US Citizenship and Immigration Services resumed premium processing today for all H-1B visa petitions subject to the fiscal year 2018 cap, which was set at 65,000 visas. Premium processing has also resumed for the annual 20,000 additional petitions that are set aside to hire workers with a US master’s degree or higher educational degree.

USCIS announced a six-month suspension of premium processing for all H-1B visa petitions in March, and in July reinstated it for H-1B visas requested by institutions of higher education and related nonprofits as well as nonprofit and governmental research organizations.

Although the number of petitions for H-1Bs was down this year compared to last, the annual cap on visa petitions was still reached within a week in April.

USCIS said it plans to resume premium processing for all other remaining H‑1B petitions not subject to the FY 2018 cap, as agency workloads permit. However, remaining petitioners may submit a request to expedite their application if they meet the specific agency criteria, listed here. USCIS reviews all expedite requests on a case-by-case basis, and requests are granted at the discretion of the office leadership.