October 28, 2005

USCIS Releases Updated Numbers of H-2B Availability for Fiscal Year 2006

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS") has announced that as of October 23, 2005, it had received a total of 28,015 applications that are subject to the H-2B cap of 33,000 for the first half of fiscal year 2006. Of this amount, there have been 17,376 approved and there are 10,639 petitions that remain pending.

We encourage employers to file as soon as possible for any H-2Bs as soon as possible and to be prepared for filings in the second half of fiscal year 2006 when the new quota becomes available.