U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the congressionally mandated H-2B visa cap for the first half of fiscal year (FY) 2027 has been reached as of the September 4, 2026 deadline. This date covers applicants seeking to start work before April 1, 2027. The regular semi-annual limit is 33,000 workers for this period. The second half of fiscal year 2027 (covering start dates from April 1, 2027, through September 30, 2027) will receive its own statutory allocation of 33,000 visas. Petitions for the summer season typically open for filing in early January. Based on previous years, demand is extremely high, and the regular second-half cap historically fills entirely within a few months.
