Business Immigration Insights

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that as of November 22, 2011, it has received sufficient H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap for Fiscal Year 2012 (10/1/2011 through 9/30/2012).  The H-1B cap applies only to petitions for new employment, and generally does not affect H-1B sponsors who request extensions or a change of employers.  Cap-subject H-1B petitions received by USCIS after November 22nd will be rejected.  Employers who wish to sponsor an H-1B worker should contact Hunton & Williams to determine whether an exemption from the cap may be available ...

Department of State Managing Director for Visa Services, Ed Ramotowski, announced yesterday that, due to their robust economies and currency strength against the U.S. dollar, 44% more U.S. visas have been issued in Brazil this year than last year and 35% more in China.  DOS described its efforts to keep up with this skyrocketing demand.