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The U.S. Department of Labor has released PERM statistics for the first eight months of the fiscal year that began last October. Of the 43,100 applications it processed, 27,600 (64%) were certified, 83% were for H-1B and H-1B1 visas, 44% were for IT-related fields, and 55% were for applicants from India. The minimum education requirement was an advanced degree for 51% of those certified, and a bachelor degree for 39%. The Department certified more applications in the last two months than in either of the prior three-month periods.

Israeli investors will soon be able to apply for the E-2 visa, which allows holders to live and work in the U.S. for an extended period of time while overseeing a major investment in the United States. Legislation to allow Israelis to apply for these visas was approved in Congress in May 31 and signed by the President this month. The legislation requires that similarly situated United States nationals must be eligible for similar nonimmigrant status in Israel. Therefore, visa applications will be accepted once Israel confirms that it will issue similar visas to U.S. citizens.

Some folks are predicting that H-1 quota may last a lot longer than just April.

Remember also, if there is a lottery, ALL cases received by and including 5 April will be included in the lottery. As the regulation 8 CFR 214.2(h)(8)(ii)(B) states: 

My I-140 was filed in February 2004. The National Visa Centre, in its letter dated 24th June 2010, informed that they had completed processing of my petition seeking immigration to the USA and had forwarded it to the American Embassy/Consulate at New Delhi. I was informed that an immigrant visa interview had been scheduled at the US Consulate, New Delhi on the 9th of August, 2010 at 10.45 am. 

Premium Processing for Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions to Begin April 15, 2013

Released: March 15, 2013

WASHINGTON: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2014 cap on Monday, April 1, 2013. Cases will be considered accepted on the date that USCIS receives a properly filed petition for which the correct fee has been submitted; not the date that the petition is postmarked.

US Department of State, which is responsible for monitoring and controlling the priority date movement, has made the following comments regarding the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 (October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013):

EB-2 China and India

Legislation to Eliminate Annual Per-Country H-1B Limits Passes One Hurdle

The U.S. State Department is launching a pilot program to pre-screen E-1/E-2 visa applicants at consular posts in Canada. Kentucky Consular Center officials will contact the E-1/E-2 applicant's U.S. employer to verify information about the application, including the legitimacy of the company and the investment. This prescreening aims to assist consular officers to focus on the individual applicant's qualifications. The State Department hopes to implement the pilot around the world at consular posts that process E visa applications.