Latest Update: 2010 H1B Update as of Dec 21, 09

Good news for all that applied for the H1B visa for fiscal year 2010. As predicted earlier, there has been a sharp decline in the number of H1b applications filed with USCIS. It seems like there will be no H1b lottery this year and all approved applicants will get the h1b visa. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reported that they have received 42,000 H-1B petitions for fiscal year 2010 as of April 9, 2009. The agency will continue to accept H1B petitions until the congress mandated 65,000 general cap has been reached.

Also read: The Truth About Indian IT Consulting Firms Revealed

USCIS has reported that they have received approximately 20,000 applications for people with advanced degrees. The cap under this category is 20,000, however USCIS is still accepting applications because not all applications within the first 20,000 are approved.

This is the first year since 2004 that the H1B quota has not been reached within the first week. The weak US economy is largely to blame for this. Also, the recent crack down by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforgement (ICE) on fraudulent H1b applicants and  fake consulting firms has caused a sharp decline on the number of H1b petitions this year. Lets hope it stays this way in the coming years so that qualified applicants are not passed over by fake applicants by sheer luck of the draw.

Are you an H1b applicant this year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Further reading: 11 Consultants Arrested in H-1B Fraud

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