By Roger W. Hood | An H-1B visa allows companies to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations, and the annual opening date to accept applications for H-1B visas is quickly approaching. On April 1st, the window will open and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will accept non-immigrant H-1B visa applications for up to 65,000 slots for fiscal year 2014, which starts on October 1, 2013.
Why is April 1st important to your company? The quota is often quickly filled for new H-1B visa applications in just a few months… and the application process is quite lengthy. Last year, the quota was filled in early June. In most situations, a company will need to obtain a Labor Certification from the Department of Labor affirming that no United States workers are qualified for the position being offered prior to filing the H-1B application. If/when the position is certified by the DOL, the H-1B application can then be submitted by the company to USCIS on behalf of the prospective foreign worker.
Again, preparation of an H-1B visa is fairly complex. If your company is considering an eligible foreign candidate for a specialty occupation position, now is the time to act.
To contact the author of this post, email Roger at rhood@duffysweeney.com We welcome your comments and suggestions.