Even though the USCIS H1b petition cap was reached in only 4 days this year, the total number of H-1B visa petitions filed dropped for the first time in 5 years.

In fact, the number of USCIS H1B petition filings filed dropped below 200,000 for the first time since 2014 signaling a shift in the demand for the controversial visa. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is going to sign an executive order that may significantly overhaul the H-1B program. It is colloquially named “Buy American, Hire American.” The administration believes the H-1B program is undercutting U.S. workers.

The experienced immigration attorney at Columbus, Ohio-based Porter Law Office, LLC has in depth experience with securing immigration benefits including USCIS H1B petition filings. If you need assistance with an H-1B visa, contact the business immigration lawyer at Porter Law Office, LLC in Columbus, Ohio today.

Why the Decrease In USCIS H1B Petition Filings?

There are only 85,000 available H-1B visa (20,000 reserved for master’s degree holders). In recent years, the number of H-1B filings had been on the rise each year. In 2016, the number of H-1B visas filed with USCIS exceeded 236,000 petitions. That number had been climbing since 2013.

This year, however, there were only 199,000 H-1B petitions filed according to USCIS. The reasons for the drop in filings are not known at this time. But speculation abounds. Perhaps employers were cooled by the uncertainty with the program given its lottery system of selection or the Trump administration’s policies aimed at slowing the H-1B program to protect U.S. workers’ jobs. Indian tech firms had previously announced that lower-level employees would not be sponsored under the H-1B program this year given these uncertainties.

These government policies will likely put greater strain on the H-1B visa program. This may cause a cooling effect for employers adverse to change and new entrants into the industry. At the same, it presents an opportunity for aggressive employers who are willing to be flexible in the face of change. There is no indication that the administration is going to end the H-1B program. Rather, it will be reworked to put in place protections for U.S. workers. With proper understanding of the changes, there may be an opportunity to increase H-1B filings while the old juggernaut IT firms slowly fade out of the picture.

Immigration Lawyer in Columbus, Ohio

H-1B Visa Attorney

Porter Law Office, LLC has experience in securing H-1B visas for a wide variety of organization and individuals. The H-1B visa process is complex. There are strict federal labor laws and immigration rules and regulations. Columbus, Ohio immigration lawyer Matthew R. Porter, Esq. assists employers in complying with the H-1B visa regulations. We can help your organization with H-1B visa petition filings and compliance issues. If your organization is considering sponsoring a foreign national on an H-1B visa, contact Columbus, Ohio immigration lawyer Matthew R. Porter to discuss your H-1B visa options.