FY 2026 H-1B Cap Reached
On July 18, 2025, USCIS announced the following:
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has received enough petitions to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa U.S. advanced degree exemption, known as the master’s cap, for fiscal year 2026.
To learn more about alternatives to the cap-subject H-1B visa, review our blog: Alternatives to the H-1B for Students Not Selected in the Lottery
You can also reach out to the ImLaw team by submitting an inquiry at Contact ImLaw in Grand Rapids, MI
Proposed DHS Rule on Weighted Selection of H-1B Cap Petitions
On July 17, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and USCIS submitted a proposed rule titled, “Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking To File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions” to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), part of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), for review. While the full text of this proposed rule is not yet available to the public, it is anticipated to resemble a rule introduced by the first Trump administration, which sought to increase selection rates for higher wage level occupations. If the proposed rule is published, there will be a public comment period before it can be finalized. We anticipate potential litigation of such rule, if finalized, as well.
Read more here:
ImLaw will continue to monitor developments on this proposed rule.
The New “Visa Integrity Fee”
As part of the Trump Administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”, foreign nationals who are required to obtain nonimmigrant visas will soon have to pay a new “visa integrity fee” of at least $250, in addition to existing visa fees. In addition, the “Form I-94 fee” will increase from $6 to $24. There are no details yet on the timeline for implementation of the new fees or how foreign nationals would pay the fees.
Read more here: https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2025/07/18/visa-integrity-fee-what-to-know-about-new-travel-fee-to-enter-the-us-.html
We’ll continue to keep you updated on the status of these new fees and when they will take effect.