Update on 2010 H1B – Quota yet to be filled
By Scholarship for USA on Apr 11, 2009 with Comments 5
Latest Update: 2010 H1B Update as of Dec 21, 09
Good news for all that applied for the H1B visa for fiscal year 2010. As predicted earlier, there has been a sharp decline in the number of H1b applications filed with USCIS. It seems like there will be no H1b lottery this year and all approved applicants will get the h1b visa. United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reported that they have received 42,000 H-1B petitions for fiscal year 2010 as of April 9, 2009. The agency will continue to accept H1B petitions until the congress mandated 65,000 general cap has been reached.
Also read: The Truth About Indian IT Consulting Firms Revealed
USCIS has reported that they have received approximately 20,000 applications for people with advanced degrees. The cap under this category is 20,000, however USCIS is still accepting applications because not all applications within the first 20,000 are approved.
This is the first year since 2004 that the H1B quota has not been reached within the first week. The weak US economy is largely to blame for this. Also, the recent crack down by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforgement (ICE) on fraudulent H1b applicants and fake consulting firms has caused a sharp decline on the number of H1b petitions this year. Lets hope it stays this way in the coming years so that qualified applicants are not passed over by fake applicants by sheer luck of the draw.
Are you an H1b applicant this year? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Further reading: 11 Consultants Arrested in H-1B Fraud
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Filed Under: H-1B
i know i will be in USA , and i will celebrate this years new year in USA .
Hari Bol
I hate this H1B quota system. I have a PhD from a top US university, and I am just finishing a post-doc, also at a top US university. I am entering the job market for the first time this year. OPT is no longer an option for me because post-docs don’t get a OPT. Several months ago, due to the H1B quota lotteries in the past, I decided not to pursue career options where I would need a quota-subjected H1B visa. Now I see there would actually be NO lottery – so I essentially wasted some very good opportunities. End result: I got a very good job outside of US (Switzerland). I am, however, very bitter over the US immigration system. I spent many years in US – and I am now about to spend my life telling every smart person they should never choose US to study, work, or immigrate. I feel tricked by all these fake H1B application that artificially increased the number of applications, and abandoned by US leadership who failed to fix the problem sooner.
Actually, the US propaganda system tricked you and most other young and naive foreigners.
The US propaganda system over-emphasizes certain aspects of the US while ignoring the rest, to the point of misinforming people like you. Its promises are rarely fulfilled, yet theoretically “achievable”.
If anything, American propaganda serve corporate America, not foreigners. The fact that you cannot distinguish the facts from propaganda, means American propaganda is the best in the world.
The US Immigration law is the worst when compared to other countries. Here only persons who know how to trick especially in IT field can get Visa. Employers wants to hire an immigrant but due to Govt pressure and this stupid wait period till oct, they back off. Why dont they start point system like other countries, so that only skilled people can come and who are actually eligible for working. Persons who are stuck here due to some reasons like studies or spouse, have no option but to sit at home. Else, i would recommend, all the persons who doesn’t have any particular reason to stay her should go back in their countries as there are better job opportunities there as compared to US. I think, they dont realize what they are losing, this country was built n immigrants and is running on them, if they leave then there is gonna be nothing productive here.
Any society that depends on immigrants, and not natives, for its prosperity is a questionable society.