USCIS announced that premium processing will resume on Monday, January 28th, for all fiscal year (FY) 2019 H-1B cap subject petitions, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption (“master’s cap”). USCIS recommends that petitioners who have received requests for evidence (RFE) for pending FY 2019 cap subject petitions include the RFE response with their premium processing upgrade request.

The temporary suspension continues to apply to all other previously specified categories of H-1B petitions:

H-1B Transfers, Amendments, and Extensions with Change in Previously Approved Employment: 

The expanded temporary suspension that took effect on September 11, 2018 still applies to all H-1B petitions filed at the Vermont Service Center and California Service Center. This means that Premium Processing for transfers, amendments, and extensions with change are still subject to the suspension.  

USCIS plans to resume premium processing for the remaining H-1B categories as workload permits.