Mind The Cap: Preparing For The Fiscal Year 2015 H-1B Cap

On April 1, 2014, employers will be permitted to submit new H-1B petitions to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ("USCIS") for Fiscal Year 2015. For U.S. employers needing to compensate for domestic labor shortages, the H-1B visa can be a valuable tool for hiring skilled professional workers, such as engineers, physicians, researchers, or IT professionals. H-1B classification is reserved for skilled foreign professionals who will be employed in a professional occupation, requiring at least a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific field relevant to the occupation. The foreign professional filling the position must be qualified to perform services in the specialty occupation because he or she has attained at least a Bachelor's degree or its equivalent in the field.