USCIS has announced that the annual limit for Fiscal Year 2015 H-1B employment has been met. The agency has received more than enough petitions to use up the standard H-1B cap of 65,000 and the cap exemption of 20,000 for foreign nationals holding U.S. advanced degrees. USCIS will continue to accept cap filings today, but will reject any filings received April 8 or later. After today, USCIS will not accept cap-subject H-1B petitions until April 1, 2015.
To choose the FY 2015 cases that will be processed to completion, USCIS will run two lotteries. The first will select enough cases to meet the exemption of 20,000 for holders of U.S. advanced degrees. The second lottery chooses from all remaining cases, including those not selected in the advanced-degree lottery, to draw enough filings to fill the standard quota of 65,000.
Because of the large number of cap filings, USCIS has not specified when it will complete initial case intake and run the lotteries. As such, it could take several days or weeks for the agency to issue filing receipts and announce the total number of cap filings. USCIS is set to begin premium processing for FY 2015 cap cases no later than April 28.
Last year, some 124,000 H-1B cap petitions were filed and roughly 62.5 percent of the standard cap cases received were chosen in the lottery. This year, the volume of H-1B cap petitions is expected to be much higher and the likelihood of selection in the lotteries consequently lower.
What This Means for Employers
Employers should be prepared to wait several weeks to learn whether their cases were accepted in the H-1B cap lotteries. If any of your organization’s cap filings are not chosen, your Fragomen professional can assist in identifying alternatives for affected employees.
Explore more at Fragomen
Blog post
Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit analyses the UK’s latest net migration decline, exploring what the data reveals about policy impact, economic trade‑offs and the risks of over‑correction in future migration strategy.
Media mentions
Partner Bo Cooper discusses the practical considerations facing employers and foreign nationals amid recent changes to green card processing.
Blog post
Video
In this #FragomenFC episode, Partner Rick Lamanna, Senior Manager Sergio Flores and Senior Associate Jake Paul Minster discuss final travel and immigration considerations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Media mentions
Senior Manager Samantha Arnold discusses Ireland's citizenship framework and the gaps that can remain following reforms to birthright citizenship.
Video
In this video, Partner Diana Quintas discusses how Brazil’s family reunion visa supports long-term international assignments and outlines key eligibility, documentation and compliance considerations for employers and families relocating to Brazil.
Blog post
Attorney María José Clarke explores Chile’s intensified immigration enforcement framework under President José Antonio Kast, examining new employer compliance obligations, work authorization rules for foreign nationals and the legal and financial consequences of unauthorized employment.
Media mentions
Senior Manager Jonathan Hill examines how the UK's new RAG rating system and stricter compliance metrics could shape universities' approaches to international student recruitment and sponsorship compliance.
Blog post
Knowledge Management Director Ana Sofia Walsh and Senior Client Engagement Manager Soraya Driessen examine the European Commission’s EU Inc. proposal and its potential to reshape corporate structures across the EU, highlighting the resulting complexities and unresolved questions for immigration, work authorization and cross-border workforce mobility.
Video
With less than two weeks until the first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Senior Associate Jake Paul Minster outlines important visa and entry considerations for travelers planning to visit the US, Canada and Mexico.
Media mentions
Partner Ali Haider discussed how flexible residency pathways, strong infrastructure and access to healthcare are continuing to drive interest among retirees looking to relocate to the UAE.
Blog post
Partner K. Edward Raleigh analyzes how post‑midterm US business immigration will shift toward heightened enforcement, worker‑protection scrutiny and cross‑agency oversight, urging employers to align hiring practices, sponsorship decisions and documentation with consistent, defensible workforce strategies.
Blog post
Government Affairs Strategy Director Shuyeb Muquit analyses the UK’s latest net migration decline, exploring what the data reveals about policy impact, economic trade‑offs and the risks of over‑correction in future migration strategy.
Media mentions
Partner Bo Cooper discusses the practical considerations facing employers and foreign nationals amid recent changes to green card processing.
Blog post
Video
In this #FragomenFC episode, Partner Rick Lamanna, Senior Manager Sergio Flores and Senior Associate Jake Paul Minster discuss final travel and immigration considerations ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Media mentions
Senior Manager Samantha Arnold discusses Ireland's citizenship framework and the gaps that can remain following reforms to birthright citizenship.
Video
In this video, Partner Diana Quintas discusses how Brazil’s family reunion visa supports long-term international assignments and outlines key eligibility, documentation and compliance considerations for employers and families relocating to Brazil.
Blog post
Attorney María José Clarke explores Chile’s intensified immigration enforcement framework under President José Antonio Kast, examining new employer compliance obligations, work authorization rules for foreign nationals and the legal and financial consequences of unauthorized employment.
Media mentions
Senior Manager Jonathan Hill examines how the UK's new RAG rating system and stricter compliance metrics could shape universities' approaches to international student recruitment and sponsorship compliance.
Blog post
Knowledge Management Director Ana Sofia Walsh and Senior Client Engagement Manager Soraya Driessen examine the European Commission’s EU Inc. proposal and its potential to reshape corporate structures across the EU, highlighting the resulting complexities and unresolved questions for immigration, work authorization and cross-border workforce mobility.
Video
With less than two weeks until the first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Senior Associate Jake Paul Minster outlines important visa and entry considerations for travelers planning to visit the US, Canada and Mexico.
Media mentions
Partner Ali Haider discussed how flexible residency pathways, strong infrastructure and access to healthcare are continuing to drive interest among retirees looking to relocate to the UAE.
Blog post
Partner K. Edward Raleigh analyzes how post‑midterm US business immigration will shift toward heightened enforcement, worker‑protection scrutiny and cross‑agency oversight, urging employers to align hiring practices, sponsorship decisions and documentation with consistent, defensible workforce strategies.
