H1B Cap Update: 70,000 H1Bs Issued as of January 31, 1999
Posted Feb 25, 1999

As of December 31, 1998, about 60,000, or half of the 1999 quota of H1Bs, were issued according to INS. Now we have more recent statistics as of January 31, 1999 with 70, 471 H1Bs having been applied against the 115,000 quota for this fiscal year. It is important to keep in mind that the 70,471 number includes those H1B Petitions which were approved from May 11, 1998 through September 30, 1998, during the last fiscal year but were applied against this years quota.

Predictions are extremely difficult, especially since certain factors, like the new $500 fee or the additional attestations for H1B dependent employers may dissuade some employers, so the number of petitions per month may decrease. Sources say that the quota may be filled some time during the summer of 1999, but even according to INS, at this point, it is just too early to tell. The Law Office of Sheela Murthy will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.