Expedited review of H-1B visa applications temporarily suspended

Much of the tech industry is based in California and many employers rely on skilled workers from other countries to fill needed jobs. If you employ workers from other countries who are highly educated, they will need to obtain an H-1B visa, which permits them to work in the United States. At US Law Center, we know how important finding and retaining talented workers is to your business.

The H-1B visa allows companies to hire people with advanced degrees to work in technical and scientific fields. While the visa grants temporary status, it is also a stepping stone for many people in becoming a permanent U.S. resident. In addition to other steps that it has taken with respect to immigrants in the United States, the Trump administration has now announced a temporary suspension of expedited review for H-1B applications, reports NBC News.

The reason for the suspension was reportedly so that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services can catch up on a backlog of petitions. While the regular H-1B visa application process takes several months, under the expedited program, you could receive approval for a worker within 15 days.

Certain petitions may still qualify for expedited review while the suspension is in effect. For example, if your company is primed to suffer a substantial financial loss because of the delay, an application may still qualify for accelerated processing. The suspension will begin on April 3 and is expected to last up to six months. For more information on temporary work visas or permanent legal residency for workers, please visit our web page.