U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on April 7 that it has received a sufficient number of H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap of 65,000 visas for fiscal year (FY) 2015. USCIS has also received more than the limit of 20,000 H-1B petitions filed under the advanced degree exemption.
This checklist is optional to assist FY 2015 H-1B petioners submit an I-129 H-1B petiton.
Please click on the attachment to view the checklist.
Release Date: March 25, 2014
Premium Processing for Cap-Subject Petitions to Begin by April 28, 2014
WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the fiscal year (FY) 2015 cap on April 1, 2014. Cases will be considered accepted on the date that USCIS receives a properly filed petition with the correct fee. USCIS will not rely on the date that the petition is postmarked.
USCIS SCOPS (Service Center Operations Directorate) and AILA Tleconference Agenda discussing issues on H-1B Processing and Adjudications, I-140 Adjudications based on Certified ETA-9089, I-140 Erroneously Rejected & Priority Date No Longer Current, G-28s Not Recognized and other topics.
Please click the attachment for more details.
If an H-1B, H-2A, or H-2B petitioner submits evidence establishing that the primary reason for failing to timely file an extension of stay or change of status request was due to the government shutdown, USCIS will consider the government shutdown as an extraordinary circumstance and excuse the late filing, if the petitioner meets all other applicable requirements.
Please click the attachment below or clike this link here to view the Report on Characteristics of H1B Speciality Occupation Workers
FY 2013 Third Quarter for PERM,H-1B, H-2B and H-2A as of 06/15/1013
Currently, the LCR displays all certified H-1B1 and E-3 Labor Condition Applications (LCA) and Permanent labor certifications, dating back to April 15, 2009. However, the Department is experiencing technical difficulties with the display of approved H-1B LCAs. In addition, due to the historical paper-based filings of H-2A and H-2B applications, these labor certification documents must be manually redacted and uploaded to the LCR and, therefore, only a limited number of records covering Fiscal Year 2013 are currently available.
The period of time when an F-1 student’s status and work authorization expire through the start date of their approved H-1B employment period is known as the "Cap-Gap".