On February 13, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) confirmed that it received enough petitions to exhaust the 18,490 supplemental H-2B visas allocated for returning workers with start dates between January 1 and March 31, 2026.
February 6 was the final receipt date. Because filings exceeded available numbers, USCIS conducted a computer-generated random selection process for petitions submitted during the first five (5) business days (February 2–6). Premium processing began after the lottery.
What does this mean for employers?
Demand continues to far outpace supply. For businesses in hospitality, landscaping, construction, seafood processing, and other seasonal industries, access to H-2B workers remains highly competitive; and timing is everything. In a tight labor market, H-2B workers are often essential, not optional. But these supplemental visas are not automatic. They are limited, competitive, and time-sensitive, making proactive planning critical.
If your petition was not selected, it’s important to assess next steps quickly and prepare strategically for upcoming allocations. Workforce planning can’t wait until the next filing window opens. For companies that depend on H-2 seasonal labor, the message is clear: the opportunity exists, but proper and timely preparation matters.
If your business depends on H-2B workers and you’d like to discuss options or future strategies, please reach out!
For detailed information, see the article below: https://www.uscis.gov/newsroom/alerts/cap-reached-for-first-allocation-of-returning-worker-h-2b-visas-fy-2026