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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 Component Fee 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 Fee Varies 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.

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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23,619 Comments

  1. My Employer told us..

    Unfortunately looking at this trend 90 % chances of picking up in lottery (non Ad/RP) is till Friday only ,after this there would be very slim chance for hope.

    It means each day we will lose 30% chances ( 3 days) of luck… My God….

    Reply
  2. Spoke with GM voice support. They confirmed that they already started to send mail to associates and requested me to keep quiet. If mine is selected they will notify me ahm :-\

    Reply
  3. Hi all, I received mail from my consultant that my case has been picked in the lottery.

    Mine is Non-AD/RP. Second attempt and single petition.

    All the best to people who are waiting.

    Reply
  4. I just got an email today from my employer attached with the form i 797c. What a great day. First time applicant non ad pp. For those who are still waiting or not picked. Dont ever loose hope. There’s always a purpose on all what happens in our lives. Keep your heads up. Always be positive.

    Reply
    • Awesome.. Congrats. Its really good to hear a PP petition going through at this time. Do you know the exact processing date

      Reply
      • Just called GM team and they are asking to wait. Though they told they received for some people but yet to update them and waiting for some documents. God knows what they are waiting for. Getting anxious day by day.

        Reply
    • I’m getting all mails like Outreach, Tag, maintenance, yammer announcement.. Frustrating.. Where is the mail from GM? Urghh!

      Reply
  5. I got a call from my lawyer this morning and she said that the checks for my case has got cashed today. Does it clearly mean that I got selected in the lottery? She wanted me to wait for a receipt. I believe that you guys are more experienced and knowledgeable in this area. Please guide me.

    AD/RP/VT – First time

    Reply
  6. Guys why do you want to go to US if you already have job here? Now in USA the market is crashing. Recession is already started…Even if you stick with your company they pay you peanuts.

    Especially guys if you are married & your spouse is working , you are ruining your life by going there.

    Reply
    • I don’t know whether you are sitting in India and posting this comment or you have experienced what is happening in USA. If you are in India and posting this comment then I would say wake my friend world has gone beyond you and you going out of race. Forget regular visa as most indian MNC would apply for it. If even AD cap is also exceeding quota then how can you say there is a recession?

      Reply
    • well, if you are single and coming to USA to a 50k to 70 k job per annum, it is better to be in India. You can earn similar money in Bangalore ,Pune Gurgaon. If you are going to earn more than 90 k, it makes sense to come to USA, that too only if your wife is also going to work.

      if you are married, and wife not going to work, then please come to USA only if you have amore than 120k salary.
      That too if you will be in places like San Fransicso, San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale,, and you are going to earn 80-90 k and wife not working, then you will have third class life here. Work like hell and all the time worry about when is your company filing GC.. and then beg all different consultants to get a H1 for your wife/ spouse.. LOL…better to be in India then.

      Reply
  7. I read somewhere that “Change of status pending” in SEVIS means that h1b is picked. Can someone please explain to me how and if it is true???? PLEASE

    Reply
    • Yes, it means your H1 got picked. To double check it, ask your finance dept or who ever issued the PP check whether the check has been en-cashed or not.

      Reply
        • It means that cap gap extension has been applied to your status and you are eligible to work until 30th Sep, 2016 on OPT. From 1st Oct your status will change to H1B, if approved.

          Reply
  8. Current Data: (% of informed candidates out of all selected candidates)

    AD/PP/VT – 86.67 %
    AD/PP/CA – 88.33 %
    NonAD/PP/VT – 94.87 %
    NonAD/PP/CA – 93.75 %

    AD/RP/VT – 58.33 %
    AD/RP/CA – 46.67 %
    NonAD/RP/VT – 28.57 %
    NonAD/RP/CA – 5.71 %

    PP Candidates can hope till May 11th
    RP Candidates can hope till June 1st week

    All the Best…

    Reply
  9. I am waiting for my Non-AD/RP…..Waiting on my luck.
    1. I see there are lot of comments on AD/PP got picked up.
    2. Is there anyone who never got a confirmation for AD/PP so far ? I don’t see anyone saying that my AD/PP dint get pickup even if there is one that’s less than 0.5%.
    3. My doubt is -USCIS is taking more chance for Premium Processing, so that they get more money on this.
    4. Which means are they fully going through the process ? or they just following their own process at the background but telling the public we are doing genuine process like system generated lottery etc…

    PS : I am just asking public suggestions on this , don’t take anything serious.

    Reply
  10. I just have one comment guys. To all those who are saying that Non-AD people don’t deserve the H1B as much as the AD people… Not only the AD people came to the US to study, put time and effort and got a job at a reputable company. I, for example, came here for my whole bachelor’s, 4 years of hard studying paid off with a job offer from a Fortune 200 company. My degree does not necessarily require me going for an AD and though I don’t deny that I might go back and get my masters eventually, I don’t feel like I am less deserving the H1B than people who got their AD.

    I wish luck to all of you guys who are waiting, no matter your degree! Hopes up and we can get through this! Everything matters for a reason so even though you might not get selected, life has other great plans for you 🙂

    Reply
  11. Guys .. Please stop putting “genuine” applicant in your comments.. Are you trying to say that others who don’t put “genuine” are fake people.. Even if you put “genuine” in your comments, it is not going to gain you any respect and it does not make any difference.. “genuine” is a relative term.. Applying from big MNCs make you genuine ? How do you know if you are more “genuine” and “deserving” than other candidates ?.. So plz stop ..

    Reply
  12. Just receive an email from my lawyer, I am picked up!!! I am AD/PP/VT!!! It shows that my notice come out on April 20th!!! We never receive an email, the actually mail comes first!!! So all the PPs, hang in here!!! Still hope!!!

    Reply
  13. IBM me itnaa sannata kyu hai bhai …???
    No information.. last year my seniors got confirmation mail on 25th/Apr.
    Has anyone got any updates ?

    Reply
    • Premium processing starts May 12th. So you can expect a receipt any time before that. Albeit, the chances keep getting slimmer and slimmer. The best way to get at it is to take it easy and not wait. You will hear good news if you give it very much less attention.

      Good luck and stay positive.

      Reply
  14. Non AD – RP – CA – 1st Time – Single Application !!!

    Please god.. Hoping for a receipt soon !!!

    Good Luck Everyone !!!

    Best regards

    Reply
    • I am applying second time .I am waiting for the good result ..
      God please give me a luck atleast second time.

      Reply
  15. Hi,
    Can someone tell me how to check the result without the application number , as company which filled my H1b doesnt share application number with employees. Please any help would be highly appreciated.

    Reply
    • Ask them if the check was cashed or not. Else, as far as I know,
      there is no other way to find out w/o receipt number.

      Dont Worry. It will go through.

      Reply
    • By application number do you mean Receipt number? Your company will only get a receipt number if your application is picked. If they didn’t get a receipt number, then they are probably waiting for any update. They would not know if your application is picked or not. And there is no other application number that the company can share. If they are transparent, they can forward you the soft copy of the entire H1 packet that they sent which I am guessing is not the case with your company. So there is nothing called an application number that you can use to track your application. The only thing you can do is wait, and see if your company lets you know any information. There may be a way if you are on F1 OPT and are currently in the United States.

      Reply
  16. How can we know the result without knowing application number ? Is there any way because my company doesn’t share application number with employees. Please any help would be highly appreciated.

    Reply
  17. Hi all,

    I just got the confirmation from my employer, that my h1-b petition got picked in lottery.
    It’s non AD/RP. It’s first time file.

    All the best & hope everyone get good results.

    Reply
  18. This is pure mocking of us , of all H1b applicants , I cant take this any more

    USCIS – why cant you publish the results on your site ?

    I am not asking to select all of petitions . I want you to declare the results in a proper manner.

    Does any USA university or school publish results one by one – by email or post in your country ? No , then why do this to us ?
    Imagine – class 10 or 12th students getting results like this manner – sounds horrible ?
    Same it is for us . Pass or fail , pls dont keep us wait to know it.

    Reply

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