USCIS UPDATES H-1B CAP COUNT FOR NOVEMBER 24, 2010 -- AT 50,400

USCIS just issued another H-1B cap update -- as of November 24, 2010, USCIS has received 50,400 cap-subject H-1B petitions, plus 18,400 H-1B petitions subject to the master's degree and higher. Less than 15,000 H-1B visas left and the pace of use is picking up.

USCIS UPDATES H-1B CAP COUNT FOR NOVEMBER 19, 2010 -- AT 48,977

USCIS updated its weekly count of FY2011 cap-subject H-1B petitions. As of November 19, 2010, approximately 48,977 H-1B cap-subject petitions were receipted. USCIS has receipted 17,836 H-1B petitions for aliens with advanced degrees. As the cap approaches and expected to be reached over the next 30-60 days, probably more H-1B petitions will be receipted on a weekly basis than in the past.

USCIS UPDATES H-1B CAP FOR NOVEMBER 12, 2010 -- AT 47,800

USCIS issues another update for the H-1B quota for this year: according to the USCIS count of FY2011, as of November 12, 2010, approximately 47,800 H-1B cap-subject petitions were receipted for the regular cap and 17,400 H-1B petitions were receipted for the advanced degrees quota.

USCIS UPDATES H-1B CAP COUNT FOR NOVEMBER 5, 2010 -- AT 46,800

USCIS issued another H-1B cap update. As of November 5, 2010, they have received approximately 46,800 H-1B petitions subject to the regular cap plus approximately 17,200 H-1B petitions subject to the master's degree cap for people with U.S. advanced degrees. Still plenty of visas left for the next couple of months, but the cap will probably be exhausted by January or February and then no more visas until next October.

H-1B CAP AS OF OCTOBER 29, 2010 AT 45,600

USCIS just issued another update of the FY 2011 H-1B cap: the regular cap at 45,600 and the advanced degree cap at 16,700 (very close to its limit).

GREG SISKIND MOVES H-1B EXHAUSTION TARGET TO FEBRUARY 2011

Greg Siskind, our forecasting guru blogs that 1500 H-1Bs were claimed in the last week and just over 20,000 remain for the fiscal year. Based on a four week rolling average (1175), he is projecting the target will be exhausted in 17 weeks which will be February 23, 2011. Previously, he had been projecting March, but the overall usage of H-1Bs has been somewhat busier in the last month than in previous months. The masters cap usage this past week was 500 and the monthly average is 450. There are 3,800 H-1Bs left of 20,000 and he is projecting that cap will be exhausted in late December, a projection that has stayed the same for several months.

USCIS UPDATES H-1B CAP COUNT FOR OCTOBER 22, 2010 -- AT 44,300

USCIS issued another H-1B cap update. As of October 22, 2010, they have received approximately 44,300 H-1B petitions subject to the regular cap plus approximately 16,200 H-1B petitions subject to the master's degree cap for people with U.S. advanced degrees. Still plenty of visas left for the next couple of months, but don't be surprised if the cap is exhaused by January. We'll wait and see how it goes.