On April 1, 2018, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting cap subject H-1B petitions for professional workers who will start employment on October 1, 2018. In past years, the high demand for these visas – and the limited supply of them – has resulted in an oversubscription of petition filings. There are only 65,000 visas available per fiscal year, with an additional 20,000 set aside for those who have graduated from master’s degree programs in the United States.
H-1B visas are the most common temporary work permits available to foreign national professionals, and employers should identify people who might require first time H-1B sponsorship, such as:
We anticipate that for this coming year, the H-1B cap will be reached the first week of April 2018.
Accordingly, if you are considering sponsorship of a foreign national for an H-1B visa next year, advance preparation is crucial to be prepared for the filing period. A careful review of both the applicant’s qualifications and the position offered by the U.S. petitioning company is important to assure that the H-1B filing is approved by U.S. Citizenship Services.