Posts Tagged ‘cap’
Update: H-1B Count 05/26/2011
As of May 26, 2011, the USCIS has received 13,100 H-1B regular cap petitions (of 65,000) and 9000 U.S. advanced degree petitions (of 20,000). An H-1B work visa is a temporary status for a professional holding a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree (or the equivalent in experience) in a specific specialty and working in a position that requires such degree (or experience). Please see prior posts for more details.
As you can see, there are plenty of H-1B numbers left. Please don’t hesitate to contact our San Francisco Immigration Law Office if you need assistance with an H-1B petition.
Tags: cap, H-1B, H-1B visa, quota, specialty occupation, USCIS
Posted in Alerts, H-1B, USCIS | Read More »
H-1B Count As Of 04/15/2011
The most recent H-1B count shows that only 7100 regular cap petitions (of 65,000) have been received at the USCIS and 5100 U.S. Master’s petitions (of 20,000).
H-1B status is a temporary work status for an individual with a Bachelor’s or higher degree (or equivalent experience) in a specific specialty who will be working in a professional position that requires that degree (or experience). Each year, there is a limited number of H-1B work visas available. As of 04/15/2011, there are many slots left.
Please contact our San Francisco Immigration Law Office if you need assistance with an H-1B petition.
Tags: cap, H-1B, quota, specialty occupation, U.S. Master's
Posted in Alerts, H-1B, Nonimmigrant Visas | Read More »
H-1B Cap Is Wide Open
As of April 7, 2011, the USCIS has received 5,900 petitions (of 65,000) under the regular cap and 4,500 petitions (of 20,000) under the U.S. Master’s cap. Thus, both caps remain wide open for filings.
The H-1B cap system refers to the allotted number of H-1B slots available each fiscal year. The cap opened April 1, 2011 and to date, there are over 70,000 total slots left.
As discussed in prior posts, the H-1B visa category is for professionals holding a Bachelor’s degree or higher in a specific specialty. The professional must be working in a position that requires their Bachelor’s degree or a related degree.
Please contact our San Francisco Immigration Law Office if you need assistance with an H-1B petition.
Tags: cap, H-1B, quota, USCIS
Posted in Alerts, H-1B, Nonimmigrant Visas | Read More »
ALERT! H-1B Master’s Cap Closed; Regular Cap To Close Soon
The USCIS has receipted 20,000 of the 20,000 slots available for the U.S. Master’s cap (the annual quota of H-1B slots for holders of U.S. Master’s degrees). As of 12/31/2010, the regular cap had 7,700 slots left (of 65,000). This category is now open to anyone applying with a Bachelor’s or higher degree from anywhere in the world, including the U.S.
As stated in previous posts, the H-1B category is for individuals working in positions complex enough to require a degree in a specific specialty. The individual must possess that degree or a related degree (or its equivalent in experience).
Please contact our San Francisco Immigration Law Office as soon as possible if you’d like assistance with an H-1B cap petition. The USCIS could close the cap at any time without notice, so timing is critical. Note that the next cap filing period opens April 1, 2011 for an October 1, 2011 start date.
Tags: cap, H-1B, quota, regular, U.S. Master's
Posted in Alerts, H-1B, Nonimmigrant Visas, USCIS | Read More »
H-1B Slots Slowly Going
As of 11/26/2010, only 50,400 regular H-1B slots (of 65,000) and 18,400 U.S. Master’s slots (of 20,000) have been used. As stated in previous posts, the H-1B category is for individuals seeking to work in the U.S. in a professional position that requires a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree in specific specialty or the equivalent experience.
Last year, the cap closed December 21, 2009, but it appears to still be wide open as we enter this final calendar month. This is not to say it won’t close in December, however, at the rate it’s going, we’d be surprised. Please contact our San Francisco Immigration Law Office if you’d like assistance with an H-1B petition.
Tags: cap, H-1B, H-1B count, quota, U.S. Master's cap
Posted in Alerts, Nonimmigrant Visas, USCIS | Read More »
Fiscal Year Underway and H-1B’s Still Available
The USCIS reported October 1, 2010, that 40,600 (of 65,000) H-1B cap-subject petitions and 14,900 of (of 20,000) U.S. Master’s cap petitions have been received.
As mentioned in prior posts, the H-1B category is for individuals who wish to perform temporary work in the U.S. in positions that require a Bachelor’s or higher degree (i.e. in a specialty occupation). Each year, 65,000 slots are allotted for holders of Bachelor’s degree or the equivalent experience and 20,000 slots are allotted for U.S. Master’s degree holders (or higher), totaling 85,000 slots.
Please contact our San Francisco immigration law office if you’d like assistance filing an H-1B petition.
Tags: cap, H-1B, quota, specialty occupation
Posted in Alerts, H-1B, Nonimmigrant Visas, USCIS | Read More »
The H-1B Category Remains Wide Open
As of September 3, 2010, the USCIS has received 36,600 (of 65,000) H-1B regular cap petitions and 13,400 (of 20,000) U.S. Master’s cap petitions. The H-1B category is a temporary work category for foreign nationals with at least a Bachelor’s degree (or the equivalent experience) in a specific specialty. An employer must petition for the individual and the job offer must require the specific degree field or a related degree field to that of the foreign national.
Each fiscal year, the H-1B category is subject to the numerical limitations above. There are many slots left for the 2011 fiscal year, which begins October 1, 2010. Please contact our San Francisco immigration law office if you need assistance with an H-1B petition.
Tags: cap, H-1B, quota, USCIS
Posted in Alerts, Nonimmigrant Visas, USCIS | Read More »
Alert: H-1B Filing Season is Around The Corner
The H-1B filing period for fiscal year 2011 (for a start date of October 1, 2010) will open on April 1, 2010. The H-1B category is used by an employer to sponsor a foreign national to work in a specialty occupation, which is a position requiring, at a minimum, a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
As you may already be aware, there are a limited number of H-1B visas each fiscal year: 65,000 slots for holders of Bachelor’s degrees and 20,000 additional slots for holders of Master’s degrees or higher level degrees from U.S. universities. In 2007 and 2008, the numerical limit was reached in the first few days of April . In 2009, due to the struggling economy, the quota was not met until December 21, 2009.
While there is no way to predict how quickly the visas will be used this year, we do anticipate that demand will increase from last year, and therefore we recommend that all employers planning to file H-1B petitions file them on April 1, 2010 so as to ensure the greatest chances of success.
Filing an H-1B this year requires more lead time for preparation than in prior years. This is because in 2009, the Department of Labor (DOL) rolled out a new system for certifying the Labor Condition Application (LCA), a form required in the filing. This new system, involving manual review of all LCA’s, has created unforeseen delays and unpredictability of timing in the H-1B process. Under the old system, the LCA could be certified automatically upon an attorney submitting it online. Certification is now projected to take 7 days. However, in many instances, the LCA is denied erroneously because of DOL computer error, and must be re-filed, making the exact length of the LCA process unpredictable.
Please contact our office if you’d like to file an H-1B petition for fiscal year 2011. Given the changes discussed here, it would be prudent to begin the process as soon as possible. We look forward to assisting you.
Tags: cap, DOL, FEIN, H-1B, iCert, LCA, quota, tax identification number
Posted in Uncategorized | Read More »
