It’s that time again, the application deadline for the H-1B Specialty Occupation visa – a program widely in use by US technology companies seeking highly skilled workers – is just around the corner. The official close to applications is April 1, 2018 and if you are planning to apply or to renew, we recommend that you begin the process as soon as possible due both to the limited number of visas available for issue – 85,000 per year – and also the inflexibility of the deadline – no exceptions or extensions past April 1.

While the political climate of the past year in terms of immigration law has been a volatile one, highly skilled and trained tech creatives are in demand, and the H-1B visa application process has remained largely unchanged as to the procedures, rules, and requirements compared to this time last year. So good news for applicants as to the straightforward steps to follow for a successful application. The only catch? The limited number of H-1B visas that are granted each year.

For a quick refresher to help those seeking H-1B status, we encourage you to look back to our previous post featuring a compiled a list of qualifiers for the H-1B visa.

Of course, this post is by no means all inclusive and comprehensive for the entirety of the H-1B process; for a deeper dive and to discuss your specific case and situation please contact us to schedule a consultation with a member of our legal team. We look forward to hearing from you!