US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it has reached the cap for the additional 18,490 H‑2B visas available under the first returning‑worker allocation of fiscal year 2026. This allocation applied to petitions requesting employment start dates between January 1 and March 31, 2026, as established in the H‑2B supplemental cap temporary final rule for FY 2026.
Petition Filing Window and Final Receipt Date
- USCIS accepted petitions for this allocation through February 6, 2026.
- The agency received more petitions than the number of visas available under this supplemental cap.
Selection Process
In accordance with regulatory requirements:
- USCIS conducted a computer‑generated random selection process to ensure a fair allocation of visas without exceeding the cap.
- The selection was completed on February 13 for petitions received during the first five business days of the filing period, from February 2 through February 6, 2026.
- Premium processing services began after the completion of the selection process.
Erickson Insights & Analysis
Erickson Immigration Group will continue monitoring developments and sharing updates as more news is available. Please contact your employer or EIG attorney if you have questions about anything we’re reporting above or if you have case-specific questions.