94% of H-1B petitions
filed in 2003 were approved!
Statistics of H-1B Petitions Received and Approved
in FY 2003
• CIS received 231,030 H-1B petitions in FY 2003 for both initial and continuing
employment.
• Legacy Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) approved 217,340 petitions
in FY 2003. Of the approved applications, 105,314 were for initial employment
and 112,026 petitions were for continuing employment.
• Nearly all workers approved for continuing employment are not subject to
the cap mandated by Congress at 195,000 beneficiaries.
• Also exempt from the cap are individuals working for institutions of higher
education, and nonprofit research organizations
• Of the workers approved for initial employment in FY 2003, about 19 percent
did not count against the cap because the sponsor was an exempt employer.
• The total number of workers subject to the FY 2003 cap comprised about two-fifths
of the total number approved for H-1B employment.
• During FY 2003, the Congressionally-mandated cap of 195,000 beneficiaries
was not reached and about 78,000 individuals, mostly initial beneficiaries,
were counted against the cap. The corresponding number for FY 2002 was 79,000.
• Although workers may have multiple petitions submitted on their behalf during
the pursuit of H-1B employment, they are counted only once against the cap
if working for non-exempt employers.
More Detailed Statistics:
For further statistical information on immigration, click on the links below.
These links are in Adobe PDF format. If you do not have Adobe Reader or need
to upgrade your current Reader, click here
www.adobe.com to download a free version.
These are statistical findings for the fiscal year ending 2002. 2003 statistical
information will be available soon.
2002
(H-1B) Characteristics of specialty occupational workers
2002
Temporary immigration statistics
2002
General immigration statistics
2003 Statistical information