H-1B Visas Run Out; Tech Firms Scramble

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It happens almost every year. The only question is when. The Department of Homeland Security is no longer accepting applications for H-1B visas for temporary skilled foreign workers, having received enough to fill the annual cap of 65,000. This leaves employers, particularly tech firms, scrambling to figure out how they will fill engineering or other technical job openings without looking outside the United States.

It's a familiar plight that coalitions like Compete America say could be fixed with a less draconian system of meting out visas. In the last year, it took 10 months to hit the cap. In other years, the allotted visas are filled within a few days after the April 1 filing period opens. "This fluctuation of demand from year to year - primarily driven by the economic cycles - demonstrates the need for a fundamental rebalance towards a market-driven approach to H-1B visa allocation," Compete America said.


H-1B Visas Run Out; Tech Firms Scramble