USCIS hits the FY 2027 H-1B cap for both regular and master’s visas

Published on July 17, 20263 min read

Federal

Work visa

USCIS announced that it has received enough H-1B petitions to reach the congressionally set limits for fiscal year (FY) 2027.

The agency says it reached both:

the regular H-1B cap of 65,000 petitions, and
the “master’s cap” of 20,000 petitions for people with U.S. advanced degrees.

USCIS posted this update as a release dated 07/17/2026 (last reviewed/updated the same day). The announcement is a key signal for employers and workers because the H-1B program is capped each fiscal year.

For the official notice, see the USCIS alert: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/uscis-reaches-fiscal-year-2027-h-1b-cap

What This Means for You

FY 2027 H-1B cap is reached for both regular (65,000) and master’s (20,000).
New cap-subject H-1B petitions for FY 2027 may be limited after the cap is reached.
Employers may need to look at other visa pathways for future hiring.
Applicants already filed should check their case status and USCIS updates.

This is not legal advice. Always verify with the official source and consult a qualified attorney for your situation.

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Source: USCIS Alerts · No Borders News