H-1B Visa Renewals Set to Hit Record Levels in Fiscal Year 2026

H-1B visa renewals are anticipated to reach an unprecedented high in fiscal year 2026. This increase comes amidst the Trump administration’s efforts to introduce stricter controls on high-skilled worker programs. A review conducted by LayoffHedge, a workforce analytics firm, of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) data reveals that 273,026 H-1B petitions for continuing employment have been approved in the first nine months of fiscal year 2026, which spans from October 2025 to September 2026. This figure is approaching the record-breaking 291,542 renewal approvals of fiscal year 2025, with three months still left in the fiscal year.

The rise in renewals persists as the Trump administration seeks to limit aspects of the H-1B visa program. President Donald Trump’s administration proposed a $100,000 fee on many new H-1B petitions filed for workers abroad, although a federal judge stopped this measure in June. Additionally, efforts to overhaul the lottery system to prioritize higher-paid applicants through a wage-weighted selection are underway.

Understanding H-1B Figures

Experts have different interpretations of the figures, with some suggesting they reflect the increasing H-1B activity outside the annual visa cap. Others urge caution, highlighting the figures are based on petition approvals rather than unique individuals and may include extensions, transfers, and amendments.

The statistics focus on “continuing employment” petitions, covering extensions and renewals for those already employed on H-1B visas in the U.S. These differ from “initial employment” petitions, capped annually at 85,000 under the USCIS lottery.

LayoffHedge compiled data using sources such as USCIS’s H-1B Employer Data Hub and statistics from the Pew Research Center, which drew its data from fiscal years 2000 to 2023 using a Freedom of Information Act request. The fiscal year 2025 renewal figures were also mentioned in a report from the National Foundation for American Policy in November 2025.

According to Pew Research Center, nearly 400,000 H-1B petitions received approval in fiscal year 2024, with around 65%—258,196 petitions—representing renewals or extensions for current H-1B workers.

Sahana Mukherjee, Pew’s associate director of race and ethnicity research, informed Newsweek that the referenced figures derive from USCIS petition approvals, not unique workers. The renewals pertain to “continuing employment” approvals.

Mukherjee explained this category includes renewals, employer changes, and other application modifications. She stressed that the data presents petitions, not individual workers.

Expert Opinions on H-1B Analysis

Jiaxin He, a research assistant with the Economic Innovation Group, emphasized to Newsweek that the continuing-employment figures consolidate various petition types. He noted that out of these, only 118,194 represent true renewals for fiscal year 2025. The rest involve workers shifting jobs, receiving promotions, transferring employers, or altering their status.

He argued that these approvals should be viewed as petition events for workers within the H-1B framework, not as unique workers, cautioning against counting each petition as a distinct worker to avoid overcounting.

Despite these nuances, some assert the data’s importance for understanding H-1B activities beyond the annual visa cap. Kevin Lynn, founder of U.S. Tech Workers, stated approval statistics should not equate to unique workers, as one H-1B worker could relate to several petitions over time.

Lynn added that “continuing-employment petition events” encompass various modifications and transfers, highlighting how much of the H-1B system functions outside the yearly cap. He concluded that these exemptions impact the labor market dynamics, potentially creating regulatory disparities among employers.

The H-1B Visa Program Explained

The H-1B visa allows U.S. employers to bring in foreign employees for specific skilled roles that demand specialized knowledge and at least a bachelor’s degree or similar experience. The program is important in technology but extends to engineering, healthcare, finance, and research.

If renewals exceed 19,000, fiscal year 2026 will surpass the previous record, marking the highest number of H-1B renewals to date, despite the ongoing legal and political disputes surrounding the program’s future.