US H-1B visa: Application Process, Requirements, and Costs

What is US H-1B visa?

The US H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows employers in the U.S. to recruit skilled foreign workers in speciality occupations to come and work in the country for a specified period of time. The H-1B visa is one of the most sought-after visas by foreign workers who are looking for employment opportunities in the States. One of the primary requirements to qualify for the visa is to have an employment offer from a US-based employer in speciality roles that require a minimum of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent. The occupations that are eligible the H-1B visa includes fields like finance, technology, architecture, engineering amongst others.

The H-1B visa is issued initially for 3 years which can later be extended for up to three years, with an overall visa duration of six years. Since the time the H-1B visa category was launched in 1990, there has been a maintained cap on the total number of visas issued every year. The ongoing visa cap for the annual H-1B visas is set at 65,000 with an additional 20,000 visas that are particularly for graduates with a Doctoral degree or Masters form an educational institution in the U.S. Around 6,800 out of the regular quota are secured for Chile and Singapore citizens that are a part of the specific Free Trade Agreement.

?*Want to apply for a US H-1B visa ? Let Y-Axis assist you with the process.

?

Benefits of applying for US H-1B visa

The H-1B non-immigrant visa is a type of employer sponsored visa wherein the employer in the US applies for the H-1B visa lottery, submits the petition, and completes the H-1B visa fee payment on behalf of the foreign worker. The benefits of the H-1B visa are many, with employers, applicants and family members of the H-1B visa also benefiting from it.

Advantages of H-1B Visa for employers:

Here are two major ways how the employers can benefit with a H-1B visa:

• Access to an increased talent pool: Some of the industries in the US like the Healthcare and the hospitality sector are currently facing workforce shortages. Through the H-1B visa program, companies recruit highly skilled workers that can minimize the labour shortages in the country.
• Diverse workforce: The H-1B visa allows employers to hire a diverse set of foreign workers that can contribute to the economy. It is proven that a diversified workforce tends to boost the competitiveness and innovation on a global level. ?

Advantages for H-1B Visa holders:

Here are some of the benefits for an H-1B visa holder:

• Authorized to work for six years: The H-1B visa holder is initially given a 3-yaer period which can alter be extended to another 3 years, giving the visa holder a total of 6 years to work in the States.
• Better wages: The visa holders are paid a specific wage depending on factors like level of experience, education, job offered, and the work location in the U.S. The wages are generally high compared to that of an average domestic worker in the country.
• Can switch jobs: The H-1B visa holders can change from the sponsoring employer by requesting the new employer to register for an “H-1B Change of Employer” petition on their behalf
• Dual Intent status: The H-1B visa is a dual intent visa that allows the visa holder to apply for a Green card while on a temporary visa status, offering a direct permanent residence pathway.
• Visa extension: H-1B visa holders with an approved I-140 Form can apply to extend their H-1B visa while waiting to file for a Green card application. This is mostly opted by nationals from India, China, or countries that have a long Green card processing time.

Advantages of H-1B Visa for spouses and dependents:

Here are some of the benefits for the spouses and dependents of H-1B visa holder:

• Pursue education: The spouses of the H-1B visa holder can enroll in schools and universities.
• Study without a student visa: ?Children of H-1B visa holders who are under 21 years of age and unmarried can attend schools without requiring a student visa.
• Seek employment: Spouses of H-1b visa holders can apply to work in the US via Form I-765. However, this is only applicable for spouses of certain H-1B visa holders.

?

*Need assistance to apply for the H-1B visa? Sign up with Y-Axis for end-to-end support with the process.

*Looking to apply for US Visas ? Let Y-Axis assist you with the steps.

?

Eligibility Criteria to apply for a US H-1B visa

The eligibility criteria for a US H-1B visa are as follows:

• Bachelors, Masters or Doctoral degree
• Proof of prior work experience in a skilled occupation
• The job offered to you must be listed as a speciality occupation
• Valid passport
• A valid employment offer from a U.S. employer
• Your employer must submit proof that there is a lack of qualified workers in the U.S who can take up that job role
• Your employer must have paid the prevailing wages for the occupation in the area of employment assigned to you

?

Documents required for H-1B visa

The checklist of documents for H-1B visa is as follows:

• Passport
• Updated resume
• Employment offer letter
• Academic and professional qualifications
• Proof of previous work experience
• Proof of specialized training
• Letter of recommendation
• Appointment letter of the visa interview
• Labor Condition Application (LCA)
• Form DS-160
• Form I-129
• Form I-797
• Receipt of fee payment
• Receipt number of the H-1B petition

?

Requirements for US H-1B visa

The general requirements that must be fulfilled to apply for an H-1B visa are as follows:

The requirements for the occupation are:

• Must have knowledge in theoretical and practical application in any of the highly specialized occupations
• Have a Bachelor’s degree or higher in a particular speciality

The job position must fulfill any of the following requirements to qualify as a speciality occupation:

• A Bachelor’s degree or Masters or the minimum educational qualifications required for the job position.
• The employer who offered you the job must also have a degree required for the job position.

To be able to perform the activities in the specialty occupation, you must meet the following criteria:

• Have a Bachelors or higher degree from any of the recognized US colleges or universities that is required for the occupation.
• Have a foreign degree that is equal to the US degree required for the occupation
• Have a state license, certificate or registration as proof to be able practice the speciality occupation??
• Have specialized training, education or experience as proof of expertise in the specialty occupation

H-1B visa Requirements for Employers:

The employers must fulfill the below H-1B visa requirements:

• Have an opening for a job role that requires speciality knowledge and expertise
• Have an opening for a job role that needs a US Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent or an entry certification
• Provide proof that the job role generally requires the above mentioned degrees

H-1B Registrations from 2021-2025

The table given below has data of the H-1B registrations from 2021-2025:

Top In-demand Jobs in the USA

The list of Top 10 in-demand jobs in the USA are given below:

1.????? IT and Software

2.????? Engineering

3.????? Accounting and Finance

4.????? Human Resource Management

5.????? Hospitality

6.????? Sales And Marketing

7.????? Healthcare

8.????? STEM

9.????? Teaching

10.? Nursing

Read more…

Top In-Demand Jobs in the USA (2024)

?

List of companies that sponsor H-1B visas in 2024

There are over 50+ companies in the US that sponsor H-1B visas and recruit skilled talent.

The list of top 15 companies that sponsor visas are as follows:

1.????? Amazon

2.????? Infosys

3.????? Tata Consultancy Services

4.????? Cognizant

5.????? Microsoft

6.????? Google

7.????? Capgemini

8.????? HCL America

9.????? IBM

10.? Facebook

11.? Deloitte

12.? Intel

13.? Apple

14.? Wipro

15.? Accenture

Apart from the above-mentioned companies, the table below has 99 companies that offer sponsorship for H-1B visas in 2024:

H-1B Visa Application process

The application process for an H-1B visa can be completed by an employer in the US who is willing to sponsor the H-1B visa. The process will be initiated once the employer files a petition on your behalf.

A step-by-step breakdown of the US application process is given below:

Step 1: Submission of the LCA

The employer will submit a Labor Condition Application (LCA) to the Department of Labor (DOL). The LCA is proof that the employer will pay you similar wages to that of the other qualified employees in the US.

Step 2: Complete Form I-129

After receiving a certification from the Department of Labor, yours sponsored employee must fill out the Form I-129 (Petition for a Non-immigrant Worker)

Step 3: Submission of LCA and Form I-129

The employer can then file both the LCA along with Form I-129 to the USCIS.

Step 4: Submission of documents and fee payment

The visa application fee of $190 and submit the required checklist of documents.

The documents must include:

• Proof of educational qualifications
• Proof of professional training or certifications
• A job confirmation letter from the US employer
• A valid passport
• A letter of support from the sponsored employer
• Receipt of fee payment

Step 5: Approval of Form I-129

Once the Form I-129 is approved, you can continue the process depending on your place of residence at that moment. If you are already residing in the country on a different visa, you will be required to wait until your visa status become active and you can resume working. IF you are outside the US, you must complete Form DS-160.

Step 6: Fill out Form DS-160

You will be required to fill out DS-160 and pay the required fee to schedule an interview at the nearest local US consulate or embassy.

Step 7: Attend the visa interview

You can attend the scheduled visa interview and carry all the required documents with you.

The lists of documents include:

• Passport
• A copy of the confirmation page of Form DS-160
• A copy of approved I-129 petition and the approval of I-797
• Fee payment receipt
• A copy of passport-sized photograph as requested by the USCIS

Step 8: Wait for a decision on your visa

Once you get through the visa interview process, you can wait for a visa decision from the officials.

?

When is the best time to apply for an H1B Visa?

Applying early on before the commencement of the fiscal year (starting October 1st) is considered as one of the best times to apply for the H-1B visa. The USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) generally starts accepting H-1B petitions on April 1st for the visas that will be issued later on in the Fiscal year of October 1st.

The detailed timeline for the H-1B visas is as follows:

Looking to apply for an H-1B visa? Sign up with Y-Axis , the world’s Number 1 overseas immigration company, for end-to-end support at every step of the process. Email to us at [email protected] or drop a message on our WhatsApp number 8802219999.?

?