Perhaps the “B” in the H-1B visa stands for “bye-bye.” The visas for foreign workers in specialty occupations and for international types who obtained a master’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution disappear every year at a record pace, according to David Jones on Jackson Lewis’ Immigration Law Blog. And the season where they vanish is fast approaching.
Each fiscal year, Jones says 65,000 new H-1B visas are available, with an additional 20,000 for applicants who meet the educational requirements. The year runs Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, but since the visa petition cannot be filed more than six months prior to the employee’s start date, the earliest possible date to file is April 1.
