H-2B cap and deadline tracker

Current position

Not yet verified. Check official sources before acting.

Statutory cap, fiscal year 2027

66,000 visas: 33,000 for jobs starting October 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027, and 33,000 for jobs starting April 1, 2027 to September 30, 2027.

First half (winter starts)

See the USCIS cap count page for the current status.

Second half (summer starts)

See the USCIS cap count page for the current status.

When to file with the Department of Labor

75 to 90 calendar days before your date of need. For an April 1, 2027 start, that is January 1, 2027 to January 16, 2027.

Supplemental visas for fiscal year 2027

Announced by the Department of Homeland Security when available. Check USCIS before planning around them.

Carryover

Unused H-2B numbers do not carry over to the next fiscal year.

Sources

• USCIS: Cap count for H-2B nonimmigrants
• 20 CFR 655.15(b): timing of the Application for Temporary Employment Certification

This tracker is general information, not legal advice. Cap counts and filing windows change; always confirm with the official U.S. Department of Labor and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announcements and your advisers. Nobody can guarantee a visa, an approval or an arrival date.