President Extends H-1B Entry Restrictions Through September 2027

Proclamation 11069, issued September 18, 2026, extends the entry restrictions on certain H-1B nonimmigrant workers for an additional 12 months, now running until 12:00 a.m. eastern daylight time on September 21, 2027. The extension continues the $100,000 payment requirement for petitions, a condition that has been satisfied for over 700 petitions since the original restriction took effect on September 21, 2025.

The administration cites measurable impacts from the 2025 proclamation and related rulemakings. Large IT staffing and outsourcing firms cut their combined H-1B registrations from 24,946 to 2,055, a 92 percent decrease, and consular processing requests fell by nearly 97 percent between the FY 2025 and FY 2027 cap seasons. Registrations for beneficiaries holding at least a U.S. master's degree rose from 45.1 percent of total registrants for FY 2026 to 66.1 percent for FY 2027. Selections for the two highest wage levels accounted for approximately 46.3 percent of H-1B registration selections, while the lowest wage level comprised only 17.8 percent.

The proclamation notes that unemployment for recent college graduates stood at 5.7 percent as of June 2026, a marginal decline from 5.8 percent in September 2025, and underemployment increased from 41.8 percent to 42 percent over the same period. The President emphasizes that these labor-market pressures, along with ongoing fraud and national-security concerns, justify maintaining the restriction.

The Secretary of State, the Attorney General, the Secretary of Labor, and the Secretary of Homeland Security jointly recommended the extension. By invoking sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, the proclamation reaffirms the authority to limit entry of nonimmigrants performing services in specialty occupations.

The extension is intended to preserve the gains achieved through the $100,000 payment requirement and the Department of Homeland Security's weighted selection process, while the Department of Labor finalizes its wage-protection rule. The administration signals that without the extension, progress could stall and program abuse may resume, threatening American workers and the broader labor market.