H-1B Visas: New Focus By Donald Trump
The H-1B visa program has come under fire in recent years due to allegations from employers that the random lottery makes it nearly impossible and far too random to get the necessary visa approval for critical employees from abroad.
Employers must be prepared for the major changes that may be coming from President Trump’s immigration policy. The Bi-American and Higher American Executive Order signed recently on April 18 calls on agencies at the federal government level to ensure that H-1B visas are awarded to the highest paid or most skilled beneficiaries. Currently, H-1B visas are given out by lottery and only 65,000 are available. With more than 199,000 applications for H-1B visas in the last year alone it highlights the significant disadvantage that companies looking to hire highly skilled individuals face.
Many companies, and in particular startups, need to rely on foreign talent in order to scale their businesses effectively. With the current visa lottery, however, it’s hard for companies to plan for how many employees they’ll be able to use. Some employers have argued that the lottery is potentially stifling U.S. growth.
Up to 40{f37c4f09dc85e18e6e41e9de706c8098644dbcc089aee1dc0ee2d14408c2f28c} of the visas that are awarded through the H-1B visa lottery go to lower skilled individuals. Employers should be mindful of the various opportunities to make use of temporary and permanent employment by tapping outside talent. This is particularly true in taxes and other states with bustling economies.
The prospect of managing and planning for appropriate immigration policy responses can be challenging for employers in such a time of changes. However, it is important to retain an experienced Texas immigration attorney to assist you in this process if you find yourself in need of further advisement on H-1B visas and other visa programs that can allow you to bring in additional workers. Consulting with an attorney can help you with compliance systems and planning well in advance to ensure you are included in applications for H-1B in a timely fashion.
A Houston immigration attorney can help you no matter where you find yourself in the H-1B visa process. Talking to an attorney can clear up some of your most common questions.