U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services just reported that, as of January 26, 2015, the congressionally mandated H-2B cap for the first half of fiscal year (FY) 2015 has been reached.
H-2B Visas are issued to temporary non-agricultural workers from foreign countries every year. The program enables employers having difficulty finding employees for positions available at their firms to fill them with workers from overseas that have the requisite skills for the job.
January 26, 2015 was the final receipt date for new cap-subject H-2B worker petitions requesting an employment start date before April 1, 2015. The final receipt date occurs when USCIS received enough cap-subject petitions to reach the limit of 33,000 H-2B workers for the first half of FY 2015. This means that no cap numbers from the first half of FY 2015 will carry over to the second half of FY 2015, which begins on April 1, 2015.
The cap for each half-year is set at 33,000 (or 66,000 for the year), but USCIS accepts filings above the cap as some cases will be denied or withdrawn and because employers may ultimately employ fewer H-2B beneficiaries than reflected in their petitions.
For employment in the second half of FY 2015, the agency has received filings on behalf of 7,018 beneficiaries. Of these, 2,156 had been approved and 4,862 remained pending.
The Shulman Law Group, LLC has successfully prepared and filed many petitions on behalf of its clients who wish to live in the United States along with their minor children. Its comprehensive experience in the field enables the firm’s attorneys and professional staff to understand what information and materials needs to be produced in order to ensure petitions receive appropriate consideration. The firm’s excellence is fortified by its rigorous determination to ensure that all procedural matters are properly addressed.