January 10, 2017 was the final day that new petitions for H-2B visas with an employment start date before April 1, 2017 would be accepted by USCIS. As of the date of this post, USCIS has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the congressionally mandated cap, which means that any petitions received after January 10 will be rejected. However, there are some groups which qualify for an exemption.
The following groups are exempt from this cap:
- Fish roe technicians, processors, and/or supervisors of fish roe processing
- Current H-2B workers in the U.S. who wish to change the terms of their employment, change employers, or extend their stay in the U.S.
- Workers performing services or labor in the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands and/or Guam from November 28, 2009 until December 31, 2019.
If you have questions about your immigration status or the status of a loved one, contact a Cleveland immigration lawyer at Sintsirmas & Mueller Co. L.P.A. We would be happy to help you determine if you belong to an exempt group. For more information on how our team may be able to help you, please fill out an online contact form or contact our office at (888) 491-8770.
