USCIS announced on January 27, 2011 that the H-1B cap for Fiscal Year 2011 had finally been reached, as of January 26, 2011.
USCIS will start accepting H-1B petitions for FY 2012 on or after April 1, 2011. Petitions may be filed for employment commencing October 1, 2011 any time after April 1, 2011. It is difficult to know how long the H-1B numbers will last, but based on last year, the window of opportunity to file lasted approximately nine months
The entry submission period for the Diversity Lottery typically runs during November/December each year. Check back here for an update on the dates for submission.
Avoid any sites or organizations offering to submit your application in exchange for a fee.