RELO NEWS
The FY 2018 H-1B cap season will begin on Monday, April 3, 2017
Though the opening day of the filing period is still several months away, it is not too early for your organisation to begin assessing H-1B needs and working with your immigration team to begin the process.
Demand for new H-1Bs reached unprecedented levels last season and is expected to remain high in the FY 2018 season. For FY 2017, USCIS received 236,000 petitions against the annual quota of 85,000.
On Friday, April 1, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin to accept H-1B cap petitions for the FY 2017 quota of 85,000. The demand for new H-1Bs could exceed last year’s record level, meaning that the cap is likely to be exceeded in the critical first five business days of the filing season.
The filing window for FY 2017 cap cases is the week of Friday, April 1 through Thursday, April 7. Cases received by USCIS during this period are treated equally for cap counting purposes.
With just over two months until the start of the FY 2017 H-1B cap filing season, employers should be working with their immigration counsel to gather necessary documents and submit required labour condition applications (LCAs) so that they are ready to submit cap petitions during the week of Friday, April 1 to Thursday, April 7, 2016.
The FY 2017 H-1B cap season will begin on Friday, April 1, 2016. Though the opening day of the filing period is still several months away, it is not too early for your organization to begin assessing H-1B needs and working with your immigration team to begin the process.
Demand for new H-1Bs reached unprecedented levels last season and is expected to be even higher in the FY 2017 season. For FY 2016, USCIS received 233,000 petitions against the annual quota of 85,000. Some 148,000 petitions – more than half of all cap filings – did not win a quota number. Pent-up demand from last year, falling U.S. unemployment rates and steadier economic growth will only increase the competition for FY 2017 cap numbers.
