Headlines:
USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for Second Half of FY 2026; Submitting Dates Now Obtainable for Supplemental Visa Allocations – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Providers (USCIS) has acquired sufficient petitions to fulfill the H-2B non permanent nonagricultural employee statutory cap for the second half of Fiscal 12 months (FY) 2026. USCIS additionally introduced that submitting dates for the second and third allocations of the supplemental H-2B visas for FY 2026 at the moment are out there.
‘Preserve Innovators in America Act’ Would Codify OPT Program – A newly launched bipartisan invoice would codify the Elective Sensible Coaching program for worldwide college students in the USA. The invoice is aimed toward attracting and retaining U.S.-trained expertise.
DOS Provides 12 Extra International locations to Listing Topic to Visa Bonds for B-1/B-2 Visas – A citizen or nationwide touring on a passport issued by one of many listed international locations who’s discovered in any other case eligible for a B-1 or B-2 visa should put up a bond for $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. The quantity is decided on the time of the visa interview.
April Visa Bulletin Advances Submitting and Ultimate Motion Dates for Immigrant Visa Numbers in Numerous Classes – Immigrant visa issuance charges for individuals from sure international locations have decreased. Consequently, to make visas out there to potential immigrants from different international locations, the dates for submitting and closing motion dates have been superior throughout numerous immigrant visa classes.
Particulars:
USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for Second Half of FY 2026; Submitting Dates Now Obtainable for Supplemental Visa Allocations
On March 20, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Providers (USCIS) introduced that it has acquired sufficient petitions to fulfill the H-2B non permanent nonagricultural employee statutory cap for the second half of Fiscal 12 months (FY) 2026. March 10, 2026, was the ultimate receipt date for brand new cap-subject H-2B employee petitions requesting an employment begin date on or after April 1 and earlier than October 1, 2026.
USCIS additionally introduced that submitting dates for the second and third allocations of the supplemental H-2B visas for FY 2026 at the moment are out there. The supplemental visas can be found solely to U.S. companies that “are struggling irreparable hurt or will endure impending irreparable hurt with out the power to make use of all of the H-2B staff requested of their petition, as attested by the employer on a brand new attestation kind” below a short lived closing rule authorizing H-2B supplemental visas for FY 2026, USCIS stated. To help U.S. companies that want staff to start work on totally different begin dates, the supplemental visas are being distributed in three allocations, USCIS stated:
- The primary allocation for employment begin dates from January 1 by means of March 31, 2026, included 18,490 visas restricted to returning staff who have been issued H-2B visas or held H-2B standing in fiscal years 2023, 2024, or 2025. As of February 6, 2026, USCIS had acquired sufficient petitions to achieve the cap for this allocation.
- The second allocation for employment begin dates from April 1 by means of April 30, 2026, consists of 27,736 visas, plus any unused visas from the primary allocation, restricted to returning staff who have been issued H-2B visas or held H-2B standing in fiscal years 2023, 2024, or 2025. Employers should file these petitions between March 25, 2026, and April 23, 2026.
- The third allocation for employment begin dates from Could 1 by means of September 30, 2026, consists of 18,490 visas, plus any unused visas from the primary and second allocations. Employers should file these petitions between April 24, 2026, and September 15, 2026.
‘Preserve Innovators in America Act’ Would Codify OPT Program
A bipartisan invoice, the “Preserve Innovators in America Act” (H.R. 8013), would codify the Elective Sensible Coaching (OPT) program for worldwide college students in the USA. Launched on March 19, 2026, by Reps. Sam Liccardo (D-CA), Jay Obernolte (R-CA), and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), the invoice is aimed toward attracting and retaining U.S.-trained expertise.
Rep. Obernolte stated, “At a time of intensifying world competitors, it isn’t in our nationwide curiosity to teach the world’s most proficient college students in American establishments solely to ship them overseas to compete with us. This laws ensures that we will retain high expertise in important fields on a short lived foundation whereas strengthening American innovation and sustaining robust oversight and respect for our immigration legal guidelines.”
Benjamin Johnson, Government Director of the American Immigration Legal professionals Affiliation (AILA), stated that worldwide college students “contribute greater than $40 billion yearly to the U.S. financial system and help tons of of hundreds of American jobs.” Scott Corley, Government Director of Compete America, stated the OPT program “has performed a key function in sustaining America’s world know-how management. For many years, OPT has helped be sure that the world’s finest STEM [science, technology, engineering, and mathematics] college students—educated at U.S. universities—can contribute to our financial system, strengthen our workforce, and drive innovation right here at house quite than overseas. At a time when the USA faces rising world workforce competitors in important and rising know-how fields, sustaining and strengthening this pathway by means of statutory codification is a vital step towards preserving high expertise in the USA and guaranteeing our financial system, nationwide safety, and innovation ecosystem stay the strongest on the earth.”
The “U.S. for Success Coalition,” a gaggle of greater than 50 organizations, helps the invoice. Its endorsement record additionally consists of the Compete America Coalition, Technet, the Data Expertise Business Council (ITI), FWD.us, AILA, the Presidents’ Alliance on Larger Schooling and Immigration, the Council of Graduate Colleges, NAFSA: Affiliation of Worldwide Educators, AIRC: The Affiliation of Worldwide Enrollment Administration, AIFS: American Institute for Overseas Examine; the American Affiliation of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, World Detroit, EnglishUSA, Studyportals, the Alliance for Worldwide Alternate, TESOL Worldwide Affiliation, and Shorelight, LLC.
DOS Provides 12 Extra International locations to Listing Topic to Visa Bonds for B-1/B-2 Visas
On March 18, 2026, the Division of State (DOS) added 12 international locations to the record of these topic to visa bonds for individuals touring to the USA on non permanent B-1 (enterprise) and B-2 (customer) visas. The newly added international locations embrace Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Grenada, Lesotho, Mauritius, Mongolia, Mozambique, Nicaragua, Papua New Guinea, Seychelles, and Tunisia. The record consists of the implementation date for every nation.
DOS famous {that a} citizen or nationwide touring on a passport issued by one of many listed international locations who’s discovered in any other case eligible for a B-1 or B-2 visa should put up a bond for $5,000, $10,000, or $15,000. The quantity is decided on the time of the visa interview. The applicant should additionally submit Division of Homeland Safety Kind I-352. Candidates should comply with the phrases of the bond by means of the Division of the Treasury’s on-line cost platform, Pay.gov. This requirement applies whatever the place of utility, DOS stated.
Candidates ought to submit Kind I-352 to put up a bond solely after a consular officer directs them to take action, DOS suggested. Candidates will obtain a direct hyperlink to pay by means of Pay.gov. They have to not use any third-party web site for posting the bond. If somebody pays charges with no consular officer’s path, the charges is not going to be returned, DOS stated. A bond doesn’t assure visa issuance.
A non permanent closing rule, revealed within the Federal Register on August 5, 2025, established the pilot program.
April Visa Bulletin Advances Submitting and Ultimate Motion Dates for Immigrant Visa Numbers in Numerous Classes
The Division of State’s Visa Bulletin for April stories, amongst different issues, that immigrant visa issuance charges for individuals from sure international locations have decreased. Consequently, to make visas out there to potential immigrants from different international locations, the dates for submitting and closing motion dates have been superior throughout numerous immigrant visa classes.
The bulletin notes that as extra immigrant visa demand materializes, or administration actions are amended, retrogression could also be obligatory later within the fiscal yr to maintain issuances inside annual limits.
