The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on Friday (Jan. 8) new regulations for H-1B work visa applications, which will eliminate the existing lottery system and prioritize the issuance of visas based on the applicant’s salary level. The new rules will go into effect on March 9 of this year and will not affect applicants who have filed prior to that date.
The H-1B work visa authorization allows foreign professionals to be employed to work in the United States. Under the new regulations, the U.S. government will use the applicant’s length of employment and work experience as criteria to divide the applicant into four salary levels, with Level 1 being the lowest and Level 4 being the highest, with priority given to applicants in the higher levels while the annual quota of 85,000 visas remains unchanged.
USCIS said the new rules are designed to protect the economic interests of U.S. workers while ensuring that talented foreign workers benefit from them, with USCIS Deputy Director Joseph Edlow noting that H-1B work visas are being abused by employers who hire for entry-level positions and want to reduce operating costs, preventing the U.S. from attracting the best international talent through the program.
The new regulations have led to higher costs for U.S. companies to hire foreign workers, according to an analysis by immigration lawyers cited by foreign media. And because the number of H1B applications in the U.S. each year is over the limit, new applicants and those lacking work experience will be less likely to receive visas.
Recent Comments