The H-1B cap is now more than half way reached. As of May 12, 2006, the USCIS has received or approved approximately 34,808 H-1B visa petitions. The annual limit on H-1B visa numbers is 58,200.

The USCIS has also received or approved approximately 4,638 H-1B visa petitions eligible for the H-1B Advance Degree Exemption. Under this exemption, an additional 20,000 annual H-1B visa numbers are available for foreign workers with a master’s or higher level degree from a U.S. academic institution.

The USCIS tracks the H-1B cap’s progress on its website, available here.