No Borders NewsUSCIS announced that it has reached the cap for the second allocation of supplemental H-2B visas for returning workers for fiscal year 2026. This allocation added 27,736 H-2B visas for workers with start dates from April 1 to April 30, 2026.
USCIS says April 21, 2026 was the final date it would accept petitions requesting these supplemental H-2B visas under the second allocation. After that date, USCIS could no longer accept petitions for this specific supplemental allocation.
These supplemental H-2B visas are intended to help U.S. businesses with seasonal or temporary workforce needs. USCIS notes they are available only to businesses that meet the supplemental cap requirements, including an employer attestation that the business is suffering (or will suffer) irreparable harm without the requested H-2B workers.
The announcement also references a broader FY 2026 temporary final rule that increased the H-2B cap by up to 64,716 additional visas, announced jointly by DHS and the Department of Labor on January 30, 2026.
For the official notice, see: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/cap-reached-for-second-allocation-of-returning-worker-h-2b-visas-for-fiscal-year-2026