Published September 20, 2017
Premium Processing Continues for More Categories of H-1B Filings
In an abrupt about face earlier in the year, U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Citizenship and Immigration Services (US DHS/CIS) announced it would put a halt to the availability of the fee-based, expedited, 15 day premium processing service for all H-1B work visa petitions. Slowly but surely though, US DHS/CIS has been reinstituting availability of this service for various types of H-1B petitions, which includes this week’s announcement it would accept premium processing requests for H-1B visa petitions which are now being considered under the fiscal year 2018 cap (for a period of employment commencing October 1, 2017).
H-1B work visas are available for a variety of professional or “specialty occupation” positions, including information technology, engineering, accounting, and scientific and other research.
Previous stages of the reimplementation of premium processing availability for H-1B work visa petitions, include the resumption of premium processing for H-1B petitions filed on behalf of physicians under the Conrad 30 waiver program, as well as interested “cap exempt” petitions filed by not for profit/university and government agency petitioners.
PUBLISHED September 20, 2017– “IMMIGRATION LAW FORUM” Copyright © 2017, By Law Offices of Richard Hanus, Chicago, Illinois