US Hits H-1B Visa Cap for FY 2025; Next Steps for Applicants

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it has reached the limit for H-1B visa petitions for the fiscal year 2025. This includes both the regular 65,000 visas and the additional 20,000 visas reserved for applicants with advanced degrees from U.S. universities.

Even though the visa caps have been reached, USCIS will continue processing certain petitions. These include requests from current H-1B workers who want to extend their stay, change their job terms, switch employers, or take on additional jobs in H-1B positions.

Applicants who were not selected for an H-1B visa will be notified online. They will see the status "Not Selected: Not selected – not eligible to file an H-1B cap petition based on this registration."

Recently, there has been a decline in the number of H-1B visa sponsorships from major companies, especially in the tech sector. However, Indian nationals still make up the largest group of applicants for these visas.