Hunton Immigration and Nationality Law Blog : Immigration Lawyer & Attorney : Hunton & Williams Law Firm : Workplace Enforcement, Immigration Visas

The USCIS announced that it received 124,000 Fiscal Year 2014 H-1B petitions between April 1, 2013, and April 5, 2013, including petitions filed for the advanced degree H-1B visas.  The lottery, which was held on Sunday, April 7, 2012, was conducted by a computer-generated random process for the 20,000 advanced degree H-1Bs.  Those not selected were added to a second lottery for the other 65,000 H-1Bs.  Receipt notices for those selected should arrive in the coming weeks.  The USCIS confirmed that it will begin adjudicating petitions filed under the expedited “Premium Processing” service on April 15, 2013. 

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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced this afternoon that as of April 5, 2013, it has received sufficient H-1B petitions (regular and master’s cases) to reach the statutory cap for Fiscal Year 2014 (10/1/2013 through 9/30/2014). This is significantly faster than the current fiscal year, when the cap was not reached until June 11, 2012.  Because the cap was met during the first five business days that employers could file Fiscal year 2014 petitions, a lottery will be held in the coming weeks to determine which cases will be accepted for processing, and which will be rejected.  Those chosen in the lottery will be issued receipt notices; those rejected will receive the original filings back from USCIS.

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The USCIS California Service Center recently changed the way it interprets H-1B requirements when job location changes, but duties and all other employment terms remain the same.

Previously, according to a 2003 USCIS memo, a simple change in job location did not require that a new petition be filed with USCIS.  The employer was required to analyze prevailing wage for the new location, file a new Labor Condition Application (LCA) with the Department of Labor, and post the required LCA notice at the new work site, but did not have to file an amended petition with USCIS.

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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced this afternoon that as of Monday, June 11, 2012, it has received sufficient H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap for Fiscal Year 2013 (10/1/2012 through 9/30/2013). Perhaps a sign of an improving economic situation in the United States, this is significantly faster than the current fiscal year, when the cap was not reached until November 22, 2011.
 
The H-1B cap applies only to petitions for new employment, and generally does not affect H-1B sponsors who request extensions or a change of employers. Cap-subject H-1B petitions received by USCIS after June 11th will be rejected. Employers who wish to sponsor an H-1B worker should contact Hunton & Williams to determine whether an exemption from the cap may be available or to develop the best strategy for mitigating the effects of the cap being reached.

H-1B petitions for Fiscal Year 2014 may be submitted as early as April 1, 2013, for employment beginning on October 1, 2013.

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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that as of November 22, 2011, it has received sufficient H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap for Fiscal Year 2012 (10/1/2011 through 9/30/2012).  The H-1B cap applies only to petitions for new employment, and generally does not affect H-1B sponsors who request extensions or a change of employers.  Cap-subject H-1B petitions received by USCIS after November 22nd will be rejected.  Employers who wish to sponsor an H-1B worker should contact Hunton & Williams to determine whether an exemption from the cap may be available or to develop the best strategy for mitigating the effects of the cap being reached.

H-1B petitions for Fiscal Year 2012 may be submitted as early as April 1, 2012, for employment beginning on October 1, 2012.

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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced recently that US employers who petition for foreign workers in the H-1B, H-1B1 (Chile/Singapore), L-1, and O-1A categories will not be required to complete Part 6 of Form I-129 until February 20, 2011.  Part 6 contains the employer certification regarding licensing requirements under export controls and ITAR, recently discussed in this blog. USCIS received a number of inquiries from stakeholders requesting that the agency delay implementation of this requirement in order to give petitioners time to establish the necessary internal processes to properly satisfy the attestation requirements.

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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recently issued a new Form I-129, effective December 23, 2010.  Part 6, "Release of Controlled Technology or Technical Data to Foreign Persons in the U.S.," requires an employer to certify it will not "release" controlled technology or data to an H-1B, L-1 or O-1 worker without the appropriate "export license," if one is required.  Under the Export Administration Regulations (EAR) and International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), a "deemed export" occurs when controlled technology or technical data is "disclosed" or "transferred" to a foreign person, whether in the United States or abroad.  This can occur when a foreign-national employee reads technical specifications, plans or blueprints or has direct access to source code; or when technology is indirectly exchanged with the employee verbally or under the guidance or supervision of others who have knowledge of the technology.  To comply with the law and properly complete the new form, an employer must first classify its technology or technical data to determine if an export license is required.  The EAR's Commerce Control List may be found here and the ITAR's U.S. Munitions List here.  Employers who are not certain if their technology requires an export license should consult with legal counsel who has expertise in export control law.

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The Department of State has revised its "visa reciprocity" schedule for China, effective July 9, 2010, allowing US embassies and consulates to issue 1-year, multiple-entry H-1B visas to Chinese nationals.  The new reciprocity schedule for China may be viewed at the State Department's website here.

Validity periods and other restrictions on US nonimmigrant visas, such as H-1B visas, are based on the concept of "reciprocity":  the validity and limitations another country imposes on US citizens for similar types of visas.  Previously, Chinese H-1B visas were limited to 3 months and only 2 entries to the United States, making frequent foreign travel problematic for Chinese H-1B workers and their U.S. employers.

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The U.S. Department of State has confirmed that contractors on a pre-approved list at the Kentucky Consular Center (KCC) are now auditing approved nonimmigrant petitions -- including H-1B and L-1 petitions -- in order to verify that information contained in the petitions is correct.  The audits are creating significant delays for petition-based visa applicants at embassies worldwide.

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In recent months there have been multiple reports that some H-1B workers arriving at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey have been questioned extensively by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers about their employment in the United States.  In some cases H-1B workers have been refused entry and/or had their visas cancelled.  CBP headquarters has since confirmed that most of these incidents occurred as part of an enforcement action involving companies that are under investigation for immigration violations, presumably involving fraudulent H-1B petitions or inadequate documentation.  Based on the types of questions being asked by CBP, there are also indications of increased scrutiny of H-1B workers who are employed by consulting firms, based on the January 2010 Neufeld memo discussed in our previous blog entry Indian nationals who are employed by consulting firms appear to be the primary targets of these enforcement efforts.

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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently issued a memorandum containing guidance for the processing of H-1B petitions involving certain employer-employee relationships, including self-employment, third-party site placements and independent contractors.  Specifically, the memo states that an H-1B employer must establish that it will maintain the "right to control" the "when, where, and how" a sponsored H-1B worker performs the job, thus raising concerns about the viability of previously acceptable employment arrangements.  This memo follows months of increased scrutiny by USCIS of H-1B petitions filed by consulting companies and H-1B employers that are owned by the employee who is being sponsored.

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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced this afternoon that as of December 21, 2009, it has received sufficient H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap for Fiscal Year 2010 (10/1/2009 through 9/30/2010).  The H-1B cap applies only to petitions for new employment, and generally does not affect H-1B sponsors who request extensions or a change of employers.  Petitions that were received by USCIS on December 21st are subject to a random selection process and some will ultimately be rejected.  Employers who wish to sponsor an H-1B worker should contact Hunton & Williams to determine whether an exemption from the cap may be available or to develop the best strategy for mitigating the effects of the cap being reached. 

H-1B petitions for Fiscal Year 2011 may be submitted as early as April 1, 2010, for employment beginning on October 1, 2010.

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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today that as of October 25, 2009, it had received all of the available 20,000 master's cap petitions, and approximately 52,800 petitions under the regular cap.  Although a total of 65,000 petitions are allowed each fiscal year, this figure includes 6,800 petitions that are reserved under treaties between the United States and Chile and Singapore.  Thus, less than 5,500 regular H-1B petitions are remaining for Fiscal Year 2010.  With more than 6,000 petitions filed during the four week period leading up to October 25th, it seems that the H-1B cap could be reached before November 25, 2009.  In light of new Department of Labor procedures that can result in preliminary steps taking several weeks to complete before an H-1B petition may be submitted, companies must identify workers that require H-1B sponsorship and commence the process as quickly as possible. Please click here for general information about the H-1B cap.

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