USCIS to Begin Premium Processing of FY 2020 H-1B Cap Cases Requesting Changes of Status on May 20

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has updated its premium processing schedule for fiscal year (FY) 2020 H-1B cap cases. The schedule will be implemented as follows:

• On May 20, 2019, USCIS will begin premium processing for FY 2020 cap-subject petitions requesting changes of status. Employers seeking to upgrade their FY 2020 cap-subject H-1B change-of-status petitions to premium processing must wait until May 20, 2019, to file their requests with USCIS.
• From May 20, 2019, through June 3, 2019, USCIS will suspend the use of pre-paid mailers and instead use regular mail to send final notices for premium processing for FY 2020 cap-subject H-1B petitions requesting changes of status.
• In June 2019, premium processing will begin for all other FY 2020 cap-subject H-1B petitions. Employers must wait until USCIS provides a confirmed date before filing requests to upgrade their petitions to premium processing.

Ogletree Deakins’ Immigration Practice Group will continue to monitor developments with respect to the processing of FY 2020 H-1B cap cases and will post updates on the Immigration blog as additional information becomes available.