USCIS announced on Friday, February 15,, 2019, that it will resume premium processing on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 for H-1B petitions filed prior to December 21, 2018. This follows up on the USCIS announcement at the end of January that it would resume premium processing for cap-subject petitions that were filed on or about April 1, 2018.
This means that premium processing can now be requested for petitions filed before December 21, 2018 seeking:
- H-1B transfer (change of employer);
- H-1B amendment; and
- H-1B change of status.
USCIS will resume premium processing for cases filed after December 21, 2018 “as agency workloads permit.”
H-1B extensions for “continuation of previously approved employment without a change with the same employer” filed exclusively at the Nebraska Service Center and petitions filed for beneficiaries who will be employed at a qualifying cap-exempt institution filed exclusively at the California Service Center have not been subject to the temporary suspension.
If you have questions about this, please reach out to your Jackson Lewis attorney.