Demand for H-1B Visas Off to Slower Start

Demand is off to a slower start this year than previous years for H-1B visas that are used to bring in employees with college degrees and special skills such as technology workers.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services began accepting H-1B visa petitions for fiscal 2012 on April 1. However, only 5,900 petitions had been filed by April 8 under the general H-1B visa cap of 65,000, and only 4,500 petitions had been filed under a 20,000-visa cap for those with master’s degrees or higher.

In comparison, the Immigration Department had received 13,500 petitions under the 65,000 cap in fiscal 2011 and 5,600 petitions under the 20,000 cap in the same time period—between April 1, 2010, and April 8, 2010.

Demand had been stronger in previous years. The caps were reached in one day for fiscal 2008.

Staffing firms, including those that provide information technology workers, have been among those using H-1B visas.   

Filed by Staffing Industry Analysts, a sister company of Workforce Management. To comment, e-mail editors@workforce.com.

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