How many work visas are issued every year?

The number of work visas issued each year varies greatly by country, visa category, and annual government limits.

In the United States, for example:

• H 1B visas for skilled workers are capped at 85,000 per fiscal year (65,000 regular + 20,000 for advanced degree holders), although demand is much higher.

• Temporary worker visas like H 2A (agricultural) and H 2B (non agricultural) have different caps or seasonal quotas.

• O 1 visas for individuals with extraordinary ability have no numerical cap and are issued as long as applicants qualify.

In Canada, there is no fixed overall cap for temporary work permits, but numbers depend on employer demand, labour market needs, and immigration policy. Programs like the Global Talent Stream process thousands of applications annually based on industry demand.

In Australia, work visas are tied to annual migration planning levels. For example, the skilled stream in the 2024–25 program has around 132,000 places, including employer sponsored visas.

Globally, countries issue hundreds of thousands to millions of work visas each year, but availability depends on your occupation, skills, and whether your field is in shortage.