H-1B rules and regulations
The laws, regulations and official guidance behind the H-1B program, as the agencies publish them. We keep a copy of each and note how current it is.
Each edition is the date the document gives itself, read from the file, never the date we downloaded it.
20 CFR part 655 subpart H, Labor Condition Applications and Requirements for Employers Using Nonimmigrants on H-1B Visas
The Department of Labor's rules for Labor Condition Applications: what an employer promises when it files for an H-1B worker, including the extra rules for H-1B dependent employers and willful violators.
- Edition
- 2025-04-01
- Cited as
- 20 CFR 655
- Official source
- https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2025-title20-vol3/xml/CFR-2025-title20-vol3-part655-subpartH.xml
File details
Edition read from the granule's FDSYS/DATE. Format cfr_xml; 368 sections indexed for search. Saved September 12, 2026, 253,584 bytes, SHA-256 dedca75bcc188493fea0cfa4d7219f9dbbcf3d2d53a17d21beedb9d6070885cf.
8 CFR 214.2 Special requirements for admission, extension, and maintenance of status
The regulation on nonimmigrant status, including the H-1B rules, the cap exemptions and the STEM OPT extension.
- Edition
- 2025-01-01
- Cited as
- 8 CFR 214.2
- Official source
- https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2025-title8-vol1/xml/CFR-2025-title8-vol1-sec214-2.xml
File details
Edition read from the granule's FDSYS/DATE. Format cfr_xml; 1,633 sections indexed for search. Saved September 12, 2026, 952,725 bytes, SHA-256 873e54f4fa6901583a9ea86e168e01859f0180a58abffc2dbb933362bdbb628e.
DOL OFLC Prevailing Wage Determination Policy Guidance, Nonagricultural Immigration Programs
How the Department of Labor sets prevailing wages, including the four wage levels.
- Edition
- 2010-03-26
- Cited as
- DOL PWD Guidance (Nov. 2009)
- Official source
- https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/oflc/pdfs/NPWHC_Guidance_Revised_11_2009.pdf
File details
Edition read from the PDF's /ModDate. Format pdf; 44 sections indexed for search. Saved September 12, 2026, 809,764 bytes, SHA-256 a3bf3b288a4cc7baa7658059b3ec47a635c3fff8e9bce8b2d2ecd07ead485b76.
SEVP Study in the States, STEM OPT Extension Overview
What the STEM OPT extension requires of F-1 students and their employers, including E-Verify enrollment.
- Edition
- Last updated: April 28, 2025
- Cited as
- SEVP, STEM OPT Extension Overview
- Official source
- https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/stem-opt-hub/additional-resources/stem-opt-extension-overview
File details
Edition read from the page's 'Last updated' line. Format agency_html; 5 sections indexed for search. Saved September 12, 2026, 86,068 bytes, SHA-256 37c5106ed53e10b267cfcca79302e92e8eced77fd9b1a84dc0d3683cf05fbdb3.
8 U.S.C. 1184, Admission of nonimmigrants (INA 214)
The law itself (INA 214): the H-1B program, its annual cap and who is exempt from it.
- Edition
- United States Code, 2024 Edition / currentthrough 20250106
- Cited as
- 8 U.S.C. 1184
- Official source
- https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2024-title8/html/USCODE-2024-title8-chap12-subchapII-partII-sec1184.htm
File details
Edition read from the page banner and the documentid comment. Format usc_html; 119 sections indexed for search. Saved September 12, 2026, 169,314 bytes, SHA-256 2193512ace1f5dc4451ef76f587eb798e4e5e1a96ed161f54c4f58950cd48520.
USCIS Adjudicator's Field Manual Chapter 31, Petitions for Temporary Workers (H Classifications)
USCIS's older field manual chapter on H-1B and other temporary-worker petitions.
Older guidance: replaced by the USCIS Policy Manual, and kept because decisions and briefs still cite it.
- Edition
- 2022-03-02
- Cited as
- AFM ch. 31
- Official source
- https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/policy-manual-afm/afm31-external.pdf
File details
Edition read from the PDF's /ModDate. Format pdf; 111 sections indexed for search. Saved September 12, 2026, 620,153 bytes, SHA-256 72497a09dac3f02a529f0f508cf94256ad891694ffe8413bc2ec31e914d35871.
USCIS, H-1B Cap Season
USCIS's guide to the annual H-1B cap and registration.
- Edition
- Last Reviewed/Updated: 07/17/2026
- Cited as
- USCIS, H-1B Cap Season
- Official source
- https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/temporary-workers/h-1b-specialty-occupations/h-1b-cap-season
File details
Edition read from the page's reviewed-date block. Format agency_html; 17 sections indexed for search. Saved September 12, 2026, 121,021 bytes, SHA-256 931b02839abf0ab96a8daea998a23aca85feac4aa45fc14502a6a8c0c412cc86.
USCIS, H-1B Specialty Occupations
USCIS's overview of the H-1B visa for specialty occupations.
- Edition
- Last Reviewed/Updated: 08/31/2026
- Cited as
- USCIS, H-1B Specialty Occupations
- Official source
- https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/h-1b-specialty-occupations
File details
Edition read from the page's reviewed-date block. Format agency_html; 17 sections indexed for search. Saved September 12, 2026, 122,048 bytes, SHA-256 0e6d99e038d4abcbb4abe0d7425c26d4432d687e67981c44fef6f6352d074923.
USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 2 Part H - Specialty Occupation Workers (H-1B, E-3)
The USCIS Policy Manual's part on H-1B and E-3 specialty occupation workers.
- Edition
- February 26, 2025
- Cited as
- USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 2 Part H
- Official source
- https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-2-part-h
File details
Edition read from the latest row of the page's Updates table. Format agency_html; 6 sections indexed for search. Saved September 12, 2026, 107,903 bytes, SHA-256 501b52e56dc2179b06cdbef42a34806dbb46cca3f56609d72665cbfed8a2a2ea.