On Monday, April 2, 2018, employers may first apply for the Fiscal Year 2019 H-1B visas for individuals not currently in H-1B status for a start date of October 1, 2018.
During the first week applications were accepted for the Fiscal Year 2018, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) received approximately 199,000 H-1B petitions and conducted a random lottery to choose the 85,000 petitions for the H-1B cap—65,000 for the general category and 20,000 for the U.S. advanced degree category. This H-1B cap, however, does not apply to extensions of H-1B status, those obtaining H-1B status to teach at academic institutions, those teaching at related nonprofit or government research organizations, or J wavier physicians.
Our Santa Barbara immigration attorneys at Appel & Morse anticipate a similar high demand again for H-1B visas this year due to due to the Trump administration’s goal to overhaul the program, potentially leading to the deportation of 750,000 Indians. Silicon Valley companies, including Google, Apple, and Intel argue they need the visas to hire highly skilled foreign tech workers they can’t find in the United States.
If you are interested in filing for an H-1B visa in Southern California or if you are approaching the six-year limit of your H-1B eligibility, contact our Santa Barbara immigration attorneys at Appel & Morse today.