VISA2US Blog

With a valid H-1B visa, you have many of the same rights and privileges as a native US citizen for three years (with an optional three-year extension). During that time, you are allowed to live and work in the US, receiving the agreed-upon salary covered in the terms of your visa. But with those privileges comes responsibilities, including the requirement to pay taxes. How do you know what taxes you must file as an H-1B holder? We have that information here in this guide.

For decades, the US has relied upon foreign workers to fill vital positions in the labor market, including both skilled and unskilled jobs. In more recent years, the focus has shifted to ensure critical industries, such as science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), are taken care of through work visas such as the H-1B. This program has been in place since 1990 and is run by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). Since its implementation, the H-1B program has significantly impacted the US economy, and we’ll discuss the effects 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.

As a highly skilled professional wishing to work in the US and obtain a green card, you have various options available to you. While most people use the general route of an H-1B visa, there are limitations to this that may not be suitable for you. When you have an advanced degree or an exceptional ability in your field, an EB-2 National Interest Waiver can let you skip the strict requirements of a job offer and other hurdles involved in those visa petitions and propel you to the front line for a green card. We’ll explain how this works in this short blog.

National Interest Waivers are an ideal way for individuals to skip the job sponsor requirement of a foreign work visa. However, qualifying for these coveted documents can be challenging as you must meet rigorous criteria.

Skilled individuals who live overseas but want to work in the United States for approved employers can apply for an H-1B visa. For various reasons, this document is highly sought-after by millions worldwide. Each year, only 85,000 registrants are allowed to apply for capped job positions, and getting to this point is challenging. But once you've cleared all the hurdles and have that coveted H-1B approval in your mailbox, you're not quite done yet. Here are some of the most critical pieces of info anyone with an H-1B approval should know before moving to the US.

The United States government understands that there are brilliant minds in other countries, and sometimes, employers in America need to hire outside of the border to fill specialty positions. When that happens, the H-1B visa is an ideal category that potential employers can petition their chosen beneficiaries for. Foreign workers want this coveted visa because it gives them the opportunity to apply for a Permanent Residence card, otherwise known as a Green Card. Delays are part of the process for applicants, but recently, these backlogs have become more time-consuming than usual. What’s going on at USCIS and the Department of Labor to cause these delays? We’ll explain here.

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.

If you’re an employer with the intent of hiring foreign workers in the upcoming fiscal year, you should already be paying attention to the dates and deadlines of the H-1B visa category. This application process is cumbersome and time-consuming, with the initial important registration window having already closed on March 17, 2023. Registrants who were selected in the lottery process have 90 days to file their H-1B petitions, which means your deadline is likely June 30. What should you be doing before this date arrives? We have all the information here to get you ready.

An H-1B visa is the preferred way for many skilled foreign workers to gain employment and residency in the United States. However, the path to this coveted document isn’t easy, nor is it cheap. The beneficiary cannot sponsor themselves. They must have an employer willing to pay the fees and complete the paperwork to obtain an H-1B visa, an often complicated, expensive, and time-consuming process. But the employer’s obligations don’t stop there. Once the H-1B employee is hired, they must be provided certain benefits, as we’ll discuss here.