Employers and potential employees (and some immigration lawyers) are very confused when it comes to H1B visa numbers this year. The major reduction in the number of filings for H1B petitions has risen questions from employers regarding whether there is a set closing date for filing H1B cap petitions for…
The immigration system mirrors the economy, now we know it. H1B visas are still available with more than 15,000 are up for grabs. The numbers are pretty much unchanged since late May. As of August 14, 2009, approximately 45,000 H-1B cap-subject petitions and approximately 20,000 petitions qualifying for the advanced…
The H1B visa program is unlikely to reach its cap of 65,000 before the start of the 2010 fiscal with nearly 20,000 vacancies amid the economic downturn. This has happened for the first time in several years that the demand for the visas, which is mostly availed by Indian professionals,…
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) is transitioning to a fully web-based nonimmigrant visa form. This form, DS-160, eventually will replace the forms currently used to apply for nonimmigrant visas at the U.S. consulates. The new form is currently being used at twelve consular posts around the world. The new…
For the first time in several years the H1B visa system, is unlikely to reach its cap of 65,000 before the start of the 2010 fiscal with nearly 18,000 slots lying vacant thanks to the US economy. As of August 8, 2009, approximately 44,900 H-1B cap-subject petitions had been received…
Recently AILA shared some information about a “new” benefit fraud assessment program in which USCIS is beginning to use the millions of dollars it has received over the last decade from the “fraud fee” in the H-1B program. This new program involves the hiring of a private contractor to send…
There is not a dull moment this summer for us immigration lawyers, all thanks to good old USCIS. On 8/6/09 USCIS announced that it has reopened the fiscal year 2009 H-2B petition filing period and will immediately accept petitions. This is after closing the cap in January this year. How…
These are fun and hot summer days for us Immigration lawyers filing H1B cases. As employers are starting to hire again, we are faced with the challenges of the new Labor Condition Application System, iCert. The Labor Condition Application is a document which must be certified by the US Department…
After several years of investigations and further scrutiny, the R1 visa is back in the Premium Processing category under certain strict conditions. Only those petitioners who have successfully passed an on-site inspection are eligible to use Premium Processing Service. Premium Processing Service is only available for R-1 nonimmigrant religious worker…
U.S. Department of Labor has implemented a new integrated online system – known as the iCert Portal – through which employers can submit applications for permanent labor certification, labor condition applications (LCAs) and other applications for immigration-related DOL programs. In addition, the agency will introduce new editions of Form ETA-9089,…