Skilled labor is in short supply in the United States, especially in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) industries.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that between 2023 and 2033, the US will need around 1 million more STEM professionals, with job growth in the IT sector surpassing that of the labor market as a whole.
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The 1990-introduced H-1B visa program has been instrumental in bridging this gap by permitting U.S. corporations to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialized industries.
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Businesses and immigration lawyers file petitions under this scheme on behalf of foreign professionals looking to work in the US.
A cap of 65,000 H-1B visas each year has been set by Congress, with an extra 20,000 set aside for candidates with advanced degrees from American universities.
The program is still in high demand despite these limitations. 470,000 H-1B applications were submitted to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services for fiscal year 2025, highlighting the continued demand for qualified foreign workers despite the difficult visa application procedure for both firms and employees.
“I’m not sure if people in the U.S. truly understand the level of headache that people who are on H-1 have to go through, which nobody else has. For example, every three years we need to get our H-1 renewal. For that renewal, you have to pay renewal fees. You’ve got to hire a lawyer,” said Gaurav Saxena, an H-1B visa holder residing in Reston, Virginia, as quoted by CNBC news.
Top employers using the program include tech behemoths like Microsoft, Amazon, Google, and Meta.
There are still worries, though, that some companies may take advantage of it to find cheaper workers.
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Employers’ H-1B petitions have not decreased despite recent waves of layoffs in the tech sector.
Read Also: How to Reapply for a U.S. Visa After Rejection (Why Your Visa Application Was Denied)
