nonimmigrant visas

January 29, 2020

USCIS Announces Countries Eligible for H-2A and H-2B Visa Programs

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will be publishing the list of eligible countries for the H-2A and H-2B Visa Programs on January 17, 2020 in the Federal Register. The list of eligible countries was developed by both USCIS and DHS working with the Department of State (DOS). I have included the link to the Federal Register Notice for you to review.

For further details please review the USCIS News Alert, “USCIS Announces Countries Eligible for H-2A and H-2B Visa Programs”.

Source of Information:

January 8, 2020

Reminder – USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for First Half of FY 2020

by Kellie N. Lego

On Wednesday, November 20, 2019, USCIS announced that it has reached the H-2B cap for the first half of fiscal year 2020. November 15, 2019 is now the “final receipt date” for cap-subject H-2B worker requesting employment start dates before April 1, 2020. The “final receipt date” is the date on which USCIS determined that it has received enough cap-subject petitions to reach the limit of H-2B workers for the first half FY2020. USCIS continues to accept petitions that are exempt from the congressionally mandated H-2B cap.

The exceptions are listed below:

• Current H-2B workers in the U.S. petitioning to extend their stay and, if applicable, change the terms of their employment or change their employers;

December 4, 2019

USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for First Half of FY 2020

by Kellie N. Lego

On Wednesday, November 20, 2019, USCIS announced that it has reached the H-2B cap for the first half of fiscal year 2020. November 15, 2019 is now the “final receipt date” for cap-subject H-2B worker requesting employment start dates before April 1, 2020. The “final receipt date” is the date on which USCIS determined that it has received enough cap-subject petitions to reach the limit of H-2B workers for the first half FY2020. USCIS continues to accept petitions that are exempt from the congressionally mandated H-2B cap.

The exceptions are listed below:

• Current H-2B workers in the U.S. petitioning to extend their stay and, if applicable, change the terms of their employment or change their employers;

December 2, 2019

H-2B Cap Count UPDATE – 11/15/19 – Reaches Cap for the First Half of FY2020

by Kellie N. Lego

On November 15, 2019, USCIS reached the cap limit for the 1st half of Fiscal Year 2020!

The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. There is a cap limit of 33,000 for the first half of the fiscal year and 33,000 for the second half for a total of 66,000 per year. If the cap is not reached during the first half of the fiscal year, the extra numbers are then made available for the second half.

The H-2B cap limit for first half of FY 2020 (October 1 – March 31) is 33,000. As of the last count (11/15/19). (Cap Reached for 1st half of FY 2020)

November 19, 2019

H-2B Cap Count UPDATE – 11/7/19

by Kellie N. Lego

The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. There is a cap limit of 33,000 for the first half of the fiscal year and 33,000 for the second half for a total of 66,000 per year. If the cap is not reached during the first half of the fiscal year, the extra numbers are then made available for the second half.

The H-2B cap limit for first half of FY 2020 (October 1 – March 31) is 33,000. As of the last count (11/7/19); 28,371 beneficiaries have been approved and 4,989 are pending for a total of 33,360.

The H-2B cap limit for second half of FY 2020 (April 1 – September 30) is 33,000. As of the last count (11/7/19); 0 beneficiaries have been approved and 0 are pending for a total of 0.

November 14, 2019

H-2B Cap Count UPDATE – 11/6/19

by Kellie N. Lego

The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. There is a cap limit of 33,000 for the first half of the fiscal year and 33,000 for the second half for a total of 66,000 per year. If the cap is not reached during the first half of the fiscal year, the extra numbers are then made available for the second half.

The H-2B cap limit for first half of FY 2020 (October 1 – March 31) is 33,000. As of the last count (11/6/19); 26,412 beneficiaries have been approved and 5,666 are pending for a total of 32,078.

The H-2B cap limit for second half of FY 2020 (April 1 – September 30) is 33,000. As of the last count (11/6/19); 0 beneficiaries have been approved and 0 are pending for a total of 0.

November 8, 2019

USCIS Implements 10 Dollar Fee for electronic H-1B Visa Registration

by Kellie N. Lego

On Thursday, November 7^th, USCIS announced as part of the final rule for the H-1B electronic registration system, they will be charging a non-refundable $10 fee for each H-1B petitioned by an employer. This $10 registration fee will not start until the USCIS implements the electronic registration system.

For further details please review the USCIS News Release, “USCIS Implements $10 Fee for H-1B Visa Registration”.

*The H-1B program allows companies in the United States to temporarily employ foreign workers in occupations that require the application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and a bachelor’s degree or higher in the specific specialty, or its equivalent.

November 6, 2019

H-2B Cap Count UPDATE – 10/31/19

by Kellie N. Lego

The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. There is a cap limit of 33,000 for the first half of the fiscal year and 33,000 for the second half for a total of 66,000 per year. If the cap is not reached during the first half of the fiscal year, the extra numbers are then made available for the second half.

The H-2B cap limit for first half of FY 2020 (October 1 – March 31) is 33,000. As of the last count (10/31/19); 22,931 beneficiaries have been approved and 6,411 are pending for a total of 29,342.

The H-2B cap limit for second half of FY 2020 (April 1 – September 30) is 33,000. As of the last count (10/31/19); 0 beneficiaries have been approved and 0 are pending for a total of 0.

October 31, 2019

H-2B Cap Count UPDATE – 10/24/19

by Kellie N. Lego

The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. There is a cap limit of 33,000 for the first half of the fiscal year and 33,000 for the second half for a total of 66,000 per year. If the cap is not reached during the first half of the fiscal year, the extra numbers are then made available for the second half.

The H-2B cap limit for first half of FY 2020 (October 1 – March 31) is 33,000. As of the last count (10/24/19); 21,375 beneficiaries have been approved and 4,444 are pending for a total of 25,819.

The H-2B cap limit for second half of FY 2020 (April 1 – September 30) is 33,000. As of the last count (10/24/19); 0 beneficiaries have been approved and 0 are pending for a total of 0.

October 25, 2019

H-2B Cap Count UPDATE – 10/10/19

by Kellie N. Lego

The H-2B non-agricultural temporary worker program allows U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. There is a cap limit of 33,000 for the first half of the fiscal year and 33,000 for the second half for a total of 66,000 per year. If the cap is not reached during the first half of the fiscal year, the extra numbers are then made available for the second half.

The H-2B cap limit for first half of FY 2020 (October 1 – March 31) is 33,000. As of the last count (10/10/19); 18,188 beneficiaries have been approved and 2,331 are pending for a total of 20,519.

The H-2B cap limit for second half of FY 2020 (April 1 – September 30) is 33,000. As of the last count (10/10/19); 0 beneficiaries have been approved and 0 are pending for a total of 0.