USCIS sends alert for Fiscal Year 2027 H-1B visas, includes 'master's cap'

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it has received enough petitions to meet the H-1B visa cap for Fiscal Year 2027, meaning there will be no additional lottery rounds. In an alert issued on July 17, 2026, the agency said it has reached both the 65,000 regular H-1B visa cap and the 20,000 U.S. advanced degree exemption, also known as the master's cap. The update marks the end of this year's H-1B cap selection process.USCIS says FY 2027 H-1B cap has been reachedIn its alert, USCIS said it has received enough petitions to meet the congressionally mandated 65,000 regular H-1B visa cap as well as the 20,000 H-1B U.S. advanced degree exemption, commonly known as the master's cap, for Fiscal Year 2027.The agency will now continue processing petitions that were selected and filed under this year's cap.“U.S.