Urgent: Get your H-1B cases prepared now for filing on April 1, 2007 to begin work October 1, 2007.

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting new H-1B petitions for professionals that count against the FY2007 cap on April 1, 2007. These professionals will be eligible to begin H-1B employment on October 1, 2007. 

Employers looking to hire new H-1B professionals are urged to begin the H-1B petition process now. Keep in mind that last year, all 65,000 H-1B visas were utilized within 56 days of the April 1^st filing date. This year it is anticipated that the H-1B cap will be met even earlier and filing within the first couple of weeks in April could be the only way to ensure your company will have the foreign workers needed.  

Employers should review their employment needs and determine whether any foreign national employees will be requiring H-1B visas. This is extremely important where employers are planning to hire foreign nationals who will soon graduate from U.S. universities. While many of these individuals may already have an employment authorization card (EAD), you may still have to file an H-1B petition for them. For example, if you plan to hire an individual that will graduate in May 2007, that individual’s EAD will be valid through the end of May 2008. After May 2008, this individual would not have a valid work status and would no longer be legally employed with your company. To avoid this type of problem it is imperative that you file an H-1B petition on behalf of your foreign employees in April 2007 requesting the USCIS to grant H-1B status as of October 1, 2007. H-1B status allows your foreign workers up to three years of employment authorization starting from October 1, 2007.    

The H-1B cap does not apply to foreign nationals who already hold H-1B status and are seeking to change the H-1B employer and/or extend their H-1B stay in the United States.

Immigration is a very complex and variable area of law. For this reason it is important that business owners seek knowledgeable legal council before initiating immigration matters for their employees or future employees. At the MVP Law Group, we boast an exceptionally high approval rating in all cases filed. This is a direct result of our highly trained staff of legal professionals that are always up to date with the latest rules and regulations in business immigration law. We provide high-quality legal services by placing a premium on flexibility, state-of-the-art technology, personal integrity and a philosophy in which our client’s needs are paramount.