USCIS Reaches Cap for First FY 2026 H-2B Returning Worker Allocation
Published Feb 13, 2026
USCIS announced it received enough petitions to reach the cap for the first allocation of 18,490 additional returning worker H-2B visas for fiscal year 2026. These visas are for workers with start dates between January 1 and March 31, 2026, under the FY 2026 supplemental cap temporary final rule.
Key points
- The cap for the first FY 2026 returning worker H-2B allocation of 18,490 visas has been reached.
- These visas cover start dates from January 1 to March 31, 2026.
- The final receipt date for petitions was February 6, 2026.
- Because petitions exceeded available visas, USCIS used a computer-generated random selection process.
- The selection was conducted on February 13 for petitions received between February 2 and February 6, 2026, after which premium processing resumed.
Who is affected
Employers and workers who filed H-2B petitions under the FY 2026 first returning worker allocation are affected.
What to do
Petitioners can check the USCIS Temporary Increase in H-2B Nonimmigrant Visas for FY 2026 page for further details.
Full text
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Release Date
02/13/2026
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services received enough petitions to reach the cap for the additional 18,490 H-2B visas made available for the first allocation of returning workers of fiscal year 2026 with start dates from Jan. 1 to March 31, 2026, under the H-2B supplemental cap temporary final rule (FY 2026 TFR). Feb. 6, 2026, was the final receipt date for petitions requesting supplemental H-2B visas under the first allocation of returning worker H-2B visas for FY 2026.
USCIS received more petitions than available H-2B visas for the FY 2026 first allocation of returning workers. In accordance with regulations, the agency used a computer-generated selection process to fairly allocate the visas without exceeding the first FY 2026 supplemental cap allocation. On Feb. 13, USCIS conducted this random selection process for petitions received on the first five business days of filing (Feb. 2 through Feb. 6, 2026) and began premium processing services afterward.
Additional information on the FY 2026 supplemental visas is available on the Temporary Increase in H-2B Nonimmigrant Visas for FY 2026 page.
02/13/2026
Original title: Cap Reached for First Allocation of Returning Worker H-2B Visas FY 2026
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This summary was produced with AI from the official announcement. Only the official source is authoritative.