Fast Track High-Tech H-1B Visa Application Suspended
07 Mar 2017
The fast tracked H-1B visas facility, for foreigners looking to work in the US alongside high-tech companies, will be suspended for the next six months. Currently the system allows visas to be issued in as little as 14 days, where the applicant meets certain criteria.
The announcement, made by the Trump administration means that from the 3rd April this “premium processing” will not be available. The move comes as a blow to companies who look to employ skilled foreign workers from overseas.
In cases of humanitarian crisis, or where companies would stand to suffer significantly financially, the fast track system may still be available.
The current
H-1B visa is available for up to 65,000 people per year. An additional 20,000 places are allocated those who have advanced degrees issued by an American college.
It is thought that the suspension of the fast track service is due to a large backlog of pending visa applications. The visa agency stated that once the backlog had been cleared, normal service would not only be resumed but perhaps be improved upon.
Since the start of his presidency, Donald Trump has been campaigning for tougher immigration regulations. The administration has already tried to put a ban on people arriving from a number of primarily Muslim countries, however the ban was challenged and put on hold by federal court.
