U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reached its H-1B Visa cap for Fiscal Year 2011, according to a USCIS Press Release.

H-1B Visas enable employers to hire foreign workers in areas of specialized knowledge or technical expertise, such as scientists, engineers, or computer professionals.  Congress set a cap of 65,000 H-1B Visas for FY 2011.  That cap was met, and any petitions received by the USCIS after Jan. 26 were rejected. This could affect you if you have clients considering contract candidates who would require this type of visa.

The new fiscal year, when petitions can again be accepted, will begin on October 1, 2011. The cap does not apply to workers who qualify for the "advanced degree" exemption, which is available to 20,000 foreign workers with a master's or higher level degree from a U.S. academic institution. 

Debbie Fledderjohann is the President of Top Echelon Contracting, Inc.