The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting H-1B petitions on April 1, 2013. There is an annual limit of 65,000 H-1B numbers available each year for foreign nationals with Bachelor's Degrees and an additional 20,000 for those holding U.S. Master's Degrees. In light of what appears to be a rebounding economy, we expect that the annual H-1B cap will be exhausted more quickly than in the last four years. As a point of reference, in 2012, the H-1B visa numbers under the Bachelor Degree allocation lasted for only two months.
In light of the expected demand for H-1Bs, employers who would like to sponsor a worker for an H-1B petition should act quickly. In order to maximize your chance of securing an H-1B, it is critical to file the H-1B petition on April 1, 2013. If you need assistance in filing an H-1B case or have other business immigration questions, please contact Geetha Adinata, gadinata@fordharrison.com, Charlie Roach, croach@fordharrison.com, or BrianCunningham, bcunningham@fordharrison.com, all of whom are members of our Business Immigration practice group, or the FordHarrison attorney with whom you usually work.
