Posted on April 20 2015
WASHINGTON: Applications for H-1B visas allowing US businesses to hire foreign workers in science, engineering and computer programming totalled a record 233,000 for fiscal 2016, according to government figures released on Monday.
A maximum of 85,000 of the work visas, including 20,000 for holders of master's degrees, are available each year under limits set by Congress, despite years of heavy lobbying by tech companies to raise the cap.
"Year after year, the government falls back on a lottery system to determine which U.S. employers will 'win' the ability to hire top world talent," Lynn Shotwell, executive director of the Council for Global Immigration, an industry lobby group, said in an email on Monday in response to the figures.
"This year, employers had a mere 36 percent chance of being granted an H-1B visa. U.S. economic growth should not be left up to this gamble," Shotwell said, adding US employers were frustrated.
The US loses about 500,000 jobs a year because of those limits, according to estimates from Compete America, a coalition representing tech giants including Amazon, Facebook and Microsoft.
But some labor organizations have criticized the program, saying it keeps down wages in the tech sector. President Barack Obama's move last November to ease immigration rules using his executive authority largely disappointed tech industry leaders.
They made it easier for entrepreneurs to work in the United States and extended a program letting foreign students who graduate with advanced degrees from U.S. universities to work here temporarily.
For more news and updates, assistance with your visa needs or for a Free Assessment of your profile for Immigration or Work Visa’s just visit www.y-axis.com
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