In case you missed The View From The Top, here is the Immigration update for February 1, 2023 from Fragomen's Julia Onslow Cole. Get ready for the H1B Lottery!
The H1B visa is an essential tool for organizations in the US looking to bring in professionals for specialty occupations. But before you start planning, you need to understand the requirements. The job itself must require a relevant degree, and the individual must have the necessary qualifications.
Exciting news for employers!
The dates for the H1B lottery have just been announced and this year the process is easier than ever. The lottery will take place from March 1st to the 17th, and notifications will be sent by the end of March.
What has changed?
The H1B lottery is different from previous years. The old system required employers to file a full petition, but now there's a registration process, which is much simpler and only requires biographical information. However, employers must be careful and make sure they review everything thoroughly. If you have 50 vacancies and 50 people you want to fill those vacancies, you can't just register and apply for 200. If the person is approved, the employer is expected to file, and if there isn't a good reason not to, it's not looked upon favorably.
Qualifications
When registering, it's important to ensure that the individual has at least a bachelor's degree in a relevant subject and is being offered the prevailing wage. The Department of Labor has a lot of data on prevailing wages, and employers must take this into consideration. Last year, there were 65,000 places for degree holders and 20,000 for those with a master's degree, who could apply twice to the lottery. However, the chances of being selected are slim, with only 17.5% of applicants being successful last year.
Tip for Employers
If you have a lot of students in your population doing optional practical training (OPT), you should consider applying for the lottery every year. If you have a normal degree, you can get one year of automatic working with a company, and if you have a STEM degree, it's three years. However, some employers don't start the application process until the end of the training period.
You can watch Julia's complete update here:
A big shout-out to Fragomen's Brent Reilly and Rachel Beardsley from the New York office for their contributions to this report. Get ready for the H1B lottery and good luck!
Access previous show recordings
Previous immigration updates can be accessed here.