US federal immigration officials on February 24 announced that they won't accept any more applications for the H-1B visa program that allows United States companies to hire skilled foreign professionals in the US.

Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services Spokesman Chris Bentley said that there already are enough applications to fill all 65,000 slots for H1-B visas. The quota was filled less than five months after the bureau started accepting applications.

Foreign workers in fields such as technology and medicine can turn in applications as early as April but none can be approved until October 1, the beginning of the next fiscal year.

People who enter the country under the visa program are eligible to work in the US for up to six years.