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H2B Cap for the Second Half of the Fiscal Year to Reach Soon

January 5, 2009

On January 5, 2009, USCIS updated the count of H-2B petitions received and counted towards the H-2B cap for the second half of the fiscal year 2009. As of January 5, 2009, 36,319 H-2B visa petitions have been counted towards the 33,000 cap for the second half of FY 2009. Out of the total 36,319 H-2B visa petitions, 20,687 beneficiaries have been approved while 15,632 are pending.

	Cap	Beneficiaries Approved	Beneficiaries Pending	Beneficiaries Target¹	Total	Date of Last Count
H-2B 1st Half	33,000	------	------	------	Cap Reached	29 July 2008
H-2B 2nd Half	33,000₂	20,687	15,632	50,000	36,319	2 January 2009
H-2B Annual (FY 09)	66,000₃	------	------	------	------	------

¹Refers to the estimated numbers of beneficiary applications needed to reach a cap, with an allowance for withdrawals, denials and revocations.

²A shortfall in the 1st half would be made up in the 2nd half.

³ Visas issued plus beneficiaries changing status already in the United States.