Visas & Advice Detail
H-1Bs still available
In recent years the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has closed the door for H-1B applications soon after they open the flood gates on 1st April. Not this year, though.
USCIS announced on 20th April that they had received just 44,000 H-1B petitions, with the cap 65,000. Additionally, the US government agency has received approximately 20,000 petitions for aliens with advanced degrees, but as not all these petitions are expected to be approved, the USCIS is still welcoming applications from people educated to masters degrees level or better towards the 20,000 available every year.
US firms are usually beating down the doors of the USCIS offices to submit their petitions to hire workers in specialty occupations, with technology firms particularly keen on foreign workers. USCIS officials claim the slowdown is due to the economic climate. However, others claim that moves to ensure jobs go to US citizens before foreigner workers may be the cause of fewer applications.
We have previously reported in this newsletter that the 'Employ American Workers Act' (EAWA), signed into law by President Obama on 17th February was created to ensure that companies receiving emergency government funding do not displace US workers.
Therefore, though it is good news for many that there are still H-1B visas available this year, immigration advocates are concerned by the lower number of applications, as they feel attracting foreign skilled workers is essential to economic recovery in the US. Assurances from President Obama that he will not fall on isolationist policies are yet to bear fruit in some areas of his legislation, particularly regarding immigration.