Washington-According to USCIS H-2B temporary worker visa program has reached its cap for the first half of fiscal year 2026, which runs from October 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026.
Key details from this announcement:
Timeline and Cap: USCIS received enough petitions by September 12, 2025, to fill the congressionally mandated H-2B cap for jobs starting before April 1, 2026. The H-2B program typically has a cap of 66,000 visas per fiscal year, split into two halves of 33,000 each.
Impact: Any new H-2B petitions received after September 12 that request employment start dates before April 1, 2026, will be automatically rejected. This means employers who hadn’t filed by the deadline will need to wait until the second half of the fiscal year opens up for petitions.
What H-2B covers: The H-2B program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs when American workers are unavailable. Common industries include landscaping, hospitality, construction, and seasonal tourism work.
This early cap fill suggests strong demand for temporary foreign workers, likely driven by labour shortages in seasonal industries. Employers will now need to wait for the second half of FY 2026 (starting April 1, 2026) to file new petitions, assuming Congress doesn’t authorise additional H-2B numbers.
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