Is there an annual limit on H-1B visas?

FAQ.

Answered by Robin Catmur-Smith, Managing Director of the International Student Resource Center

Last updated: July, 2026

Is there an annual limit on H-1B visas?

Yes. New H-1Bs are capped at 65,000 per fiscal year, with a separate 20,000 “master’s cap” for those holding a U.S. master’s degree or higher. But cap-exempt employers (universities and affiliated nonprofits, nonprofit research orgs, government research orgs) have no numerical limit, and the cap doesn’t apply to extensions or employer changes within H-1B.

How it works

• 65,000 new H-1Bs per fiscal year (Oct 1–Sep 30).

• An extra 20,000 are set aside for U.S. master’s-or-higher graduates; once those are used, those applicants are still considered under the 65,000.

• Cap-exempt employers — higher-ed institutions and their affiliated/related nonprofits, nonprofit research organizations, and government research organizations — can sponsor with no cap and no lottery.

• The cap applies only to NEW H-1Bs — not extensions or changes of employer within H-1B.