VISA2US Blog

Obtaining a visa to work and live in the United States is challenging, especially if you intend to file for permanent residency once you’re settled into your new country. The process is quite lengthy and can take years (or even decades) for some people, depending on their situation. But if you qualify for a National Interest Waiver, much of this wait time and headache is eliminated. The key to successfully receiving this coveted document is to pass the US government’s three-prong method, and we’ll explain what that includes here.

Obtaining approval for a National Interest Waiver is an exciting step in your journey to permanent United States residency. Understandably, this is a challenging endeavor to undertake, as you must prove to the government that your skills and knowledge are essential to the overall national interest of the country. One such field that tends to fall under this category is that of scientists, and if your studies lead you into the biological science realm, you may qualify for this coveted waiver, as we’ll discuss here.

If you’ve paid attention to the immigration scene in the United States recently, you’ve heard about the mass layoffs in the tech industry over the past year. As mega-corporations dealt with the long-term fallout of the pandemic, a somewhat unexpected result was the need to reduce jobs significantly, to the tune of tens of thousands of H-1B visa beneficiaries. These visa holders faced the serious threat of losing their status if they didn’t find a new job before the end of their grace period. Against the odds, 90% of visa holders were able to successfully navigate this challenge. How did they make this happen, and what can you learn from it as an H-1B visa employer or employee? Read on to find out.

The Visa Bulletin is the go-to resource for millions of people as they wait for progress on their Green Card and other legal documents. Although it’s an essential part of the process, it can be challenging to understand this bulletin when you’re new to the system or if you simply want to know about your specific country and visa category. Here, we’ve summarized the highlights of the July 2023 visa bulletin to let you know if your work visa is on the move, stagnant, or possibly retrogressed.

Much of the controversy surrounding foreign workers is based on the idea that it’s used to displace American workers with “cheaper” labor. This theory contends that employers will hire out jobs to foreigners willing to take less money, thus increasing the unemployment rates in the US. In reality, studies show that the H-1B visa program brings skilled labor to the country through workers who are paid better than the average American, as these workers are educated and enter professional fields where their fellow workers are paid well. In fact, H-1B visa salaries are on the rise, meaning the argument against “cheap labor” no longer holds water. What does this mean for employers and H-1B employees? We’ll explain here.

Changes to the National Interest Waiver typically occur under every new presidential administration, and Biden’s presidency is no different. The latest changes took place on January 21, 2022, with the announcement of an expanded path to meet the National Interest Exemptions. Who benefits from these changes? The focus is on entrepreneurs meeting specific criteria, and we have the details here.

For decades, the United States government has understood the importance of foreign workers as part of a growing economy. Since the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 was enacted, temporary nonimmigrants have come to the country to perform employment under various categories. The most commonly used visas for foreign workers are the H-1B and H-2B, but while there are many similarities between the two documents, at their core, they are distinctly different. What do each of these visas allow the holder, and which one is right for you? Read on to find out.

Artists play a significant role in our society, enriching our lives through creative expression. However, obtaining the necessary work visa to pursue their careers in the United States can be a daunting task. Many artists face the challenge of meeting the stringent requirements for a National Interest Waiver (NIW.) In this blog post, we'll explore whether it's possible for an artist to obtain an NIW and the steps they can take to increase their chances of success. So if you're an artist looking to bring your talent and skills to the United States, keep reading to learn more!

FY2024 was a landmark year in H-1B lottery registrations. USCIS received the most it has ever had in history during the initial registration period, including those who qualified for the advanced degree exemption (master’s cap). But there was a downside to this landslide: The number of fraudulent petitions also exceeded historical records, and USCIS has taken this year as a learning experience, implementing new measures to combat fraud in the future.

Whether you successfully landed an H-1B visa in the 2023 lottery or not, the reality is that millions of people registered and weren’t selected. This is particularly true in countries like India, where the capped limit on a per-country allocation is 7%. The United States permits a limited number of visas annually, but the amount is split amongst all countries with applicants. This creates a substantial backlog of registrants, all of whom are transferred to the next year. Although this has been the system for decades, many experts say 2023 was the worst year yet. What happened, and how can you learn from the mistakes this year? Read on to find out.