The FY2013 H1B visa season that commenced on April 1, 2012 has now ended on June 11, 2012 with a dramatic acceleration in the last 6 weeks.
Since May 11, 2012 the main H-1B Visa Quota has increased 30K to the full capacity today of 65K. This represents an almost 85% increase in the last month and with recent Green Card Lottery Results now announced, unless you are an Australian and have access to the E-3 visa, a Canadian/Mexican with access to the TN visa or can do and multi-national inter-company transfer under the L-1 visa, your chances of working in the US in 2012 are now over. Of course the F-1 Visa OPT foreign graduates of US Colleges can do have an opportunity to potentially work.
The Advanced Degree exemption quota for foreigners with a US Master’s Degree is now exhausted was exhausted a few days earlier on June 7, 2012. Over the same recent month period, this went up 33% since May 11 to now be at the full 20K level.
Below is the history of the H-1B cap for both the regular and advanced degree exemption caps over the last 6 years and as you can see this year is a stark turning point of recent years where the cap has lasted till the end of the year and even in in 2011 spilling into the following calendar year
| Cap Type FY2013 | Cap Amount | Date of Last Count |
| H-1B Regular Cap | 65,000 | 6/11/2012 |
| H-1B Master’s Exemption | 20,000 | 6/7/2012 |
| Cap Type FY2012 | Cap Amount | Date of Last Count |
| H-1B Regular Cap | 65,000 | 11/22/2011 |
| H-1B Master’s Exemption | 20,000 | 10/21/2011 |
| Cap Type FY2011 | Cap Amount | Date of Last Count |
| H-1B Regular Cap | 65,000 | 1/26/2011 |
| H-1B Master’s Exemption | 20,000 | 12/31/2010 |
| Cap Type FY2010 | Cap Amount | Date of Last Count |
| H-1B Regular Cap | 65,000 | 12/21/2009 |
| H-1B Master’s Exemption | 20,000 | 12/21/2009 |
| Cap Type FY2009 | Cap Amount | Date of Last Count |
| H-1B Regular Cap | 65,000 | 4/7/2008 |
| H-1B Master’s Exemption | 20,000 | 4/7/2008 |
| Cap Type FY2008 | Cap Amount | Date of Last Count |
| H-1B Regular Cap | 65,000 | 4/3/2007 |
| H-1B Master’s Exemption | 20,000 | 4/4/2007 |
It should be noted that the related H-1B1 visa for Chilean and Singaporean citizens are not included in this cap which is about 6,800 set aside each year but is rarely filled and unused from the previous year are used in the current year. These are still being accepted for FY2013. Also please note the Official USCIS FY2013 H-1B portal.
Congrats to all those who managed to find an employer sponsor this year and I hope this help make your dreams of living in the US come true.
Cj