US immigration to begin accepting H-1B applications starting 2 April 2012

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting fiscal year 2013 H-1B visa applications on Monday 2 April 2012 for employment with a start date of 1 October 2012 or later.

Current immigration law allows for a total of 85,000 new H-1B visas to be made available each government fiscal year. This number includes 65,000 new H-1B visas issued for overseas workers in professional or specialty occupation positions, and an additional 20,000 visas available for those with an advanced degree from a US academic institution.

Employers should begin identifying current and future employees who will need H-1B visas to be legally employed in the US. You should probably apply in the next six months to ensure that you can get an H-1B visa.

For fiscal year 2012, the 65,000 H1-B cap was officially met on 22 November 2011, two months before the cap was reached for fiscal year 2011. The 20,000 H-1B visa cap for advanced degree holders was met on 19 October 2011.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa used to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialized fields such as in architecture, engineering, mathematics, science, and medicine. Under the visa a US company can employ a foreign worker for up to six years.