VISA2US Blog

The OPT program was designed to allow international students to work while in the US receiving a secondary education or for up to one year after graduation. Earlier changes to the program allow STEM students an optional 36-month extension. Opponents of this adaptation claim that it permits tech companies to bypass the typical H-1B work visa program, a notoriously challenging system with a limited annual quota of visas available. However, legal challenges to the OPT extension case have yet to be successful, and the last attempt at the Supreme Court level was also blocked when the Court refused to take the case. This decision to leave the OPT extension as it currently is reflects the importance of the STEM industry globally but impacts the H-1B program in general. Keep reading to learn more.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is at the forefront of nearly every global industry. Some businesses use it to streamline their practices, making them more efficient and saving money. Others see the potential of AI as a way to shift their goals and blaze new paths. In the world of immigration, technology has begun revolutionizing the system, changing regulations, easing restrictions, and speeding up a notoriously lengthy process. What’s new on the horizon with AI and immigration? Read on to find out.

Followers of the US immigration system have seen the headlines demanding change across the board, particularly in the H-1B employment-based visa category. Reformation is necessary to address the border security, substantial backlog in Green Cards, and imbalance in the number of H-1B allotted visas versus the demand. According to many proponents, one potential solution is the move from skill-based to merit-based immigration. What would this mean for immigrants and the US? Keep reading to find out.

If you’ve been following global immigration news, you’ve heard of the merit-based system implemented in countries like Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Recently, Canada made headlines when they added this system to their government, and now, America may be next in line. This point-based immigration system bypasses the H-1B lottery system that has been called into question as flawed. Instead, foreign nationals are granted entry into the US based on their unique skills through a Tier 1 or Tier 2 category. How will this system change the H-1B visa path? Keep reading to find out.

Foreign nationals who enter the US via the temporary visa route, like a work or student visa, often decide to stay permanently. They must apply for lawful permanent residency and obtain a green card to do this. Not all visas permit this path, but the H-1B category, also called a dual-intent visa, does, all without needing to leave the country. You just need to file an Adjustment of Status (AOS) and go through the green card process, and we’ll explain how to do that here.

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.

Getting a green card is a dream for millions of foreign nationals worldwide, but the application process is challenging and time-consuming. It helps when you have multiple avenues open to you because then you can choose the category with the least wait time, but that’s not always possible. The National Interest Waiver is one of the shortest routes to permanent residency. However, proving to the US government that your skills and work are of the utmost national importance isn’t easy, regardless of your occupation. In this article, we’ll discuss how F-1 and J-1 scholars, postdocs, and researchers can optimize their chances of approval for this coveted NIW document.

By now, you’ve heard of the unusual circumstances surrounding the H-1B lottery for FY 2024. The H-1B visa program is a vital part of the labor force in the United States and foreign countries. It was designed to ensure businesses in industries like science, technology, engineering, mathematics, healthcare, and education could fill essential positions requiring skilled workers. However, the program runs under a “cap” imposed decades ago by Congress, resulting in the creation of a random lottery that is intended to give every registrant an equal chance at selection. But the past two years have increasingly shown more attempts at fraud and a need for an overhaul of the H-1B policy. Let’s take a look at 2022 versus 2023’s H-1B petition analysis here.

Countless movies around the world hint at the realities behind getting a green card in the United States. But unless you’re in the system, filling out forms and waiting patiently for your particular dates to show up on the Visa Bulletin, you don’t understand the nuances and stresses involved. One company, the Cato Institute, wants to change this and ensure the general public learns about the difficulties that arise when you’re pursuing permanent residence through a green card as a foreign worker. Who is the Cato Institute, and what does their game include? We have that information here.

Petitioning for a National Interest Waiver is a goal that brings with it copious benefits. If you’re up for the challenge, you may find the advantages you’ll receive make the complex paperwork and red tape worth every minute. However, these benefits vary based on factors like nationality and occupation. Here are certain things to consider as you determine whether a National Interest Waiver is right for your occupation.