World

H1B Visa: New Proposed Changes Boon For People With Advanced American Degrees

New proposed rules will ensure H1B visas are awarded to the most-skilled or highest-paid petition beneficiaries

The Donald Trump led government has proposed new changes in the H1B visa application process including a new rule that will require companies to electronically register their petitions in advance, and giving preference to workers with advanced American degrees.

The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to hire tens of thousands of foreign workers each year for specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.

The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said on Friday that the proposed rules to increase the number of foreign workers with a master’s or higher degree from a US institution of higher education to be selected for the H1B visa will introduce a more meritorious selection of beneficiaries, reported The Times Of India.

Furthermore, the proposed changes are also expected to help ensure H1B visas are awarded to the most-skilled or highest-paid petition beneficiaries keeping in line with President Donald Trump’s “Buy American, Hire American” policy.

Notably, the US government grants 65,000 H1B visas every year, apart from which, 20,000 are reserved for people holding higher degrees from US higher education institutions.

The DHS said as part of the new changes, the USCIS would reverse the order by which it currently selects who receives an H1B visa. Under the proposed changes, all registrations will be first applied to the regular cap of 65,000 after which the US Citizenship and Immigration Services would select from the remaining to fill the degree cap.

The proposed regulation is expected to boost the number of selected H1B beneficiaries who hold a master’s or other advanced degrees from a U.S. institution of higher education by up to 16 percent, leading to migration of the best and brightest workers to the country.

According to the DHS, public comments on the proposed rule will be submitted starting December 3, when the proposed rule publishes in the Federal Register and must be received on or before January 2.

Caroline Finnegan

A professionnal journalist for the past ten years, I cover global news and economic affairs for The Chief Observer.

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One Comment

  1. Just another much needed gimmick to attract international students since American universities are facing heavy losses due to dramatic drop in students pursuing masters because of the messed up rules on h1b. The new strategy is to lure international students into enrolling for a masters programs. Once they graduate , companies would hesistate to hire them because of Visa complications. Then somehow if they do get through with a job and H1B, torture them forever for a GC then force them to give up . I say this is a scam. Don’t fall for the trap. Go to a fairer place like Canada.

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