PHAM & CLOVES, PLLC

USCIS STILL ACCEPT H-1B APPLICATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2010

            As of May 11, 2009, USCIS still accepts H-1B applications for fiscal year 2010.  Every year, starting on April 1^st, USCIS will accept H-1B visa applications for the following fiscal year, which would allow foreign employee to start working on the following October 1^st.  There is a cap of 65,000 for H-1B visas whose beneficiary aliens have bachelor degrees.   There is also a cap of an additional 20,000 for H-1B visas whose beneficiary foreign employees who have master degrees from the U.S.  Every year, these caps usually run out soon after the April first accepting date.

            On May 11, 2009, USCIS announced the latest count of H-1B visa applications.  As of this date, USCIS received approximately 45,000 regular H-1B Applications and 20,000 H-1B applications with master degrees.  As such, employers who wish to employ highly skilled foreign nationals have a rare opportunity this year to continue filing H-1B applications for such persons.  Employers should take advantage of this opportunity to hire highly skilled employees and stay competitive in this difficult economy.  Employers who have foreign employee working for one of their branch or subsidiary oversea should also look into filing L-1 Intracompany Transferee visas for such employee.  Both H-1B and L-1A (as well as L-1B) visas are tools that enable employers to shape its workforce and retain the best talents. 

For more information, please contact the Houston Immigration Attorneys at Veritas Legal Group, P.C.   One of our Houston H-1B Visa Lawyers and one of our Houston L-1 Visa Attorneys will assist you in understanding and filing these applications for your foreign employee or prospective employee.  Our U.S. Immigration Attorneys can be reached at 832-484-9015 or through our online contact form.