On August 19, 2022, the US Department of Education no longer recognizes the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) as an accrediting agency. On November 1, 2022, USCIS announced how the loss of recognition will impact certain immigration benefit applicants. Students from impacted schools should contact their DSO immediately and discuss how to maintain their status....
Update July 15, 2022 The good news is that we have already received approvals for some of the H-1Bs affected by the receipt delay. Update July 1, 2022 First Vermont, now California is experiencing unusual delay in issuing H-1B receipt notices. Interestingly, Vermont has been transferring workload to California since June to address its own delay and speed up the intaking process. Update June 22,...
Update 12/21/2021 Official statement from USCIS regarding its decision to withdraw the H-1B selection final rule which would have changed the way H-1B registrations are selected by prioritizing those with high wages. Update 12/10/2021 The Biden Administration will no longer defend this Trump-era rule that prioritizes H-1B lottery selection to those with high salaries. See the article "H-1B Visa...
USCIS has now officially stated that H-1B cap-subject petition may have a start date of October 1 or later (and six months or less from the receipt date of the petition). Previously, USCIS required that the start date be only October 1. H-1B FAQ In FY 2021, USCIS rejected H-1B filings for stating a start date that is after October 1. Lawsuits were filed and USCIS lost. Those rejected were given...
H-1B employers sometimes would ask why they are filing the H-1B under the regular cap when the beneficiary who won the H-1B loettery holds a U.S. master's degree. The simple answer: the selection notice says so. Note that during H-1B registration, the registration is simply requesting consideration for Master's Cap registration when a beneficiary holds a qualified U.S. master's degree. Whether...
We are currently in the filing phase of this year's cap-subject H-1B season. As we send out completed forms for review and signature, we often receive questions about how the beneficiary was selected in the registration lottery. During H-1B registration, a beneficiary may qualify for the Master's cap exemption as long as they have or will have attained a US master's degree at the time of H-1B...
Update3 March 30, 2021 We are all bit shocked by the lottery results. Our selection rate is just over 20% which is a record low. I don't believe we have ever touched 39% in all of the previous lottery years. So this made us pause a little and wonder what's really going on with the registration this year. We've checked with clients who did the registration on their own and it seems like so far...
Update Post May 1, 2021 In response to the lawsuit, USCIS has agreed to accept and adjudicate H-1B cap petitions that were previously rejected last year due to having a start date that is after October 1, 2020. Original Post March 16, 2021 This is both shockingly absurd and sad. A lawsuit was filed (a copy of the complaint is attached below) recently by multiple petitioners whose H-1B petitions...
This post relates to employer's obligations when it has retained an attorney to handle its H-1B registration. First, the employer must have access to its USCIS account. If employer has created an account last year, the same login credential should work. If not, employer should go through the reset password procedure. If employer has never created an account, employer should follow the...
As we enter into the registration period (March 9, 2021 to March 25, 2021), it is important to note some of the common mistakes so that each beneficiary is properly registered. The company should be aware that there are three account types to choose from. Choose the correct one. Regardless of whether they have an attorney or not, they must have an account as a “H-1B registrant”. Please see...
