TRUMP SUSPENDS H1B VISAS TILL YEAR END

TRUMP SUSPENDS H1B VISAS TILL YEAR END

U.S. President Donald Trump signing an executive order (EO) pausing new H1B visas effective June 24 through the end of the year

H4 visas (H1B dependents), L visas (intra-company transfers), as well as H2B

(non-agricultural workers) and J visas will be on pause through the year end

H-1B is a visa in the United States

 

H-1B visa has its roots in the H1 visa of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952; the split between H-1A (for nurses) and H-1B was created by the Immigration Act of 1990

H-1B visa allows an individual to enter the United States to temporarily work at an employer in a specialty occupation

H-1B work-authorization is strictly limited to employment by the sponsoring employer

A specialty occupation requires the application of specialized knowledge and a bachelor's degree or the equivalent of work experience

Duration of stay is three years, extendable to six years; after which the visa holder may need to reapply

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services starts accepting applications on the first business day of April for visas that count against the fiscal year starting in October

H-1B visa holders can bring immediate family members (spouse and children under 21) to the United States under the H-4 visa category as dependents

H-1B1 visas are a sub-set of H-1B issued to residents of Chile and Singapore

H-2B visa: The H-2B non-immigrant program permits employers to hire foreign workers to come to the U.S. and perform temporary non-agricultural work, which may be one-time, seasonal, peak load or intermittent

L-1 visa: It is a non-immigrant visa

L-1 visas are available to employees of an international company with offices in both the United States and abroad

Spouses of L-1 visa holders are allowed to work without restriction in the US once EAD is granted

L-1 visa has two subcategories: L-1A for executives and managers, valid up to 7 years; L-1B for workers with specialized knowledge, valid up to 5 years

Two types of L-1 procedures: Regular L-1 visas, which must be applied for and approved for each individual by the USCIS; and Blanket L-1 visas, which are available to employers that meet certain criteria

Individual with a valid L-1 visa does not need a visa to enter Costa Rica for tourism for up to 30 days

For Canadian residents, a special L visa category is available

TN-1 visas are part of the North American Free Trade Agreement, and are issued to Canadian and Mexican citizens

E-3 visas are issued to citizens of Australia under the Australia free-trade treaty

J-1 visa: The United States introduced the J-1 Exchange Visitor Visa Program under the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act (Fulbright–Hays Act of 1961)

J-1 visa was administered by the U.S. Information Agency (USIA) to strengthen relations between the US and other countries

Issued by the United States to research scholars, professors and exchange visitors participating in programs that promote cultural exchange, especially to obtain medical or business training within the U.S

Applicants must meet eligibility criteria, English language requirements, and be sponsored either by a university, private sector or government program

J-1 visitors may remain until the end of their exchange program. Once a J-1 visitor's program ends, he or she may remain in the United States for an additional 30 days

Many persons in the United States on J-1 visa are subject to the two-year home residency requirement found in Section 212(e) of the Immigration and Nationality Act.