On February 15, 2019, USCIS announced that it would resume premium processing service (“PPS”) for H-1B cases filed on or before December 21, 2018. USCIS previously announced that it would also resume PPS for FY 2019 “cap” cases – i.e., those petitions filed in last year’s H-1B lottery that are not yet adjudicated. PPS remains available for H-1B petitions filed as cap-exempt because of employment by/at a cap-exempt organization, and H-1B petitions for an employee’s continuation of previously approved H-1B employment without change with the same employer. For cases filed after December 21, 2018, and for the upcoming FY 2020 “cap” lottery, PPS continues to be suspended. USCIS noted in its announcement that it plans to resume PPS for cases filed after December 21, 2018 as workloads permit.
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