Boston partner Punam Rogers recently spoke to the technology industry website about what the USCIS announcement on electronic processing means for H-1B applications.
The U.S. government's new electronic H-1B visa registration will make it easier for employers to submit a visa application, but there is concern it might over-inflate competition for employers entering the H-B lottery by encouraging more visa petitions.
Through the new system, employers pay 10 dollars and fill out an online registration to be entered into the H-1B lottery, which is held in April. If a company's visa candidate wins, the employer then has 90 days to submit a full petition by mail with all the required fees.
The article further explores if the system will work as planned, rules outlined by the USCIS to prevent abuse and common system concerns among immigration attorneys.
Rogers is a fan of the new process, stating that it helps manage resources and makes filing applications a smoother process. However, she hopes USCIS “has enough IT support and help desk support to assist attorneys and employers who are going to be filing.”
The electronic registration period will run from March 1 to March 20, and the government will lengthen that period if needed or re-open the registration if there are problems.
The full article is available here.