“New” H1B petition filings have been accelerating for more than the past six months. This new demand has been attributed to a variety of causes, but the result is that the end of 2011 saw employers filing “new” H1B petitions at a much higher rate than had previously been the case. If this continues, we could see the FY 2013 H1B quota exhausted by early- to mid-Summer.

When the FY 2011 quota opened on April 1, 2010, we did not reach 30,000 receipts until early June. We got to the 60,000 receipt level in mid-October, and topped out at 85,000 receipts on January 26, 2011.

The FY 2012 quota opened on April 1, 2011. We reached the 30,000 filings level in mid-July.  We reached 60,000 filings by the first of October. By November 22, 2011 we saw the full 85,000 quota exhausted.

Many believe that this increased demand is evidence of an improving economy. Others believe that demand had been temporarily artificially depressed by the expansion of student OPT by 17 months a few years ago. Whatever the reason, demand for new H1B petitions is increasing.

Our office believes that the FY 2013 quota, which opens for filing on Monday, April 2, 2012 will likely fill by mid-Summer of this year.