my friend have applied under AD-PP @ VT but so far no update, neither SEVIS update/pending status nor the check is en-chased. Nervous to the core. Just applied through one employer, I should have done the multiple applications like many here.

      Reply
      • Hang in there guys. Looks like one of them got a receipt notice at 2PM today so there is still a hope.
        Just trust in God and keep praying 🙂 Luck comes on your way.
        I am pretty sure that I got selected in the lottery but for some reason it got delayed. Keep thinking positively and luck comes on your way.

        Best of luck everybody !

        Reply
  15. Have you spoke to the immigration team ?
    did you ask the inszoom details (site in which h1b details are stored, check whether the petion is picked or not)

    Reply
  16. for NON -AD/PP/RP guys its game over if they didnt receive with in end of this month.just plan yourself, already AD/PP/RP is finished.

    Reply
  17. Hi everyone, I wanna share you the news which is my wife finally got the selection. Her attroney got the actual mail receipt notice this morning and it indicates that they got the petition on Apr. 13. I guess they generated the notice slowly and you know the usps is not quick either. Please not lose you hope and hand in there. Her notice is EAC1514051xxx

    Reply
  18. Just received information from my employer saying that my check has been cashed. I am AD/RP/VSC and its my second attempt.

    I wish everyone here get selected. God bless you guys.

    Reply
  19. On April 25, 2015, we updated your name for your Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Receipt Number WAC151395****

    What is the above status mean i am really worried about it.Mine is AD/RP/CSC

    Reply
  20. Just got my receipt notice (AD/Regular/WAC) from my employer.
    Received Date : April 13, 2015
    Notice Date : April 21, 2015
    Cheque encashment : April 24, 2015
    Receipt Notice with case Number (WAC-15-140-5****) : April 27, 2015

    Good luck to all who filed genuine petition, May God bless you all!

    Reply
  21. Got selected in lottery but when I put the receipt on USCIS tracking page it gives me validation error. can someone help me understand what does it means.

    Reply
  22. Got my NON-AD/RP/VT receipt today.. Thank god. This is my last chance otherwise have to leave country.. !! Thanks to this forum

    Reply
  23. yippeeee my brother’s H1 is picked, he is non-AD/RP. lawyer just sent him his receipt number. And my application is picked as well 13days back ,i am AD/PP.

    Reply
      • Hi,
        Did they already start processing the H1-B applications? I thought they are going to start it from today (April 27th). Please help me understand. Thank you!

        Reply
          • Thank you! Where do you find these applications being approved? Is there a consolidated place where we can look at the so far approved applications? Thanks again!

      • Yes, today i see status changed to “we approved your Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, ”

        Is this me am i done here? All set?
        Let me know please. thanks

        Reply
        • Alright, thanks for answering and congrats for being picked. I’m trying to guess if USCIS gives a small percentage to every company that applied or if this lottery is indeed totally random.

          Reply
          • I’m only asking cuz’ I’ve seen a lot of cases being picked in lottery where the employer had only applied for 1 H1B. So maybe that’s the case.

          • Totally random. I was the only H-1B applicant from my 300+ employee company in DC last year and this year – and didn’t get selected both years (assuming luck’s run out this year..)

          • @AD/PP/VT giving up. dude, last year out of 25 applicants i was the only one not picked. talk about luck. dont giveup yet man.

  24. Is there any hope for premium processing (vermont presumably)?
    Tried calling SEVIS and they won’t tell me anything other than that my OPT is active.

    Reply
        • Hey, could you please share how did you got the user id and password details. My employer’s Law firm also uses INSZoom.
          I was just given a url with an access code where i filled and uploaded all the required documents. Now i can’t see anything valuable on the url shared earlier.
          Please reply as comment here to help others also 🙂

          Reply
          • just open the ins zoom website. click on forgotpassword….enter your email id. you will get the user id details

          • thanks for the reply Venkat. I was able to login. But it seems they have not updated any details except passport and personal details. All tabs are empty and the status tab shows open for h1b application. Thanks anyways.

  25. Just got the receipt from the attorney’s office. The receipt is dated 04/20. The attorney’s office had notified me EOD 04/22 that the fee checks had cleared so I take it that there is a couple of days lag between the receipt issue date and when the checks clear. Hope this gives some hope to people waiting. Wish you all good luck!

    Reply
  26. Guys
    I am soooooooo happy. Got selected in lottery. Employer shared me the info just now. Last time missed. Got it now.

    Non AD/RP/Vermont (filed only one application)

    Reply

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