On Friday, May 4, 2007, the USCIS issued a press release stating that it has received enough petitions to meet the 20,000 quota reserved for persons holding a U.S. Master’s degree or higher. The final receipt date for these petitions is Monday, April 30, 2007. Petitions received on that date will be subject to a computer generated random selection process. Those not selected and any petitions received on or after May 1, 2007, will be rejected.
Unless immigration reform is enacted by Congress to provide relief to employers by increasing the H-1B quota numbers, employers will not be able to submit petitions for new H-1B workers until April 1, 2008, for an effective start date of October 1, 2008.
Please note that petitions filed to extend or amend H-1B employment for foreign workers already in H-1B status and new workers to be employed by institutions of higher education or related nonprofit entities, nonprofit research organizations, or governmental research organizations are not subject to the H-1B cap.
For additional details, click here to view the press release. Please contact your Ogletree Deakins attorney with any questions.
Note: This article was published in the May 4, 2007 issue of the Immigration eAuthority.
