USCIS Updates Count of FY2010 H-1B Petition Filings

WASHINGTON—U.S.
Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) today announced an updated
number of filings for H-1B petitions for the fiscal year 2010 program.

USCIS
has received approximately 44,000 H-1B petitions counting toward the
Congressionally-mandated 65,000 cap.  The agency continues to accept
petitions subject to the general cap. 

Additionally, the agency
has received approximately 20,000 petitions for aliens with advanced
degrees; however, we continue to accept advanced degree petitions since
experience has shown that not all petitions received are approvable. 
Congress mandated that the first 20,000 of these types of petitions are
exempt from any fiscal year cap on available H-1B visas.   

For
cases filed for premium processing during the initial five-day filing
window, the 15-day premium processing period began April 7.  For cases
filed for premium processing after the filing window, the premium
processing period begins on the date USCIS takes physical possession of
the petition.

USCIS will provide regular updates on the
processing of FY2010 H-1B petitions.  The updates can be found on the
USCIS’ Web site at www.uscis.gov/h-1b_count.