H-1B visa renewals are projected to reach a record high in fiscal year 2026, despite the Trump administration’s efforts to tighten the high-skilled worker program.

USCIS data, analyzed by LayoffHedge, reveals that 273,026 H-1B petitions for continuing employment were approved in the first nine months of fiscal year 2026. This is already close to the 291,542 approvals from fiscal year 2025, and there are still three months remaining in the current fiscal year, reports Newsweek.

According to LayoffHedge, FY2025 has already set the all-time H-1B renewal record at 291,542. With FY2026 already at 273,026 and three months still left in the fiscal year, which ends on September 30, a new record looks increasingly likely.

This surge in H-1B renewals reaching a new record high highlights that the focus need not be only on the 85,000 visas but also on the total count. “The focus is on the cap of 85,000, but renewals are how it compounds,” said LayoffHedge in a post on its X handle.

To understand why renewals matter, here is how USCIS classifies H-1B approvals. There are two categories: “initial employment” petitions, which are limited to an annual cap of 85,000 visas, and “continuing employment” petitions, which do not have a cap. This means renewals can and do grow without any legal ceiling.

In fiscal year 2024, nearly 400,000 H-1B petitions were approved, with 258,196, approximately 65 percent being renewals or extensions for current H-1B workers, according to the Pew Research Center. In fact, much of the H-1B system functions beyond the annual cap, as renewals, extensions, transfers, and various cap-exempt petitions do not count against the 85,000 limit.

However, experts urge caution in reading too much into the numbers. Some see them as indicative of increased activity beyond the visa cap, while others caution that the numbers reflect petition approvals, not unique workers, and may encompass extensions, transfers, and amended filings, notes the Newsweek story.

It is also important to note that the figures pertain to “continuing employment” petitions, extensions, and renewals for H-1B visa workers already in the U.S., excluding new approvals from the annual visa lottery. The results of the 2027 H-1B season are yet to be announced by USCIS.

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New H-1B Rules

President Trump’s administration sought to implement a $100,000 fee on new H-1B petitions for international workers starting September 21, 2025, but a federal judge halted this plan in June. For the H-1B registration season 2027, the administration also replaced the traditional random lottery with a wage-weighted selection system to prioritize higher-paid applicants.

For those already on H-1B visas, here is what the current rules say about changing jobs or losing employment.

USCIS rules allow H-1B visa holders to change employers. If changing H-1B employers, you may start working for the new employer once they file Form I-129 petition for you, or on the petition’s requested start date, whichever is later. To qualify for portability, you must not have worked without authorization since your last admission, and your new employer must file the petition before your H-1B authorized stay expires.

If an H-1B visa holder is laid off, fired, or quit, or otherwise ceases employment with their previous employer, they may have up to 60 consecutive days — or until the end of their authorized validity period, whichever is shorter — to find new employment, change status, or depart the country.

Disclaimer: This content is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or immigration advice. Readers are advised to consult a qualified immigration attorney for guidance specific to their situation.