To boost the US economy and retain top talent, the Biden administration is accelerating employment-based nonimmigrant visas for recent college graduates with job offers.
The initiative aims to streamline immigration processes and attract skilled workers to the country. By July 18, the Department of State will release new guidelines for consular officers to recommend waivers to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Employment-based nonimmigrant visas, such as the popular H-1B visa, enable foreign nationals to work temporarily in the country. The visa procedure usually begins with the employer filing a petition for the employee.
Applicants who are originally denied visas are normally notified of the reasons for the decision by the consular official, and some may be eligible for a waiver, giving them another chance to receive their visa.
These waiver requests are handled by the Department of Homeland Security and the Admissibility Review Office of US Customs and Border Protection. Before applying for an H-1B or other temporary worker visa, companies must first obtain USCIS permission for a Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker (Form I-129).
Once authorised, the potential employee can move forward with their visa application, which includes completing the Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application (Form DS-160) and scheduling an interview at a US embassy or consulate. In fiscal year 2023, USCIS and the Department of State issued over 192,000 employment-based immigrant visas, ensuring that no visas went unused for the second year in a row.
