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US H-1Bs are still available. It looks as if not all visas will be used for the current fiscal year. There are currently about 14,000 visas left for the regular H-1B visa and about 5,000 visas left under the H-1B masters exemption. In past years all visas have been used up in a single day. You can also start work as soon as your visa is approved. In the past because of lack of availability of visas many people had to wait for many months before being able to start work.
FY 2011 H-1B Cap Count
| Cap Type | Cap Amount | Cap Eligible Petitions | Petition Target | Date of Last Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H-1B Regular Cap | 65,000 | 40,600 | 10/1/2010 | |
| H-1B Master's Exemption | 20,000 | 14,900 | 10/1/2010 |
At the moment there are probably enough H-1Bs to meet the needs of the US economy. However, when the economy improves in future there will be shortages of H-1B visas. One of the main reasons why employers do not apply for the H-1B is because of the expense of doing so. H-1B demand goes up during times of economic growth and goes down when the economy goes down. This is an indication that employers only employ people on H-1Bs when they have no choice. They cannot fill their vacancies locally.
Many people have suggested that there needs to be a reform of the US H-1B visa system. It should be easier and there should be no quota. This will help the US economy in the long term.
