USCIS announced that, as of January 26, 2015, it has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the congressionally mandated limit, or “cap” on the total number of foreign nationals who may seek a visa or otherwise obtain H-2B status for the first half of fiscal year (FY) 2015.

New cap-subject H-2B petitions that were received after January 26, 2015, and that requested an employment start date prior to April 1, 2015, will be rejected by USCIS. USCIS will continue to accept H-2B petitions that are exempt from the congressionally mandated cap.