H1B Visa 2019 Cap Count – Advanced Degree Applications Overtakes General Category

USCIS completes Random selection of H-1B Visa 2019 applications.

So far everything is proceeding as expected (previous years). But, with a HUGE twist.

USCIS for the first time in several years, published the Cap Count for Advanced Degree and it’s more than General Category applications.

I’m still pondering why USCIS published the advanced Degree cap count this year!

Maybe because the for the first time, the applications for Advanced Degree is more than General Cap or for more transparency. We would never know, but it’s good to know the cap count.

In total, USCIS received 190,098 H1B Visa 2019 applications.

Next Steps: Wait for receipt numbers from USCIS for the petitions selected in the lottery. It can take until Mid-May for all the receipt notices to be mailed (as per previous years data) by USCIS.

And it may take longer for applicants to receive the receipt numbers because of time delay between when USCIS mails the receipt to when your attorney would send it to you.

Only the H1B visa petitions selected in the lottery will receive the receipt notice. Others have long wait to know if their petition is selected in the lottery. H1B package would not be returned until late July. And I have seen H1B Visa receipt notice come as late as September (odd case). Now, the agonizing wait being for the applicants. Good Luck.

If you are new to this H1B Visa process, here’s a quick overview of how USCIS conducts H1B Visa lottery in pictures.

Why do you think Advanced Degree Cap is more than General Cap? Was this the case in past years when USCIS did not publish the data? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below.