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
- November 25th, 2015 : There is no special news as such, but we have our readers reporting that their H1Bs are still being approved that were under regular processing. So, if your status is stuck at one status, there is still some hope…
- July 14th, 2015 : USCIS released a note saying that they have returned all the petitions that were not selected in lottery for FY 2016. If you do not hear back from USCIS by July 20th, then you can contact them. Check Press note
- May 4th, 2015 : Data Entry for Selected H1B Petitions Completed
- April 14th, 2015 : Premium Processing H1B 2016 starts from April 27th
- April 13th, 2015: USCIS receives 233,000 for FY 2016 Lottery complete.
- April 7th, 2015: H1B Cap Reached for FY 2016. Summary of USCIS News
- April 6th, 2015: Guidance to file Second Petition, if Delivery Service Errors
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
USCIS Completes the H-1B Cap Random Selection Process for FY 2016 http://t.co/fQ6EPUb8Y4
— USCIS (@USCIS) April 13, 2015
H1B Cap Reached – Official USCIS Tweet and Link to Press release :
We have reached the congressionally mandated H-1B cap for FY 2016 http://t.co/RTja7POWYY — USCIS (@USCIS) April 7, 2015
Any other questions ?
I received my receipt today. I was tensed a lot . Only 1 application and genuine (No desi consultancy).
After i saw news from USCIS, I started applying for Canada jobs, In my mail box i saw email from my IMTeam, and it was my receipt number..
feeling happy.. best of luck for eveyone..
Just now got an email from attorney … saying there is no update YET.
Please let me know if still i have a chance Regular Process / California/Non-ADV
got my receipt today. receipt number :WAC1514850***.
Plz be patient..
forgot to mention RP/CA/AD
Whats the first letter of your last name??
The first letter doesn’t matter, Mate.
Lets not find a scientific correlation on that and waste time. It was already proven in this forum.
Lets wish everyone luck, meantime!
Got my receipt today……AD/RP/CA
today my school confirmed there is a pending status, cap gap opt active and a receipt number starting out with WAC151485****
But my lawyer says check not cashed yet. Confused. Am I selected or what??
BY the way I am AD/RP/CA
today my school confirmed there is a pending status, cap gap opt active and a receipt number starting out with WAC151485****
But my lawyer says check not cashed yet. Confused. Am I selected or what??
If you look at the percentages, lots of AD’s have been picked, USCIS knows its business!
I got receipt number : WAC15146***** : Case Was Received.
Hi Guys,
I believe my application as not picked in the lottery process. I have time till June to move out. I worked out a deal with my employer to allow me to work from Canada and will re apply H1B next year.
Bye Bye all of you
From
Alien
Can you tell me how easy is it to work in canada? I am in h4 in US, CAN i also move to canada and work? Is the process simple?
Dont even think about it and steal our jobs here in Canada….. F@#k
I know that RP People would get receipts till next week.
But I am assuming that if by EOD today if your SEVIS not updated, Check Not En-cashed then Its game Over .
Guys we should move on rather that having false hope. I feel sad for all of those didnt fortunate enough to get H1B this year Even I am one of them.
But as it goes… Whatever happens its for the best.
My company informed me today that my case has been selected in the lottery.
I was not selected last year.
I am from India. From an Indian office of US Consulting firm.
ZS?
Don’t loose hope some friends have just got their check encashed.
My lawyer is saying , we should wait till May 12.
Is that for VT??
Non Ad / RP / California has more hopes. Not sure about VT.
All Over 🙁
Checked with my employer , Check not yet en-cashed .
Currently in US , Looking for Plan-B .
Please suggest some good options except the schools , because I am not left with any more money to pay them .
Get married with a U.S. citizens or get another f1 and work underground for awhile. I was making $150-300 a day serving food in a busy restaurant and attending Kaplan prep courses.
NonAD/PP/VT
My employer informed us of the results today. I can’t believe I made it through the lottery.
Please note that the results for PP were out a while back it’s just that people at my office got to know today.
I’m AD/RP/WAC. Didn’t receive any notification from company until now. Just checked sevis with my school, and they gave me a receipt number. I got selected.
Alert section MORON
I really don’t know why everyone thinks that entry into the database by USCIS means that it’s all over. For those with RP, I think there is still a week or even more. Regular post takes time to get to wherever you are. Unless you get the money back or get a notice from USCIS saying that you were not selected, don’t jump to any conclusions.
But if the check has not been encashed until today? Even though for regular processing will take some time to send out receipts, but your employer should have got an indication by now
The check may be processed a bit late. They do in batches. But SEVIS at seen by your school DSO should be updated to OPT Cap Gap extention or something along the line
I enquired with my attorney who actually made the cheque to USCIS and she said it was encashed on 31st. So I guess, due to the time crunch it happened a bit late.
You dumb fool – April has only 30 days
Can anybody answer my this question: I am currently attending a college and working on CPT, applied for H1 through PP. But I know I am not selected. So is it possible for me to converge from F1 to L1 if my employer does that? Any idea?
No u cannot…u should work for atleast one year abroad for the same company if u want to qualify for L1.
Ok thanks
Hi everyone,
I know you all are going through the stressful situation due to the h1b, I’m in the same boat as you are…Mine was last attempt, pp, non AD in U.S. Checks not encashed yet, employer not heard anything, and no SEVIS update. Despite of all this I feel lucky because I’ve a home and family…..because everyone is not this lucky.
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This TPS will allow travel documents and work permit to those who are affected. So PLEASE HELP
Thank you
God Bless
Now that I’ve lost all the hopes, I’m non AD/PP/CA. My SEVIS is not updated and check not encashed. This is definitely not a good sign so I’ve lost all the hopes but still waiting for the rejection package.
When do you think they’ll return the package?
The wait was very tough and it was my last attempt. So not fair, I had a single application even though some other companies wanted to file as well. I thought it was not a good idea to file multiple…but I guess I was wrong…God didnt listen to my prayers
Good luck to all who are still waiting
Do we still have chances …Any body received update today ?
Thanks Obama!
Whats possibilty for AD/RP?
Plz expert review
+1
o god help, ad/rp waiting
Got mine today. The date mentioned in the receipt is April 30th. Since RP is sent over through regular post, I suggest you wait for another 10 days before taking any decisions.
Was your check also encashed on April 30., were you not informed by your employer all this time? Or will we not be notified until 10 days?
I had absolutely no contact with the attorney. My employer did not inquire either. So I’m not sure when the cheques were encashed. My attorney received the mail today morning which was sent out on April 30th by USCIS.
Is it for VT??
This is for CSC
I got mine.. Thanks a lot.. 😀
Suggest some good options for plan B since check has not been encashed yet.
Enough of torture…
good bye Redbus2Us
will see you next year
Bye…
Avnu bhayya. endo e daridram, e uscis galakemundi . Dabbulu dobbutunaru . Lawerlu mana mida batukutunaru
so sad and disappointed.
its all luck
guys !!
It’s finished. Just got an email from USCIS ( i had subscribe them on h1b petition). Its done. Everyone it’s time to execute plan B.
Good luck
Here is the link – uscis.gov/working-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations-and-fashion-models/h-1b-fiscal-year-fy-2016-cap-season
I have talked to my lawyer, BAL GLOBAL Houston, and he told me that he has not received any receipts till now, even though he told me that he has applied a dozen of Regular applications. Mine is AD/RP/Vermont
BS..
If its true, Can anyone provide the exact link where USCIS has mentioned that the data entry has been done for FY2016..??
uscis.gov/news/uscis-completes-data-entry-fiscal-year-2016-h-1b-cap-subject-petitions
go to uscis website
Got picked in lottery. Non AD /RP/Vermont
All the best to all people waiting…
After the update from USCIS regarding completed data entry, does it mean that the game is over if check has not been encashed yet?
Hoping for the good news.
Unfortunately yes. They cash check as soon as they do data entry 🙁
Guys receipts still coming in ..please don’t lose hope..
Got approval notice today for non-AD/RP/CA
According to Form I-797C:
Notice Date: 28th April 2015
So I am still expecting many more yippees for next 6-7 days.
All the best to each one of you.
This is sooo stupid process of USCIS. I hate this f**** system.
we lost the hope just because idiot single candidates applied multiple H1-B at a time.
Yes bro. Uscis should reject all applications which have duplicate filings even from different employers
Not really there are qualified ppl waiting from the past 3 years and paying a fee for CPT status and getting repped by employers and vendors . they do not have any option but to file multiple h1;b from different employers …
For three years this has been a nightmare to me.
I know a guy who filed 5 applications. 3 of his applications were picked. There are lot of cases just like this. why dont USCIS understand this.
Its a broken system. Sad that us real applicants with single petition have to suffer year after year.
This is my second time. (H4 to H1)
My employer is confirmed that check is en-cashed today.
NON AD/ RP / VT.
Hi, I was the silent observer of this website. I am H4 to H1(Non AD/RP) and this is my second attempt. After reading today’s USCIS news, I can say that its almost game over for all of us. We can wait till this weekend to get some news if USCIS has sent our receipts. Last year they informed this on 2nd May and people stopped getting receipts after 7th May.Hope to hear something still..Who all are the second or more attempts who did not hear back this time?
2nd attempt.. AD/PP/VT.. :'(
we lost the hope just because idiot single candidates applied multiple H1-B at a time.
Ya me tooo second time NonAd/RP/VT. Still no news.. I ve lost all hope after seeing the USCIS update.
Me too 2nd attempt.frustated
finally I got it!!!!! Non-AD/RP/Vermont
3rd attempt, but my employer told that the application has got selected.
How long will it take to get the receipt number?
2nd time… Non ad/RP/vt
Clearly data entry doesn’t mean receipts won’t come anymore.
Receipts sent last week will arrive this week. I think there will be some receipts which are dispatched today/tomorrow as well and they will arrive end of week (may go to Monday/Tuesday next week depending on USPS).
Data Entry means receipts number generation is complete. Checks for those entered friday or today may still not be encashed. If any check is still remaining, they should go to bank by day end today.. and you should see bank clearing them in next 2 days.
But its done for Ad/PP’s right.? Or we have chances too.?
Probably yes because PP receipts are sent by email.
game over….. no luck this time also…. no God heard my prays… feeling sad…..
so disappointing.. Second and last attempt.. Hope this system become better for next year,
Anyone from PTG got a response?
There are so many places you can do timepass dude, why this forum ??
Trying my luck with this name.I don’t know if i am being stupid but just in case. This is my last chance for applying H1:(
Its amply clear frm the news alert that USCIS will work on both sending the receipts and returning the applications..So those waiting shud get anyone of them..But yes, as days progress chances go slim,
Best of luck to all waiting
Finishing entry data means,they already processed checks by today which are selected.So Go ask your employer,If check is stillnot encashed,That means its over.If its encashed today then you will get reciept in 2-3 days.I understand people have hope but Be realistic.
I am calling my lawyer now for an option maybe plan B.
But its done for Ad/PP’s right?? Or we have chances too?
Ad/PP over long time ago
again no luck this time… 2nd time…am in very deep sad………why this happening to me? No God heard my prayers
It’s official (from @USCIS Twitter account): USCIS Completes Data Entry of Fiscal Year 2016 H-1B Cap-Subject Petitions.
For those waiting, you can expect to receive receipt notices by mail several days after today.
AD/RP/CAL Data entry is done but would they still be cashing checks? Still waiting..
Are u guys nuts…if u guys really doesn’t know how to read please shut your PC down…..where the hell did you hear they stopped sending receipts…..plz don’nt make others loose hope…it mean they finished entering in their data base …..
I agree with you.. they didn’t say anything that they have communicated to every one who are all selected…
You are correct… They clearly mentioned that entered in the system. Does not mean that there is an end.
But its done for Ad/PP’s right? Or we have chances too?
“if you guys really doesn’t know”, “loose hope” – Before flying on 10/1 – join a crash course on basic English grammar.
But its done for Ad/PP’s right? Or we have chances too??
“it mean they finished entering”. It mean they no learn basic grammar but still want speak posh English – “where the hell did you hear”
It is understandable that English is not our primary language. But it should also be understood that we should not come and try to shout at people in a blog with a skill level of ‘God knows what’ in English grammar!
Like I said earlier…
Being optimistic…you can still think that they just finished entering in their systems and that they dispatched the approval receipts already but it hasnt reached us yet…
OR just wait for the rejected packet to be returned…. :'(
2 more weeks and thats it…Plan B, C, D…whatever…