USCIS released the weekly FY2011 information on the numbers of cap-subject H-1Bs filed since April 1.   As of August 6, 2010, USCIS has received approximately 28,500 H-1B petitions counting toward the 65,000 cap (an increase of only 3,200 over the past three weeks).  Similarly, as of August 6, there were 11,900 H-1B visas filed subject to the U.S. Masters cap which has 20,000 limit (an increase of only 900 over the past three weeks).

H-1B Quota Trends

The numbers, as reported over the past few weeks – indicate that there was a very small weekly increase in the number of H-1B filings for the regular cap while there was a slight decrease in the Masters’s caps filings compared to the weeks prior.  The overall trend shows that the H-1B filings for the regular cap may be increasing slightly while the U.S. master’s cap filings remain slow. As a result, although it is early to draw reliable long-term conclusions, if the current trend remains, we estimate that the H-1B quota will remain open  for a considerable time.  We wish to caution potential H-1B employers and employees that as the U.S. economy is seen to recover and grow, it is possible that the pace of H-1B filings will increase.

We invite you to subscribe to our free weekly immigration newsletter to receive timely updates on this and related topics.  In the meantime, if you are considering filing a cap-subject H-1B petition as part of the FY2011 quota, please contact us as soon as possible — it is never too early to file a cap-subject H-1B petition.