H-1B Work Visa Cap Filled for Fiscal Year 2027; Employer Hiring Faces Delays
The U.S. has reached its congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 H-1B work visas for fiscal year 2027, plus 20,000 additional visas for U.S. advanced degree holders. No new H-1B petitions will be accepted until the next fiscal year opens.
What Happened
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa U.S. advanced degree exemption for fiscal year 2027.
This cap closure, announced on July 17, 2026, means the visa lottery for skilled workers seeking to work in the United States is now full. No additional H-1B petitions will be accepted until the next fiscal year begins on October 1, 2027, creating a one-year gap for foreign professionals seeking employment-based visas.
Why It Matters
The H-1B is the primary visa category for foreign professionals in specialty occupations—engineers, software developers, healthcare workers, and other skilled roles. When the cap fills this early in the fiscal year, it signals strong employer demand for foreign talent, but also means millions of qualified workers will face a year-long wait to apply.
Employers who had not yet submitted petitions will be unable to sponsor foreign workers for H-1B status until the cap reopens. This creates uncertainty for both workers and companies planning to hire internationally.
For expats and international professionals: If you were planning to transition to an H-1B work visa, you will need to wait until October 1, 2027, when the fiscal year 2028 cap reopens. Consult with an immigration attorney to explore alternative visa pathways (such as O-1 visas for individuals with extraordinary ability, L-1 visas for intracompany transfers, or TN visas if you qualify as a Canadian or Mexican professional under USMCA).
Sources
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