Why was the H-1b cap reached in 2004 and 2005?
Amendments to the temporary worker statute permitted employers to hire up to 195,000 foreign professionals and skilled workers on a temporary basis through the federal fiscal years which ended in September 2003. Thereafter, the H-1b cap reverted to 65,000 annually, which is insufficient to meet demand. In FY 2004, visas were exhausted in five months. In FY 2005, USCIS cut off filings on October 1, the day the federal fiscal year began. With the addition of 20,000 cap exemptions per year graduates of US Masters degree programs per the “L-1 Visa and H-1b Visa Reform Act”, this burden may have ease slightly in years to come.
Related Questions
- If I entered the U.S. on H-1B visa status and switched to another classification, am I subject to the annual H-1B cap if I apply to switch back to H-1B status?
- How can I get a work visa if the H-1B Cap for the current fiscal year has already been reached?
- Does the cap apply to all hiring involving an H-1b visa?
