June 13, 2012, 11:35 AM — The H-1B cap for next year was reached this week, completing the annual petition process at the fastest pace since the start of the 'great recession.
The quick pace may prompt Congress to act on new legislation to appease the tech industry and its demands for access to foreign workers. It has several options, including some that do not include a controversial direct cap increase.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service announced Monday that the cap of 85,000 H-1B visas was met on Monday, just two months after the start of petition submissions on April 1. The federal government's fiscal year begins Oct. 1.
The list below shows how quickly the cap was reached in recent years. The government starts accepting petitions each year on April 1.
FY 2013, cap reached: June 11, 2012.
FY 2012, cap reached: Nov. 22, 2011.
FY 2011, cap reached: Jan. 26, 2011.
FY 2010, cap reached: Dec. 21, 2009.
FY 2009, cap reached: April 7, 2008. (One week after the U.S. started accepting petitions.)
The fast pace of reaching the cap this year will likely trigger some calls for an increase in H-1B visas, though Congress is unlikely to act in an election year.
There are some other options, such as those listed below, for lawmakers looking to help the tech industry.
First option: Eliminate per-country caps on green cards. The U.S. issues 140,000 employment-based green cards a year, including those issued to spouses.
The country caps have created multi-year backlogs, for Indian workers especially, who want to transition from an H-1B visa to permanent residency.
Eliminating per country caps would create a global, first-come, first-served permanent residency list. Some countries, such as the Philippines, whose workers have shorter wait times, have opposed this. The tech industry has been lobbying hard such legislation because of the preponderance of Indian workers stuck in visa limbo.
A bill to eliminate per country visa caps was overwhelmingly approved by the U.S. House late last year.
But Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) placed a hold on it in the Senate. Grassley won't give the tech industry something it wants unless he gets something in return, which could include more H-1B visa restrictions.
