USCIS announced on Friday, February 15,^, 2019, that it will resume premium processing on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 for H-1B petitions filed prior to December 21, 2018.  This follows up on the USCIS announcement at the end of January that it would resume premium processing for cap-subject petitions that were filed on or about April 1, 2018.

This means that premium processing can now be requested for petitions filed before December 21, 2018 seeking:

• H-1B transfer (change of employer);
• H-1B amendment; and
• H-1B change of status.

USCIS will resume premium processing for cases filed after December 21, 2018 “as agency workloads permit.”

H-1B extensions for “continuation of previously approved employment without a change with the same employer” filed exclusively at the Nebraska Service Center and petitions filed for beneficiaries who will be employed at a qualifying cap-exempt institution filed exclusively at the California Service Center have not been subject to the temporary suspension.