There are only approximately 65,000 visas available per year, a limit often referred to as the H-1B Cap. Most employers try to file petitions for their H-1B candidates by March 31st of each year to try and be chosen in the lottery. If chosen in the lottery and the H-1B petition is approved, the candidate will be able to start work as early as October 1st. For the last few years, there have been more than 65,000 petitions filed, e.g., in 2015 there were more than 200,000 petitions filed.
Immigration Law
