USCIS has published an update of the number of cap-subject H-2B visas approved for the first and second half of Fiscal Year 2012. According to USCIS, a total of 29,779 beneficiaries have been approved for the first half of Fiscal year 2012, with 6,416 beneficiaries pending. 7,030 beneficiaries have been approved for the second half of Fiscal Year 2012, with 2,007 beneficiaries pending. These numbers were last updated on February 17, 2012.
Congressionally-based legislation limits the amount of H-2B visas provided per fiscal year to a total of 66,000, with 33,000 allocated for employment for the first half of the fiscal year and 33,000 allocated for employment for the second half of the fiscal year. Unused numbers from the first half of the fiscal year are made available for use by employers seeking H-2B workers during the second half of the year. These numbers do not, however, carry over from one fiscal year to another.
