Online H-1B visa registration won't be ready for H-1B season

[IronLionZion]

https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/30/tech/dhs-h1b-final-rule/index.html

New York (CNN Business)A planned online registration system won't be ready when people can next apply for new H-1B work visas on April 1.

On Wednesday, the US Department of Homeland Security released a copy of new H-1B visa process requirements. The requirements will change the order in which H-1B registrations are selected to help get more qualified job candidates into American businesses. They will also require online registration, once the online system is up and running.
The government had planned to roll out a more modernized registration system by April 1. But the public expressed concern about bringing a new system online too early.

"USCIS has decided to suspend the registration requirement until such time that the registration system is fully tested to be reliably operable, and, as necessary, modified to address commenters concerns," the 214-page final rule draft states.
It was unclear when online registration will become available. Applicants will be able to continue to file paper petitions.
The H-1B visa is popular in American business. Some companies, especially in the tech sector, use H-1B visas to help fill their workforces. Tech firms big and small say they need the program to hire trained talent they can't find in the United States. The work visa is valid for three years and can be renewed for another three years.

The number of H-1B visas granted annually is capped at 65,000, and another 20,000 are reserved for people who hold advanced degrees from US higher education institutions. When demand exceeds the supply — as it often does — a lottery system is triggered.

DUers should pounce on this opportunity. Apply for these jobs ASAP!

Do it for America

You can live the H-1B lifestyle

[Ilsa]

1. Is there a big fee paid by the companies for the visas?

Curious about this.

[IronLionZion]

2. Yes, but they don't have to pay any fees to hire US citizens

now is your chance to apply for these jobs

It's super easy for Americans to succeed in H-1B contracting jobs. Command of the English language and knowledge of American culture helps build relationships with clients. A dedicated person could learn the technical skills through books and online classes and working on the job. And some clients will eventually hire their favorite contractors to become full-time employees with benefits.

This is a tremendous opportunity for Americans. Good luck!

[Ilsa]

8. Not my field, though, and my hands are already full.

My spouse's employer seems to have trouble getting qualified US citizens to apply for these high tech jobs in the financial IT sector. The work isn't sexy, requires a flexible schedule, and is only moderately creative, but pays very well, even for starting positions. With the cost of visas, risk of turnover, etc, added on, I'm sure they would rather hire US citizens, so the administrative delay may help some.

[IronLionZion]

9. They definitely prefer US citizens

Clients will even write it into their contracts that a certain quota must be US citizens. The contracting firms have stepped up campus recruitment in US colleges. But US citizens won't even apply for these contracting jobs and are not about that life. It's not for everyone, but I wish people would try it to at least get started.

[IronLionZion]

3. Donald Trump's new H-1B system is out, favours foreigners in US colleges

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/nri/visa-and-immigration/donald-trumps-new-h1-b-system-is-out-favours-foreigners-in-us-colleges/articleshow/67766269.cms

The US has announced a new H-1B visa filing rule from April under which priority would be given to foreign workers with advanced degrees from American universities, a decision that could impact professionals who received higher education in countries like India and China.

The H-1B visa, popular among Indian IT professionals, is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.

The final rule reverses the order by which the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) selects H-1B petitions under the regular cap and the advanced degree exemption.

Among other things, it introduces an electronic registration requirement for petitioners seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions.

To be published in the Federal Register on Thursday, the new rule will go into effect on April 1, though the electronic registration requirement will be suspended for the fiscal year (FY) 2020 cap season, the USCIS said.

"These simple and smart changes are a positive benefit for employers, the foreign workers they seek to employ, and the agency's adjudicators, helping the H-1B visa programme work better," said USCIS Director Francis Cissna.

Early this month, President Donald Trump said that he wants to bring in changes in the H-1B visa systems so that holders of these visas can stay in the country and accelerate their path to citizenship.

The new registration system, once implemented, will lower overall costs for employers and increase government efficiency, he said.

DUers get on these jobs! Trump reduced the number of entry level H-1B visas issues, favoring the advanced degrees. This is a tremendous opportunity for new college grads to get experience contracting client services with many different companies in many industries. You won't want to move cities every few months when you're older and need a job where you can own a house and have your kids finish out the school year.

Seriously, Trump did something good for the American worker for the first time in his life.

[Recursion]

4. $60K or the local prevailing wage for the job, whichever's higher

IDK. $60K is the 80% line of US individual income and it's the absolute minimum an H1B can make, so by definition they're only competing with the richest 20% of the country. I don't understand why so many people are interested in keeping the richest 20% comfortable.

[IronLionZion]

5. I'm interested in putting Americans in these H-1B jobs

Many of whom wish they could get $60K jobs and are qualified to do it.

H-1B jobs often require frequent relocation and companies save money by refusing to reimburse the expenses and daring the foreign workers to sue. That doesn't work on Americans.

[Recursion]

6. The H1B program is one of our largest sources of green cards

So that's a hard pass from me on shutting that off or even reducing it.

[IronLionZion]

7. Some have made it to the US Congress

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal was an H-1B.

I'm totally on board with foreign workers with advanced degrees getting these visas as a pathway to green card and citizenship if that's what they want.

I'm against the entry level tech jobs where workers bounce around the US for a few years like a pinball and then move back to their home countries. American college grads should be doing the entry level tech jobs like I did as a way to start their careers and gain valuable experience.