Overview
- DOL will release 35,000 supplemental H‑2B visas for FY2026, well below recent discretionary totals, prompting concern from seasonal employers as Pew‑analyzed Census data show over 1.2 million immigrants left the labor force in early 2025.
- DHS in December 2025 replaced the H‑1B lottery with a system that prioritizes candidates with higher qualifications and wages.
- The State Department expanded a refundable bond requirement for B1/B2 applicants to 38 countries effective January 21, 2026, with bonds of $5,000 to $15,000 paid via Pay.gov and returned if visa terms are honored.
- USCIS premium processing fees will rise on March 1, 2026, affecting forms including I‑129, I‑140, I‑539 and I‑765, with examples such as I‑129 (most categories) increasing to $2,965 and I‑539 to $2,075.
- On January 2, 2026, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene introduced H.R. 6937 to abolish the H‑1B program, and the bill is now at the committee review stage.