USCIS Reaches FY 2014 H-B Cap
Source: USCIS
"U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it has received a sufficient number of H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap for fiscal year (FY) 2014. USCIS has also received more than 20,000 H-1B petitions filed on behalf of persons exempt from the cap under the advanced degree exemption. After today, USCIS will not accept H-1B petitions subject to the FY 2014 cap or the advanced degree exemption."
Read more: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.5af9bb95919f35e66f614176543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=5051f359827dd310VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD&vgnextchannel=e7801c2c9be44210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD
The rumors were indeed true. USCIS has just announced (much earlier than in the past) that the H-1B visa cap for Fiscal Year 2014 has been already reached.
All petitions received between April 1 and today will be eligible for a random selection process (known as the lottery).
2Design
(9,099 posts)antigop
(12,778 posts)OhioChick
(23,218 posts)WilmywoodNCparalegal
(2,654 posts)But I have several Ph.D.s and Master's degree holders who are now at the brink of not knowing where they will be in just a couple of months.
If they don't get picked in the lottery, their positions will once again become vacant and it will be another 2 years before they can be filled.
These are not IT positions - marketing analytics, statisticians, specialists in Asian accounting practices, a trainer who specializes in Middle Eastern business practices, etc. - all of whom can't be easily found among U.S. citizens or green card holders.
Most of them just recently graduated from U.S. universities and have been working with us during their optional practical training employment period, proving to be excellent employees that we would have certainly have liked to keep, especially because of their skills and the fact some of those positions had been vacant for several months.
As an immigrant myself, I can't imagine what they are going through. I wish that the same compassion that DU gives to those who are unauthorized immigrants were to be given to these people, who are in the U.S. legally and who also seek to better their lives and provide for their families.
aggiesal
(8,864 posts)most of the H-1B's I see are doing work that any US engineer can do,
just not for the pay.
As a contractor, I go through the same thing every 3, 6, or 12 months.
Trying to hustle for my next engineering contract.
When I have to compete against low paying engineers I have a hard time
getting work.
I usually get between $60 - $85 per hour depending on W2 or 1099.
When work slows up, I get offers to do senior level work in the high
20's - low 30's per hour.
Someone is filling these positions, just not me.
davidwparker
(5,397 posts)grant entry to all those bad foreign IT developers who are here just to keep American IT workers wages down or under employed or ...
When the visa goes to the "average" and subpar willy-nilly, then those whom you describe get turned away due to the glut.
Sell us out selectively, people. When unemployment is back to what it was before Dubya, then I'll have sympathy for H1B visa holders.
Skittles
(152,966 posts)it's made MORE DIFFICULT by PEOPLE LIKE YOU
Arkana
(24,347 posts)She was in tears at the end of work today because she's afraid that she may get sent back to Portugal after eight years in the US. She's a college graduate AND has an MBA, and she works two jobs, the second of which she sends all the income home to her sick mother.
Any idea how she can improve her chances?
WilmywoodNCparalegal
(2,654 posts)the key will be when USCIS issues a preliminary count next week to see how many of the regular H-1Bs (the bulk of the available H-1B numbers) and how many of the U.S. master's or above (there are 20,000 H-1Bs for graduates of U.S. universities with a master's or above degree - such as your friend) they have received.
This is going to affect non-IT companies most, because that's where most of the higher degreed foreign nationals tend to work. There is very little at this point that can be done. My advice is to wait. Unfortunately, this is completely beyond anyone's control.
davidwparker
(5,397 posts)land. She took advantage of our educational system and can be an asset to the people in Purtugal.
No sympathy. Her job will go to an American.
Response to davidwparker (Reply #13)
Post removed
LibDemAlways
(15,139 posts)checks while their jobs are stolen by people who'll work on the cheap.
aggiesal
(8,864 posts)these H-1B visa's are actually needed?
I don't.
I believe that there are plenty or US engineers out of work, that could fill
these positions, but not willing to get paid 40% of the prevailing wage.
I also believe that the H-1B cap should be tied to the unemployment rate.
If the unemployment rate goes up, the H-1B cat should come down.
If the unemployment rate goes down, then the H-1B could go up.
There are too many companies that abuse this option.
LibDemAlways
(15,139 posts)my software engineer husband was laid off when his division of his company folded. He was unable to compete for jobs with H1Bs. Employers wouldn't even talk to him. The only job he was finally able to get was with a government contractor that required US citizenship. The contractor recognized how scarce jobs were and paid accordingly. Husband took a 40% cut in salary. Other people laid off at the same time never found work. Meantime the government sees fit to continue to provide VISAs for job stealers. Companies abuse the program with impunity.
WilmywoodNCparalegal
(2,654 posts)The second largest group of H-1B workers works in universities and their research departments.
The rest are found in all types of industries.
All employers are required to provide attestations that the foreign national will be paid at or above the prevailing wage as determined by the DOL. If an employer is unethical and scummy, you should definitely report it to DHS and DOL for a major violation of one of the main prerequisites of the H-1B program.
As for engineering, my father (a dual citizen) works in aerospace engineering and some of the engineering positions have remained vacant for several years. But not to worry, because this company cannot hire non-U.S. citizens due to U.S. government clearance requirements. I can assure you my dad and his colleagues all make pretty good wages with very good benefits.
The truth is that there are some engineering fields where it is incredibly difficult to find qualified workers.
Abuse exists in all things, unfortunately. There is also rampant misinformation about the H-1B program - both here on DU and on many sites including Computerworld and unfortunately even on NPR (it did a recent expose on H-1Bs for third-party contractors - the scum of the earth FWIW).
Skittles
(152,966 posts)it's difficult to find CHEAP WORKERS. GET IT STRAIGHT!!!!!
Skittles
(152,966 posts)markiv
(1,489 posts)total one sided. but, most importantly, a flat out lie calling the cap 65,000, ignoring the 20,000 category that brings it up to 85,000 plus endless exceptions
if they're right about a shortage, then why LIE about the cap?!?!
Skittles
(152,966 posts)shame on anyone involved in pimping off jobs
markiv
(1,489 posts)maybe the recession would end sooner, if we quit creating it?