United States: Quota for Second of Three Supplemental H-2B Visa Allocations Is Reached for FY 2026

USCIS has received enough petitions to reach the 27,736 cap for the second allocation of supplemental H-2B visas for returning workers with employment start dates from April 1 to April 30, 2026, according to an agency announcement. April 21, 2026 was the final receipt date for petitions requesting a supplemental H-2B visa number under this allocation.  

The additional visas are the result of DHS and DOL exercising their authority to issue up to 64,716 H-2B visas for a fiscal year to supplement the 66,000 H-2B visas available by statute. A third allocation of 18,490 H-2B visas is available to workers of any nationality, regardless of whether the foreign nationals are returning workers, with requested employment start dates between May 1, 2026 and September 30, 2026. USCIS began accepting petitions for these workers on April 24, 2026. Employers must file these petitions no later than September 15, 2026.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen.