IT Industry In US Calls Government To Raise H-1B Visas Cap

27 May 2015

In a bid to fill the available tech jobs in the United States, American IT industry is urging US government to raise the H-1B visa cap and lure elite and brightest minds from all over the globe.

Apparently, over 545,000 tech jobs remain vacant in the United States, especially a deep impact on the Silicon Valley-based organizations. Thus, IT industries in America pushing USCIS to augment the H-1B visas cap.

The president of the Information Technology & Innovation Foundations, Robert Atkinson, said that the US must increase H-1B visa the cap as well as expand overall high-skill, innovation so that US economic engine can be stimulated by the elite minds from across the globe.

He added that over 545,000 technology jobs remain vacant in the US, because of the scarcity of employees who are eligible for skilled positions in STEM fields such as science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Citing the inequity in the supply and demand for H-1B visas, he said that for the 2015-2016 fiscal year USCIS has received over 233,000 applications in a period less than one week for just 85,000 accessible permits, forcing authorities to utilize lottery system.

Besides, 65,000 congressional mandated H1-B visas, the United States issues an extra 20,000 H-1B visa for those who hold advanced degrees from US University or educational institute.

He said that there is a huge impact of the STEM shortage and low H-1B visa cap is showing bad impact on Silicon Valley firms and the region files over 10% of the country’s H-1B visa petitions. Thus, it is necessary to increase cap on H-1B visas. 

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