H-2B Cap for FY 2027: First Half Is Officially Full

Last week, USCIS announced that the H-2B cap for the first half of fiscal year 2027 has been reached. If you’ve been tracking this alongside us, the pace picked up fast in the final stretch.

What USCIS Announced

On September 11, 2026, USCIS confirmed it had received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated H-2B cap for the first half of FY 2027 — 33,000 visas. September 4, 2026 was the official “final receipt date.” That’s the date USCIS determined enough cap-subject petitions had come in for employment start dates before April 1, 2027.

Why This Matters If You Haven’t Filed

Once the cap is reached, USCIS will only accept petitions for exempt workers. That includes workers extending their stay, changing employers, or already counted against the cap this fiscal year. It also includes H-4 dependents and a small number of other exempt categories — fish roe processing workers, and CNMI/Guam placements through December 31, 2029.

Did your petition fall outside these exempt categories and miss the September 4 filing date? It won’t count toward the first half of FY 2027.

What’s Next: The Second Half of FY 2027

Another 33,000 H-2B numbers are available for the second half of the fiscal year. That covers employment start dates from April 1 through September 30, 2027. Any unused numbers from the first half roll into the second half, but they never carry into the next fiscal year.

Does your workforce need fall in that window? Start planning your filing timeline now, rather than waiting for the window to open.

A Faster Close Than Expected

As of our last check in mid-August, the first half of FY 2027 was moving noticeably slower than FY 2026 had at the same point in the cycle. That gap closed fast. The cap filled within about three weeks of that count — a reminder that a slow start doesn’t guarantee a slow finish.

This post is for general informational purposes and isn’t legal advice. If you have questions about how this affects your specific H-2B filing, please contact our team.

Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Cap Count for H-2B Nonimmigrants. https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-2b-non-agricultural-workers/cap-count-for-h-2b-nonimmigrants