Tag Archives: h1b lottery

H1B Visa FY2011 Quota Predictions & Costs

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You may remember last year we did an H1B Visa FY2010 quota prediction at around the same time of the year. Given how popular that post was through 2009, especially with the long H1B visa season we have decided again to do it this year.

Now you may remember some of the predictions we made last year turned out not to come true mainly due to the economic conditions of the time. However anyone following the advice of that post and getting their application in on time on April 1, which is the first day the USCIS will accept new H1B visa petitions, meant earlier approval for your H1b visa application which is always a good thing.

This year we thought we would do even more for you and try to be helpful by including the H1B visa costs in this post as well as some of the tips and savings to look out for in your US job search and subsequent H1B visa application

However one thing we do know is that following the end of the FY2010 H1B visa season there was a real rush of H1B visa applications as the US economy stabilized during the latter half of 2009. In fact there was so many H1B visa applications reight towards the end the USCIS had to put out an edict for a lottery type system they would use for rejecting H1B visa petitions so as not go beyond the 65,000 quota mandate.

Therefore the expectation for FY2011 H1B visa season beginning on April 1, 2010 is that is should be a lot more competitive and we may even go back to circumstances of previous year. This includes closing acceptance of new H1B visa applications soon after the April 1 commencement and other procedures like the H1B visa lottery for both the Advanced Degree Exemption quota of 20,000 and the main H1B visa quota of 65,000.

We did some H1B visa Season Tips for you already which should really give you the best chance of getting your application approved. Now while we do expect it to be more competitive in 2010, we don’t expect it to be like the crazy years of 2006-8 but we still implore everyone to find their H1B employer sponsors now, get your approved Labor Condition Application (LCA) from the Department of Labor and have all your H1B supporting documents ready to file immediately to file via your employer or attorney on April 1, 2010, This is the best thing to avoid disappointment.

It is our expectation that by the end of May 2010 at the latest all H1B visas will be allotted for this current season.

Also do not necessarily think, like the optimistic view in 2007, that the H1B visa quota will increase in coming years. There is already legislation submitted to the US congress to limit the scope of the H1B visa and even the quota further.

H1B Visa Costs

To Apply for the Visa; (all USD)
1. USCIS Filing Fee with USCIS $390 – Form I-129 (Spouse optional H4 Fee is $300)
2. Fraud Detection Fee with USCIS $500
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3. LCA Filing Fee with Department of Labor FREE – Form ETA 9035/9035e (a small win here…although am sure will change one day)
Also have to ensure prevailing wages are met as well in this part so you are paid the same or more as a US worker in same position)
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4. Premium Filing Fee $1,000 (optional – Form I-901) – excessive designed to help process where your legal representative has access to case officer phone number and decisions are made fast in 15 days and can also aid spouse partner H4 visa process
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5. ACWIA Fee $750 or $1,500 – if your petition is successful this goes to a training fund for US workers and is $1,500 unless you have less than 25 full time employees. Some government, education and non-profit institutions are exempt from this fee
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6. Consular Application Fee $131 (x2 for spouse)
7. Visa Issuance Fee $100 (x2 for spouse) (but varies by country so check the Visa Reciprocity Section of the USCIS

(NB: If able to transfer to H1B visa status within US without needing to leave the country if you current non-immigrant visa status expires after October 1, then you can file form I-539 with the USCIS along with I-129. If filing these forms together there is no additional fee)

Total If Visa Issued Outside US: $1,871 to $2,621 (plus $1,000 Premium Filing Fee if Opted)

Total If Visa Status Change within US (if eligible): $1,640 to $2,390 (plus $1,000 Premium Filing Fee if Opted)

NB: If you change your status to H1B within the US and then later travel outside the US for whatever reason, then to re-enter the US you will need to get an H1B visa stamp in your passport anyway so have to attend as US Consulate or Embassy interview in a foreign country.

It is important to realize that none of the above costs include any legal costs at all so if you are deciding whether you need a layer for your H1B visa process if you are paying for one yourself, that you realize what the actual H1B visa application costs are as listed above and thus what your lawyer is charging you for their time. You should note it is NOT mandatory at all to have an attorney

Technically all the H1B visa costs including legal costs are meant to be paid by your employer and most good employers will do all this for you but a few try to pass this cost in various devious ways back to the employee.

If you are paying for a lawyer itself it can be good to get a fixed legal quote for the entire H1B visa process and to shop around but also know that you often get what you pay for and additional work will no doubt cost extra.

Finally is you are trying to decide whether any of the many H1B visa help sites like H1Base or H1visajobs are worth the fees they charge to help in your search then definitely read our reviews and others before making up your mind.

Good Luck,

CJ

H1B Visa Season FY2011 Tips for April 1, 2010

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H1B visa season is hotting up again and we want to try to help all those foreigners who are seeking to work in the US now after a tough H1B Visa season FY2010 in 2009.

Already this year we have listed the most recent Top 25 Employer Sponsors of H1B visas to give you an idea of who most recently has been hiring foreign workers even during the tougher economic times of last year. Then we also covered some great H1B visa application filing FAQs as well as covered all the H1B visa petition supporting documents you need for a successful application.

There is every indication this year that things should go back more to normal due to the better economic conditions. This means that it is more likely you will need to get your H1B petition filed close to the April 1, 2010 filing date to ensure you have the best chance of being approved for a successful application.

What this means that even things like the H1B visa lottery may be reinstated this year if there is an over supply of application for the 65,000 H1B visa quota for the main group along with the additional 20,000 quota for those with US based advanced degrees (i.e. Master’s or higher).

This H1B visa lottery in past years has left many deserving foreigners and their employers with work approval so it is critical that you get your application early to avoid any random selection in the process.

Some other general tips for H1B visa season include;

  1. H1B visa Premium Filing: If you either have means to pay for premium processing or your prospective H1B visa employer sponsor on your behalf can on your behalf, then certainly do. This is where the USCIS guarantees a response of approval, denial or need for more information within 15 days of filing (otherwise they refund the money). This costs $1,000 and while it doesn’t directly mean your chances are better it does give your employer/attorney direct access to the USCIS assessing case officer. (you can’t do this on your own behalf). This of course tends to help the whole application process being approved and being done quickly
  2. Understand Specialty Occupation & Wage Requirements: Due to the tougher economic conditions there is definitely more of a focus from the USCIS and US Department of Labor (DOL) that these are enforced. Specialty occupation in its broadest sense can mean any occupation that requires and specifies as so a Bachelors Degree minimum requirement with a few exceptions. However it is important that role as defined in the your H1B application to the USCIS and prior ETA-9035(e) filing with the US Department of Labor to receive your LCA is as specialized as possible. The more generic your title and job duties, the greater the risk of denial either at these points or even when applying for your H1B visa at your US Consulate or Embassy Interview
  3. Beware of H1B visa Fraud: In years gone by many individuals and employers were more easily able to get away with either borderline following the rule H1B visa petitions or more fraudlent H1B visa applications. They were borderline and/or fraudulent in the areas of who was actually employing the foreigner, where their job sites would be, who was paying them, whether they were really employees or contract workers paid by the job, whether they were benched (meaning not working or being paid waiting for their employer to send them to a new role), etc. Currently there are more regular H1B visa site audits, additional scrutiny of applications at all levels from the DOL to USCIS and the US Consulates and more alarmingly recently H1B visa deportations of approved H1B workers.
  4. US Immigration & Employment Trends: Ensure that you are fully versed in the best locations and industry sectors to look for work in the US. We documents these immigration and employment trends recently and you will see that areas like Texas and Florida and then industry sectors like Health, Education, Green Energy and Internet are among the best places to search for jobs.
  5. US Job Applications: Understand the best places to look for work in the US, how to create a US style resume, issues and extension benefits if transferring from the F1 visa OPT program and finally great US job interview techniques

Good luck in this H1B visa season to all foreigners and we look forward hearing your stories and experiences as the season unfolds.

CJ