The Biden administration is proposing changes to the H1B visa selection process to make it easier for applicants and to reduce fraud. The changes are expected to be announced on October 23.
Here is a summary of the proposed changes in simple wording:
- Each applicant will be entered into the selection process only once, regardless of how many times they are registered. This is to prevent people from increasing their chances of being selected by submitting multiple registrations.
- Related entities will be prohibited from submitting multiple registrations for the same beneficiary. This is to prevent companies from gaming the system by submitting multiple registrations for their employees.
- USCIS will have the authority to conduct on-site visits to verify that companies are complying with H1B visa requirements.
- Companies that fail to comply with H1B visa requirements may have their petitions denied or revoked.
The proposed changes are expected to make the H1B visa selection process more fair and transparent, and to reduce fraud. The changes are also expected to make it easier for US employers to recruit the highly skilled workers they need.
Why is this important?
The H1B visa program allows US companies to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise. The program is capped at 60,000 visas per year, and the demand for visas is much higher than the supply.
The current H1B visa selection process is a lottery system. This means that all applicants have an equal chance of being selected, regardless of their qualifications or experience. However, the lottery system also makes it possible for companies to increase their chances of success by submitting multiple registrations for their employees.
The proposed changes to the H1B visa selection process are designed to make it more difficult for companies to game the system and to give more qualified applicants a chance of being selected.
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