USCIS has just posted an update regarding the amounts of petitions received for visas in the H category that are subject to annual caps.

H-1B Visas

H-1B visas are available to some U.S. employers to use to bring foreign workers in specialty occupations that require technical or theoretical expertise in a specialized field. H-1B occupations include architects, computer programmers, accountants and doctors, among other professions. Each year, a total of 65,000 cap-subject H-1B visas are available to such individuals.

According to USCIS, as of June 19, 2009, only 44,500 H-1B cap-subject petitions and approximately 20,000 petitions that qualify for the advanced degree cap exemption have been filed by U.S. employers. USCIS notes that they will continue to accept petitions for both the cap-subject and advanced degree categories until they have received enough to adequately fill the Fiscal Year limit of 65,000 available visas.