On May 3rd, USCIS completed all data entry of fiscal year 2018 H-1B cap-subject petitions selected in the computer-generated "lottery" process. The data entry process includes the receipt of petitions selected in the lottery and the Service has already begun mailing receipt notices for selected petitions.
Now that the data entry process for selected petitions has been completed, USCIS will begin the process of returning all H-1B cap-subject petitions not selected in the lottery. Due to the high volume of filings, they are unable to provide a definite time frame for the return of unselected petitions. USCIS received 199,000 H-1B petitions during the FY2018 cap filing period, which began April 3, 2017.
The Service has also suspended the premium processing program for all H-1B petitions filed as of April 3, 2017. This means that any petition for H-1B status, whether subject to the cap or not, is not eligible for this expedited 15-day processing. Therefore it is expected that the processing of the H-1B cap-subject petitions selected could take several months.
