USCIS has announced that it reached the H-1b cap on Wednesday.  USCIS has stated that Wednesday, January 26, 2011, is the final receipt date for new H-1B specialty occupation petitions requesting an employment start date in FY2011. The USCIS will return all cap-subject petitions received on Thursday or later.

New H-1b’s can be filed beginning April 1st, with effective start dates of October 1, 2011.