By Dev B. Viswanath, Esq.
The USCIS H1-B pre-registration process for the fiscal year 2023 has started March 1st. Submissions will be allowed until March 18. Those interested to move ahead with the process are strongly encouraged as soon as possible. Once the process ends on March 18, it will end any H1B petitions for the year 2023 for all first-time cap-subject H1B opportunities. The first-round picks will be notified on March 30 or April 1 that they have been selected and will have 90 days to submit their petition, after which their opportunity will be lost if not filed.
USCIS has received a sufficient number of petitions needed to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H-1B visa U.S. advanced degree exemption, known as the master’s cap, for fiscal year (FY) 2022.
The agency has completed sending non-selection notifications to registrants’ online accounts. The status for registrations properly submitted for the FY 2022 H-1B numerical allocations, but that were not selected, will now show:
- Not Selected: Not selected – not eligible to file an H-1B cap petition based on this registration
USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions that are otherwise exempt from the cap. Petitions filed for current H-1B workers who have been counted previously against the cap, and who still retain their cap number, are exempt from the FY 2022 H-1B cap. USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions filed to:
- Extend the amount of time a current H-1B worker may remain in the United States;
- Change the terms of employment for current H-1B workers;
- Allow current H-1B workers to change employers; and
- Allow current H-1B workers to work concurrently in additional H-1B positions.
If you have an interest in pursuing an H1B visa please do contact experienced immigration professional. I will be working with clients both in the United States and in India during the month of March to assist employers and employees on this year’s H1b petitions.
Dev B. Viswanath, Esq.
