Inc.com Article: How to Obtain an H1-B Visa

 

A good overview article on Inc.com on the H1-B.

How to Obtain an H1-B Visa

The employer-centric article hits hits the main points of an H1-B.  As noted before, the numbers for the H1-B visa this year is down as it was last two years, so as of June 2011, there are plenty of H1-B visa slots.  As to employers hiring, that’s a different issue . . .

 

 

E-2 visa helps many non-U.S. citizens start small firms

E-2 visa helps many non-U.S. citizens start small firms.

Los Angeles Times article revisits an old standby, the E-2 visa, aimed at small business entrepreneurs.

A few things to keep in mind about the article:

1) It discusses a $50,000 minimum investment, but that number was plucked from a now unpublished guidance memo.  The minimum varies from consular office to consular office and the business being proposed, but oftentimes it is much higher than the $50,000.

2)  The E-2 only works if the foreign national’s country has an E-2 treaty in place.  Check this list from the US  State Department to make sure you qualify:

Official List of E-2 Treaty Countries

Wall Street Journal : H1-Bs Lose Cachet

As a follow up to an earlier post about the plummeting H1-B applications, the Wall Street Journal discusses some of the issues plaguing the H1-B visas:

Wall Street Journal:  Long-Prized Tech Visas Lose Cachet

H1-B numbers: Canary in the Mine?

There used to be a time when there was an actual lottery for the 65,000 H1-B slots.  A few years ago, USCIS would get 120,000 application on the second day of accepting applications (April 2nd) and then shut down accepting any more applications.  A lottery would ensue — giving one a rough 2 to 1 chance to even get _accepted_.

For fiscal year 2011, when applications were accepted on April 1, 2010 to begin work on Oct. 1, 2010 — the cap was not reached until January of 2011.

This year, as of May 15, 2011, only 10,000+ applications have been received.

I would imagine that an increase in H1-B numbers, if it happens, will be a good indicator of a true economic recovery in the US.

Visa Bulletin

 

For the latest Visa Bulletin from the State Department:
http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_4587.html

 

 

Visa Bulletin December 2009

 

The December 2009 visa bulletin is available.

Click here to get the full report.

H1-B Cap Count Update for FY 2010

As of August 7, 2009, only 44,900 H1-B applications have been received.  The number of applications has not changed from the update in July.

H1-B visas are still available.

NY Times: Obama Sets Immigration Changes for 2010

44th President of the United States

The New York Times has an article discussing Obama’s declaration that any real discussion of immigration reform has to be postponed at least until next year.

Depending on how you look at the situation, it’s promising that the President is still addressing the need for comprehensive immigration reform.  Or it’s frustrating that it has been officially pushed back to next year.  Given the complex nature of any proposed reform and the political capital he is currently expending to reform health care in the United States, it is an understandable delay.

Click here to read the full article.

Visa Bulletin for September 2009

The September 2009 Visa Bulletin is available.  The third employment category is still unavailable.  However, the Fourth Category — Special Immigrant Category and the Certain Religious Worker Category became UNAVAILABLE.  They expe

Because of the new regulations concerning Religious Workers enacted last year — the category for non-ministers is set to expire on September 30, 2009.

Please click here for the entire bulletin.

H1-B Cap Count Update for FY 2010

H1B numbers are still available.  As of July 10, USCIS reports that only 44,900 H1-B cap subject applications have been received.

Therefore, the H1-B route is still a good avenue for many clients.