March 28, 2005

Update on Increased Cap for FY2005

H-1B Update on Increased Quota (20,000 Additional Cases)

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has indicated that it had already issued 10,000 more cases subject to the cap during the fiscal year 2005 than was permitted by law. The annual cap is 65,000 new H1Bs for each fiscal year, and USCIS apparently approved 75,000.

We do not know if USCIS will correct this error, and only allow 10,000 more cases instead of 20,000. Furthermore, we have no idea as of yet, if USCIS will continue to support opening up this increased quota for FY 2005 to ALL qualified H-1B applicants, and not just advanced degree holders. USCIS is expected to start accepting applications under the increased quota after it publishes a notice in the federal register.We expect this to occur within a few days.

We will keep you updated on this issue as news becomes available.

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