The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to hire temporary nonimmigrant workers for specialty occupations. Specialty occupations are defined as occupations requiring the application of a "body of... more +
The H-1B visa program allows U.S. employers to hire temporary nonimmigrant workers for specialty occupations. Specialty occupations are defined as occupations requiring the application of a "body of highly specialized knowledge and the attainment of at least a bachelor's degree or its equivalent." Examples of specialty occupations include chemistry, mathematics, engineering, medicine, and architecture, to name a few. Individuals may not apply for H-1B visas; they are distributed only through the approval of employer petitions. In order to protect U.S. workers from unfair competition resulting from the program, the rules require that employers pay nonimmigrant workers equivalent wages to similarly-situated U.S. workers or the industry's prevailing wage. H-1B visas are subject to a yearly cap which is currently set at 85,000.
Less than 48 hours ago, by a vote of 13-5, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bipartisan immigration reform bill known as “The Border Security, Economic Opportunity & Immigration Modernization Act of 2013,”...more
Last month, the so-called “Gang of Eight” Democratic and Republican Senators released their comprehensive immigration reform bill entitled the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act of...more
In This Issue: Comprehensive Immigration Reform Debate Begins! USCIS Reports That H-1B Cap Is Reached in First Week; New Form I-9 Becomes Effective on May 7, 2013; CBP Announces Form I-94 Automation; DOS Permits Access to...more
In the February/March 2013 issue of the Immigration eAuthority, we outlined the respective proposals for immigration reform put forward by both the President and a bipartisan group of eight senators. We also noted that...more
The so-called Gang of Eight – a bipartisan group of Senators – unveiled its proposed immigration legislation yesterday. The landmark legislation would make the biggest changes to U.S. immigration law in more than 25 years. A...more
For the first time since 2008, the statutory H-1B cap of 65,000 per fiscal year was reached within the first week of the filing period. In addition, the Immigration Service received more than 20,000 H-1B petitions filed on...more
On April 7, 2013, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) conducted the lottery process for fiscal year 2014 cap-subject H-1B petitions. The computer-generated random selection process included approximately 124,000...more
On April 5, 2013, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that, for the first time since 2008, the H-1B cap for FY 2014 had been met within the first week of the filing period. According to the agency, it...more
On April 8, 2013, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued an update on the fiscal year 2014 H-1B cap, stating that: "For the first time since 2008, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services...more
On April 5, 2013, USCIS closed FY 2014 H-1B filings after receipt of approximately 124,000 petitions. USCIS conducted a lottery process to determine the 20,000 U.S. Master Degree and 65,000 general category H-1Bs to be...more
On April 5, 2013, USCIS announced that it had received more than the allotted 65,000 “regular” and 20,000 US master’s degree applications for H-1B status. ...more
USCIS has announced that the H-1B Cap for FY 2014 has been reached and a lottery will conducted for H-1B cap petitions received between April 1 and April 5, 2013. USCIS issued the following statement...more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has stopped accepting H-1B petitions subject to the 2014 fiscal year H-1B cap or the advanced degree exemption....more
On April 5, 2013, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had received more than enough H-1B petitions to meet the numerical limit for fiscal year 2014 cap-subject H-1B visas, which includes both...more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS") announced today that it has received a sufficient number of H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap for fiscal year ("FY") 2014. USCIS also announced that it had received...more
The H-1B “cap” (numerical limit) is 65,000 for “regular” cases plus 20,000 for persons who have earned U.S. master’s degrees. Each year this number is “released” April 1 – 5, in a process reminiscent of the Running of the...more
April 1 is fast approaching and almost everyone agrees that the H-1B cap will be filled very quickly this year. Recently, the government was added to the list of those who thought exactly this and announced as much to the...more
On March 15, 2013, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced, based on feedback received from "stakeholders," that it anticipates receiving "more petitions than the H-1B cap between April 1, 2013, and...more
With just over a week and a half before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) begins accepting H-1B petitions for Fiscal Year (FY) 2014, USCIS announced that it anticipates caps will likely be reached within...more
Florida healthcare staffing company, Avant Healthcare Professionals LLC, has agreed to pay $27,750 to resolve charges by the U.S. Department of Justice that the company posted discriminatory job advertisements on the...more
On Friday, March 15, USCIS announced how it plans to process FY 2014 H-1B cap filings. In the USCIS press release, USCIS indicated that it was preparing for the likelihood that the H-1B cap may be reached during the April 1 –...more
Employers who wish to hire foreign specialty workers should immediately consider preparations for filing their petitions in April to sponsor H-1B workers for fiscal year 2014, which starts on Oct. 1, 2013. A flurry of early...more
USCIS has announced it expects that all 65,000 “regular” and all 20,000 U.S. master’s degree H-1B slots will be filled in the first five days of filing (April 1 – 5) for the first time since 2008. The government estimate was...more
The H-1B cap for Fiscal Year 2014 consists of only 65,000 regular visas, and an additional 20,000 are available to only individuals with advanced degrees from American universities....more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 cap on Monday, April 1, 2013. See a copy of the full press release at...more
JD Supra gets your content noticed, increases your visibility and makes your marketing efforts hassle free...
Learn More or Schedule a demo
