The﷽ United States has announced the increase of H-1B work visa application fee by USD 10 as pa🦹rt of its revised selection process.
This non-refundable fee will support the new electronic reဣgistration system to make the H-1B cap selection process more efficient for both peti𓆉tioners and the federal agency said the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Thursday.
"This effort will help implement a more efficie🍌nt and effective H-1B cap selection process," said USCIS A🍒cting Director Ken Cuccinelli.
"The electronic registration system is part of an agency-wide initiative to modernise our imജmigration system while deterring fraud, improving vetting procꦚedures and strengthening program integrity," he said.
The H-1B program allows companies in the United States to temporarily employ foreign workers in occupations that require the application of a body of highly specialised knowledge﷽ and a bachelor's degree or higher in the specific speciality, or it's equivalent.
Upon implementation of the electronic registration system, petitioners seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions,🅘 including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption, will first have to electronically register with the USCIS during a designated registration period, unless the requirement is suspended, ﷺthe USCIS said.
The federal agency is slated to implement the registration process for the fiscal year 2021 H-1B🍒 cap selection process, pending completed testing of the system.
It wil♏l announce the implementation timeframe and initial registration period in the federal register once a formal decision has been made, and the USCIS will offer ample notice to the༺ public in advance of implementing the registration requirement.
The USC🍌IS published a notice of proposed rulemaking highlighting a registration fee on September 4, 2019, which included a 30-day public comment period.
The USCIS received only 22 comments during that time, and has considered all submissions and offer♈ed public responses ahead of announcin✤g the final rule, which is effective on December 9.
