H1B Cap Filled for FY 2026

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has officially announced that the H1B visa cap for the financial year 2026 has been reached. This includes the 65000 regular visa limit and the 20000 additional visas reserved for candidates with a US master’s degree.

Every year, USCIS opens registrations for US companies to bring in foreign skilled workers under H1B. This year, they received a total of 343981 eligible registrations. Compared to last year’s 470342, there is a clear drop of nearly 27 percent. Of the total entries, 7828 applicants had multiple registrations. In the end, only 120141 registrations were selected.

Even though fewer entries came in this year, the selection rate was slightly better. USCIS said they will still accept petitions from candidates who are already working in the US on H1B and are applying for time extensions, employer changes, or new roles. Applications from universities and nonprofit institutions that do not fall under the cap are also being accepted.

Experts feel the drop in numbers is due to increased filing costs and stricter rules. But the demand for H1B is still strong. Those planning to apply next year are advised to prepare early.