Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home IT Management
    • IT Management

    H-1B Visa Cap for 2011 Has Not Been Met Yet

    By
    Don E. Sears
    -
    September 3, 2010
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      With less than one month before fiscal year 2011 begins in October, there are about 30,100 available visas for technology companies to apply for through the temporary work visa program known widely by its specific government designation, “H-1B visa.” The H-1B program is used by technology companies, universities and others in the United States to employ skilled foreign workers for temporary work installments usually lasting several years.

      As of Aug. 27, there were 34,900 applications for H-1B visas out of a 65,000 cap that have been filed with the United States Customs and Immigrations Services–the government agency that oversees and manages visa programs, green cards and U.S. citizenship. For those temporary workers who are involved with Master’s programs in U.S. universities and colleges, there have been 13,000 applications filed out of an available 20,000.

      Will there be a surge of applications over the next three weeks? That’s difficult to know, expressed USCIS spokesperson Chris Rhatigan to eWEEK during an interview, but it is likely that there will be more applications.

      In 2007 and 2008, companies applied and workers petitioned for H1-B visas in droves when the opportunity to apply became available on April 1 of those respective years, but the last two years have seen a slowdown in immediate application activity, said Rhatigan. Much of the activity over the last two years has come after the 100 day mark of April 1.

      There are, however, a few key factors that could be at play.

      First, the economy is not rebounding as quick as many in the United States had anticipated, and hiring is slow in IT and cost controls are still in place on labor. Secondly, a new law has gone in effect that raises the application fees by more than $2,000 for companies that have more than 50 percent of its workforce using H-1B visas. This new law, which was attached to a border security measure signed by President Obama last month, has been called discriminatory against large outsourcing companies such as Infosys, Tata Consultancy and others in India and elsewhere in Asia.

      The law does not affect large American companies such as Microsoft, Google and others who utilize H-1B visa workers. In 2008, the largest Indian outsourcers–Infosys, Wipro, Satyam and Tata Consultancy–dominated the visa count, followed by Microsoft and other American companies.

      In fiscal year 2009, despite a slowdown in application activity, the visa caps of 65,000 and 20,000 for graduate degrees were met and represented .01 percent of the total national labor force of 154 million in the United States, according to the NFAP (National Foundation for American Policy).

      Don E. Sears

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×