U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the quota for H-2B non-agricultural worker visas for the first half of fiscal year 2026 has been reached on September 12, 2025. Employers seeking to hire H-2B workers for start dates between October 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026, who are subject to the cap can no longer file new petitions under that cap period.
However, certain petitions remain eligible: H-2B workers who are exempt from the cap, those changing employers, extending status, and other non-cap-subject petitions will still be considered.
Employers planning to use the H-2B program should monitor USCIS updates closely for when the second-half cap opens for April 1, 2026 employment start date.
