Attention! H-1B visa application process for 2019 begins with tough norms

Washington, April 2: Giving up a major relief to the Indian techies who are all set to work in America, the United States on Monday began the processing of H1B visa for the fiscal year 2019. Notably, H1B visa allows US companies to hire foreign workers and it is considered as the most sought-after work visa among highly-skilled Indian professionals.

 

The processing of H1B visa for the fiscal year 2019 has been started from today with the stricter norms. Warning the petitioners, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) declared that applications can be filed no more than six months before the employment start date. "Applications without a specific start date will be rejected. Words like ASAP or subject to approval will be rejected.

Earlier, in the month of March, the USCIS had announced that it will temporarily suspended the premium processing for the H-1B visa. The Trump administration introduced a new measure, making the approval of H-1B visa more tougher.

As per the new rules, any company will have to make one more clarification to prove that its H1B employee at a third-party worksite has specific and non-qualifying speculative assignments in a specialty occupation.

The updated policy is a part of Trump's "Buy American and Hire American" Executive Order, which directs to protect the interests of US workers. Also, the scrutiny is needed to ensure the integrity of the controversial visa programme, which according to critics has cost American jobs.

BACKGROUND:

Earlier, at the end of October last year, the Trump administration has already tightened the renewal of non-immigrant visas such as H-1B and L1 mainly popular among IT professionals. Also, in the month of April last year, President Trump signed an executive which ordered federal agencies to the rules for technology companies seeking to bring highly skilled foreign workers to America. However, this step was taken by President Trump to carry out his campaign “America First” for bringing more jobs to his countrymen.

The order signed by Trump mainly targeted the H-1B visa programme. The executive order which was signed by President Trump is on the basis of “Buy American, Hire American” in Kenosha, Wisconsin, initiating visa and government purchase reforms. Premium processing of H-1B visa was suspended in April to handle huge rush of new petitions which was the biggest blow for Indians.

Later, the United States resumed the premium processing of H-1B visa with the revised and tightened rules. Following developments came after External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj mentioned the visa issue with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson when the two leaders met in New York.

Interestingly, after winning the elections, the then President-elect Trump said, “We will have two simple rules when it comes to this massive rebuilding effort, buy American and hire American.” During his campaign trail also Trump vowed that “the American people will come first once again.”