Immigration Regulatory Changes – H-1B Visa Lottery

The H-1B visa is a nonimmigrant work visa which allows skilled workers who meet certain requirements to remain in the United States while working for a specific employer. These visas allow U.S. companies to hire foreign nationals who fulfill a role an American worker cannot. They are initially issued for three years and can be extended.

Similarly, H-2B visas are for workers from overseas who will fill temporary non-agricultural jobs. These include jobs that have seasonal, intermittent or one-time need for more workers. There is a cap of 66,000 H-2B visas issued per year. Like the H-1B visas we will be discussing here, the H-2B visa process has experienced some updates. These include the eligibility of more countries of origin for these workers, longer grace periods and more worker mobility. However, in this article we will focus on the H-1B visa changes. For H-2B visa requirements, please visit the USCIS H-2B website here.