UNITED STATES: H-1B Cap Season Coming Soon

December 9, 2022


Usually, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announces the exact dates for the annual H-1B Registration/ Lottery Process during January of that year. So, we can expect to see actual dates announced during January 2023. Therefore, the timeline below is approximate. We will issue updates as USCIS provides official dates.

Based on previous years’ dates, we expect the period for employers to sponsor a foreign national for an H-1B visa to begin in early March 2023. All registrations must be submitted electronically.

Our advice to employers is they should begin to prepare for their H-1B filings now. This would include collecting all documents and information necessary for the H-1B electronic registration, such as the employer’s name, mailing address, tax identification number; authorized signatory name, job title, contact information and email address; the employee’s full legal name (as per passport), date of birth, country of citizenship, gender, passport number, and the employee’s highest level of education, carefully noting if they hold advanced degree (Masters, Ph.D., J.D., M.D., MBA, etc.) from a U.S. institution of higher education. The electronic registration period is expected to last for only two to three weeks. A $10 fee is required for each registration submitted.

The lottery will occur shortly after the electronic registration period, and usually ends on March 31, 2023. Employers must file a complete H-1B petition with LCA for selected applicants between April 1, 2023, and June 30, 2023. Applicants with approved H-1B cap petitions may start working in the United States under H-1B status on October 1, 2023.

 

Immigration Insights

Employers considering filing H-1B applications are encouraged to contact a Newland Chase immigration specialist for case-specific advice about the process.

For general advice and information on immigration and business travel to the United States, please get in touch with us today.

This immigration update is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal or scenario-specific advice. Furthermore, it is important to note that immigration announcements are subject to sudden and unexpected changes. Readers are encouraged to reach out to Newland Chase for any case- or company-specific assessments.