USCIS H-2B Cap Met for FY 2026 Second Half

USCIS Alerts

Published March 20th, 2026

Detected March 21st, 2026

Summary

USCIS has announced that the H-2B statutory cap for the second half of fiscal year 2026 has been met. The final receipt date for new cap-subject petitions requesting an employment start date between April 1 and October 1, 2026, was March 10, 2026. Filing dates for supplemental visa allocations are now available.

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What changed

USCIS has officially announced that the congressionally established H-2B cap for the second half of fiscal year 2026 has been reached. The agency confirmed that March 10, 2026, was the final date to receive new cap-subject H-2B worker petitions for employment start dates on or after April 1, 2026, and before October 1, 2026. Petitions received after this date for the specified period will be rejected.

Employers seeking to hire H-2B workers for the second half of FY 2026 must now rely on supplemental visa allocations. The notice directs employers to the USCIS website for specific filing dates related to the second and third allocations of supplemental H-2B visas for FY 2026. This development impacts employers' ability to secure temporary non-agricultural workers for the upcoming period, necessitating immediate review of supplemental visa options and their associated timelines.

What to do next

Review USCIS guidance on supplemental H-2B visa allocations for FY 2026.
Adjust hiring plans based on the cap being met for the second half of FY 2026.
File petitions for supplemental visas according to the specified dates.

Source document (simplified)

USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for Second Half of FY 2026 and Filing Dates Now Available for Supplemental Visa Allocations

Release Date

03/20/2026

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to meet the H-2B statutory cap for the second half of fiscal year 2026. The filing dates for the second and third allocations for the supplemental H-2B visas for FY 2026 are now available.

H-2B Cap for Second Half of FY 2026

USCIS received enough petitions to meet the congressionally established H-2B cap for the second half of FY 2026. March 10, 2026 was the final receipt date for new cap-subject H-2B worker petitions requesting an employment start date on or after April 1 and before Oct. 1, 2026. We will reject new cap-subject H-2B petitions received after March 10, 2026, that request an employment start date on or after April 1 and before Oct. 1, 2026.

Filing Dates for the Second and Third Allocations of Supplemental Visas for FY 2026

See the chart on the Temporary Increase in H-2B Nonimmigrant Visas for FY 2026 page for information about the second and third allocations of supplemental visas that are available and the relevant filing dates.

Anyone (including U.S. workers and H-2B workers) can send us tips, alleged violations, and other relevant information about potential fraud or abuse using our online tip form.

Last Reviewed/Updated:

03/20/2026

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