H1b crisis

The H1b crisis occurred most recently in 2007 when the US FY 2008 H-1B visa quota did not last through the first day of the year. On April 3, 2007, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services announced that it received more applications on April 2 than the 65,000 cap. [ [http://www.cataphora.com/information/h1b.php "H1B Visa Crisis: Please support the further progress of the SKIL Bill (H.R. 5744 / S.2691) and other proposals to raise or eliminate H1B caps"] ] April 2 was the first day on which an employer could request a first-time visa for an H-1B worker for the period that becomes effective on October 1, 2007. An H1b crisis has occurred in a number of other recent years. Agency rules state that if the limit is reached on the first day of filing, all applications received on the first two days are put into a lottery to determine who gets the relatively few visas that are available.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) first reported this crisis. It was then confirmed by USCIS. The Wall Street Journal, BusinessWeek and Washington Post also reported this situation. CNN reported that Congress will hold a special session addressing the H1B crisis.

Parties in interest

The most immediate parties in interest are tens of thousands of skilled workers from countries around the world, who cannot accurately forecast their place of work or residence due to the mismatch in the current visa cap versus visa applications. United States employers are also a chief party in interest, evincing their concerns by applying pressures Congress according to the "Wall Street Journal". [http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2007/03/28/visa-window-opens-scramble-is-about-to-begin/ Wall Street Journal, March, 2007] ] Microsoft chairman Bill Gates testified in 2007 on behalf of the expanded visa program on Capitol Hill", "warning of dangers to the [U. S. economy] if employers can't import skilled workers to fill job gaps". [http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2007/03/28/visa-window-opens-scramble-is-about-to-begin/ Wall Street Journal, March, 2007] ]

History of the crisis

The Asian Journal, an independent source, noted that the H1b crisis has actually occurred in five of the last eight years. [ [http://news.pacificnews.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=112afaf131da3c8e859e1ffae621cd0e Another Year, Another H-1B Crisis, Frank Nelson, Attorney, Asian Journal, Sep 05, 2005] ]

International note has been taken specifically using the term "H1b crisis"; furthermore, examples of law firm newsletters have appeared which are devoted to reporting on the H1b Crisis. [ [http://www.facssumn.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4965 "Immigration Newsletter: H1B Crisis", Friendship Association of Chinese Students and Scholars] ]

Congressional response to the H1b crisis

While legislators in the House and Senate have differing ideas on approaches, the topic of changes in H-1B administration is being discussed and analyzed with a resultant bill, Hi-Tech Worker Relief Act of 2007, initiated in the Senate during the 110th Congress. [ [http://www.aila.com/content/default.aspx?docid=22101 S.1092: Hi-Tech Worker Relief Act of 2007] . "United States Congress" via American Immigration Lawyers Association.] The title of the bill itself has generated controversy in the United States from the medical community and other sectors who claim that the U.S. technology industry is receiving special protection not afforded other economy sectors. As of June 2008, the bill was still being considered by the House Committee of the Judiciary. [ [http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN01092:@@@L&summ2=m&#major%20actions S.1092: Hi-Tech Worker Relief Act of 2007] . "Thomas.gov". United States Library of Congress. Retrieved 2008-06-12.]

ee also

*Demographic transition
*Immigration reduction
*Underpopulation

Line notes

External links

* [http://www.aila.org/content/default.aspx?docid=22033 Volume of H1B application in FY 2004 and 2005]
* [http://www.aila.org/content/default.aspx?docid=22020 Aila]
* [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/02/AR2007040201538.html Washington Post]