VISA2US Blog

Finding a job you’ll be satisfied with takes on a new meaning when you’re a foreign worker heading to a new country. While getting the job offer is important, how do you know if you’ll want to stay at that place of employment for the length of your work visa? However, once you sign the terms and conditions of a visa like an H-1B, you’re tied to that particular job sponsor unless you transfer your visa to another company willing to become your new sponsor. The key is to do your research and only accept a job with a company that has a solid reputation for high employee satisfaction. Here, we’ll discuss some of the top companies in the US known for employer awareness of wellbeing.

Nonimmigrants wishing to extend their visa’s validity period use Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status. This form is one of the most commonly filed, as it is used by students, visitors, and temporary workers. Generally, requesting an extension is simple, provided no significant changes have occurred. However, in the past, a biometrics requirement added extra time and expense to the application. Recently, USCIS announced changes to this requirement. How will that affect your I-539? We’ll explain here.

As the dramatic saga of Fiscal Year 2023 comes to its official close, those unable to secure an H-1B visa begin to look toward FY 2024 with hope. Still others, like you, may not have a sponsor yet but are actively searching for related companies in their industry. The good news is there is still time! Next year’s registration period won’t begin until March or April. However, you don’t want to wait until the last minute to find a sponsor. If you’re not sure where to start, use this guide to help you connect with a qualifying United States employer who will handle your H-1B visa in FY 2024.

The H-1B visa system is a popular avenue used by skilled foreign workers to expand their professional skills across borders and into the United States. While there are numerous benefits that come with this visa category, the downside to an H-1B is the need to wait for strict filing dates and hope that your registration is chosen in the random lottery, where a cap of 65,000 regular and 20,000 advanced registrants are selected to move forward and file a petition. But there’s a way around this limitation if you can find a cap-exempt employer, and those in the scholarly field often meet the conditions to do this quite naturally. Read on to find out if a scholar you know (or you yourself) can skip the lottery process and obtain an H-1B more easily.

There are many benefits that make the H-1B visa one of the most coveted work visas available. One of these advantages is that one visa holder can work for multiple employers simultaneously, provided that any additional companies file the H-1B petition. Although the beneficiary already holds the H-1B visa, the new employer must receive authorization to hire them through USCIS via a process called the Concurrent H-1B. We’ll explain what that means and how to file yours here.

The United States immigration program regulations aren’t set in stone. In fact, they undergo revision regularly, with the current focus on a proposed pilot program designed to determine the future of E-Verify as mandatory or optional. Currently, some states require employers to use this remote system to verify employment eligibility. But those that don’t still need a way to verify documents. The Department of Homeland Security has suggested remote I-9 document inspections for employers with 500 or fewer workers. If you are interested in expressing your thoughts on this proposal, you have until October 2, 2023, to do so. Keep reading to find out how this works.

Ongoing modernization attempts are an essential part of keeping the borders safe worldwide, and USCIS regularly makes changes in support of this goal. One of the more recent adaptations is the policy of required biometrics submissions. Applicants requesting entry to the US through most avenues must complete a biometric screening as part of their approval process. But certain applicants fall under a temporary suspension of this requirement. If you’re a nonimmigrant filing Form I-539, you may not need to complete the screening before your petition is approved. We have the details here.

Foreign nationals on an F-1 student visa often prefer to stay in the United States and continue their careers. The H-1B work visa is one way to do this. However, most job offers are obtained through businesses under the “capped” category. In these situations, a limited number of visas are allotted annually, and those approved can’t enter the US to begin work until October 1 of that fiscal year. So what happens to those in F-1 status who are approved for an H-1B visa but their OPT authorization or F-1 grace period expires before October 1? That’s where the H-1B Cap Gap Extension kicks in, and we’ll explain the details here.

Petitioning for an employment-based green card typically requires a sponsor. Applicants on a general path to this target can’t petition for themselves. The process includes receiving job offers and perm labor certification approvals, as well as completing various other forms and awaiting approval. But if you qualify, you can avoid these delays and sponsor yourself under a National Interest Waiver (NIW), which may cut down the processing time for your green card significantly.

It’s no secret that this year’s cap filing numbers were substantially higher than predicted or that many registrations are being inspected for potential fraud. Whether the fraudulent claims are based on legitimate abuse or simply careless mistakes remains to be seen, but the fact is that you want your H-1B registration to stand up to scrutiny. To ensure your petition is adjudicated successfully, avoid these common filing mistakes in the future.