According to the USCIS, as of December 3rd, 2010, the agency has received 51,200 out of 65,000 available cap-subject H-1B petitions for FY-2011 and 18,700 out of 20,000 available petitions under the H-1B Master’s Cap Exemption.

It is getting down to the wire.  Business immigration is a good barometer of the economy, so if numbers are in demand it means that companies are finally starting to hire again - albeit at a much slower rate than a few years back.