On August 1st, 2023, the USCIS announced it had completed a second round of H-1B registration selections for the FY 2024 visa lottery. Registrants notified of their selection after this round have from August 2nd to October 31st, 2023, to submit their complete applications for their H-1B visas. Initially, a second round of H-1B lottery selections appeared unlikely for FY
Family immigration is among the most popular methods of seeking permanent residency in the US. However, the significant restrictions on family visas mean that only people with a direct and immediate legal relationship can sponsor someone for these immigration visas. For example, a US citizen or lawful permanent resident may only sponsor their spouse for a visa because they are
The H-1B visa registration, lottery, and application process for FY 2024 has been fraught so far. After USCIS announced its second lottery picks, it became clear that the agency anticipates low approval ratings from the first-round selections. This comes after it announced wide-reaching fraud investigations to address the shockingly high number of registrations for the period. The agency initially selected
Employment visas are more in demand than ever among people seeking to immigrate to the US. For example, the H-1B program received over 700,000 registrations for just 85,000 potential visas for fiscal year (FY) 2024. That’s why alternatives like the EB-5 visa are becoming increasingly popular. In 2022, the EB-5 visa was subject to revisions that made the program more
The FY 2024 H-1B lottery season has been one of the most complicated application periods of the last decade, and this shows no sign of changing. In a recent development, nearly 70 OPT visa holders have sued the federal government, claiming their H-1B applications were unjustly denied. The class-action lawsuit, Sharma et al. v. United States Department of Homeland Security,
In a significant move to support potential US immigrants, the US President’s Advisory Commission has approved a recommendation to recapture up to 230,000 green cards that have gone unused since 1992. Normally, the US offers up to 140,000 green cards annually. However, these visas are subject to caps based on country of origin. Only 7% of the 140,000 limit may
After six months of little word about the proposal, USCIS has announced that proposed increases to visa fees will not be instituted until March 2024. This is excellent news for both potential employment visa recipients and their sponsors, as the rate increases primarily focused on these applications. However, USCIS is just delaying fee hikes, not canceling them. The agency still
Foreign nationals with H-1B visas rely on their employment to remain in the US. H-1B holders are technically defined as nonimmigrants, but many have approved I-140 applications and are waiting for their green card. This nonimmigrant status puts them in a precarious and even dangerous position if they lose their jobs. In most cases, they must either find new employment
For the first time since 2008, the US citizenship test is being permanently updated. According to advocates, the new design could put people with lower English proficiency levels at a disadvantage. The exam is a critical step toward receiving US citizenship. Many people never receive full citizenship, instead living in the US as permanent residents with their green cards instead.
US H-1B visas are more popular than ever before. In fact, these employment visas are so renowned for attracting educated and driven applicants that Canada has opened a program specifically to poach H-1B holders. This program, known as the Tech Talent Strategy, was designed to attract some of the best and brightest H-1B applicants to Canada. It offered applicants with
The employers’ step-by-step guide to
THE H1-B PROCESS
FY2024
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