USCIS: H-1B Registrations are now accepted till March 20

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced an extension of the H-1B registration deadline. In an alert on USCIS website, it has communicated that certain users were unable to finish the H-1B registration process due to some technical issue at their end. However, USCIS has resolved the technical problem and is currently receiving registrations until 5:00 p.m. Eastern on Monday, March 20, 2023. Also it is clarified that the technical difficulty did not impact any registrations that were successfully paid and completed.

On March 1, the registration process for the 2024 H-1B cap commenced and was originally scheduled to conclude on Friday, March 17, 2023. Now due to this technical glitch, extra time is provided to make sure all the registrations are done.

The H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa category that allows US employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations that require technical or theoretical expertise in specialized fields such as IT, engineering, science, and mathematics. The H-1B visa is valid for up to three years and can be extended for another three years. It is a popular visa category among skilled foreign workers seeking employment in the US. However, obtaining an H-1B visa can be a competitive and lengthy process, as there is an annual cap on the number of visas issued, and the application process involves several steps and requirements.

Over the years, US-based technology firms have been the primary recipients of H-1B visas. However, it is uncertain whether the recent wave of technology industry job cuts in the US, which have occurred in recent months, will impact demand for H-1B visas this year. Typically, there is significant demand for H-1B visas, with far more applications than the available 85,000 visas. Once the registration process is completed, USCIS will provide the number of applicants for the FY 2024, however there is an update from USCIS on H-1B cap electronic registration process.

The H-1B cap electronic registration process has been well-received by users, who consistently provide a high satisfaction score with the system, including a rating of for 4.84 out of 5 for FY2023. Registrations were submitted by more than 48,000 prospective petitioners, and roughly 31% of all eligible registrations requested consideration under the advanced degree exemption. 

For FY 2022, USCIS received 308,613 H-1B registrations and For FY 2023, it has received 483,927 H-1B registrations. For FY 2024, it is expected that this number can be higher than FY 2023, even when the layoffs are at all time high in US.

Indians are among the largest beneficiaries of the H-1B visa program. Many highly skilled professionals from India, particularly those in the technology industry, seek employment in the US through the H-1B visa program. In recent years, however, obtaining an H-1B visa has become increasingly competitive, with a limited number of visas available and a significant number of applicants. As a result, the process of obtaining an H-1B visa can be challenging and time-consuming, and many Indians may face lengthy wait times or visa denials. Despite these challenges, the H-1B visa remains a popular route for Indians seeking work opportunities in the US.