CAP Act of 2025

This bill ends the special rule that let colleges and universities hire H‑1B workers without counting toward the yearly H‑1B cap. It removes the exemption in immigration law for “institutions of higher education,” which means these hires would now count against the national limit like other H‑1B jobs .

In plain terms, colleges would need to compete for a limited number of H‑1B slots each year. This could make it harder or slower for universities to bring in certain foreign teachers, researchers, and staff if the cap fills up. The text does not include a separate start date beyond changing the law as written .

• Who is affected: Workers on H‑1B visas employed by colleges and universities; the schools that hire them .
• What changes: Their H‑1B petitions would count toward the national cap instead of being exempt .
• When: The bill text doesn’t specify a separate effective date beyond the amendment itself .