USCIS announced on Friday, February 15,, 2019, that it will resume premium processing on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 for H-1B petitions filed prior to December 21, 2018. This follows up on the USCIS announcement at the end of January that it would resume premium processing for cap-subject petitions that were filed on or about April 1, 2018.
This means that premium processing can now be requested for petitions filed before December 21, 2018 seeking:
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H-1B transfer (change of employer);
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H-1B amendment; and
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H-1B change of status.
USCIS will resume premium processing for cases filed after December 21, 2018 “as agency workloads permit.”
H-1B extensions for “continuation of previously approved employment without a change with the same employer” filed exclusively at the Nebraska Service Center and petitions filed for beneficiaries who will be employed at a qualifying cap-exempt institution filed exclusively at the California Service Center have not been subject to the temporary suspension.
