Envoy 2017 H-1B Game Plan Webinar: How to Stay on Track and Prep Quality Petitions

Presentedby:Gordie Rosoklija,anattorneyfromGlobalImmigration

Associates,anEnvoy-affiliatedlawfirm

THEULTIMATEH-1BGAMEPLAN

HowtoStayonTrackandPrepQualityPetitions

AboutEnvoy

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growthinlast2years

51%190Securework

authorizationin

countriesaroundtheglobe

95%+Envoy-affiliatedattorney

caseapprovalrateforover30,000cases*

1,000+customers

80+AverageNPS

Theglobalimmigrationprocessisfrustrating,confusing,stressfulandinefficient.Fornearly20years,Envoyhasbeenonamissiontofixthat— weareaglobalimmigrationservicesprovider

combiningexpertlegalrepresentationwiththeonlytechnologyplatformthatmakesitseamlessforcompaniestohire,mobilizeandmanageaglobalworkforce.

AboutEnvoy

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50%17%

8%

4%4%

STEM

Consulting

Manufacturing

AdvertisingandMarketingEducation

Ourcustomersspanavarietyofindustries,including(top5listed):

Theglobalimmigrationprocessisfrustrating,confusing,stressfulandinefficient.Fornearly20years,Envoyhasbeenonamissiontofixthat— weareaglobalimmigrationservicesprovider

combiningexpertlegalrepresentationwiththeonlytechnologyplatformthatmakesitseamlessforcompaniestohire,mobilizeandmanageaglobalworkforce.

AbouttheAttorney

Gordie RosoklijaanattorneyfromGlobalImmigrationAssociates(alawfirmaffiliatedwithEnvoy),hasbuiltandsubmittedhundredsofnonimmigrantandimmigrantworkvisapetitions.HehasextensiveexperiencehandlingB,E,H,L,OandTNvisacases,employment-basedgreencardsandU.S.CitizenshipandImmigrationServicesRequestsforEvidence.

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Agenda

H-1BCapBreakdown

LaborConditionApplicationTips

FilingtheH-1Bpetition

Post-filingGamePlan

H-1BAlternatives

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H-1BCapBreakdown

• 20,000 specialtyworkerswithadvanceddegrees

• 58,200 allspecialtyworkers

• 6,800 specialtyworkersfromChileandSingapore

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H-1BCapbytheNumbers

5DAYSThefilingwindowfortheH-1Bcaplotterygenerallyendsafterthemandatoryminimumwindowof

fivebusinessdays.

Before2014,thewindowwasopenpastthefivebusinessdayminimumasfewerpetitionswerereceivedandmoreH-1Bvisaswereavailable.

After,thewindowhasclosedafteronlyfivebusinessdaysandarandomlotteryfortheavailablespotsoccurred.

H-1BCap:StartSoonerThanLater

WhatyouCanDotoPrepare• Notifyyourattorney

• Beginrecruitingfourmonthspriortocap(January)

• Gatherallrequireddocumentsthreemonthspriortocap(February)

Whystartearly?• Allowsyoutoidentifyproblems

• Norushing

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• Identifieswhichemployeesneedtobesponsored

• ImportantforthoseonOPTstatus

• CurrentorpotentialforeignnationalemployeesmayqualifyforclassificationsotherthanH-1B

Reviewexpirationdatesforallforeignnationalemployees:

• Fast,consistentandclearcommunicationsignificantlysimplifiestheprocess

• Onlinecommunicationstreamlinestheprocessandensuresprivacy

Starttheconversationwithyourattorneyandforeignnationalemployees:

H-1BCap:HowtoPrepare

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ConfirmH-1BEligibility

USCISneedstoconfirmthelegitimacyofyourcompanytosponsoraforeignnational

Draftjobdescriptionoutliningkeyrequirements

Forcompaniessponsoringforthefirsttime,USCISmayrequiremorecompanyinformation

H-1BCap:HowtoPrepare

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H-1BVisaRequirements

Examplesofaspecialtyoccupationinclude:

• Biotechnology• Education• Engineering• ComputerSciences• Management• Medicine

• CandidateswhopossessatleastaU.S.bachelor’sdegreeoritsequivalenthiredtoworkina“specialtyoccupation”

Who’sEligible

• Mustpossessabachelor’sdegreeorequivalenteducation/experience

• Thepositionmustrequireatleastabachelor’sdegreeinaspecificfieldandthecandidatemusthaveadegreeoritsequivalentinthatspecificfieldorfields

• Offeredsalarymustmeetminimumprevailingwage

Requirements

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LaborConditionApplication(LCA)

FilebyMarch20• Processingtimecanbeaslongas10daysduringcapseason.

• Ifthefilingwindowclosesagaininsevencalendardaysasexpected,thelastpotentiallyviabledaytofileanLCAwillbeMarch31.

TheLCAestablishestheprevailingwagethattheemployermustpaytotheforeignnational.

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H-1BVisa:DualIntent&Dependents

DualIntent

EmployersshouldbeginthegreencardprocessforH-1Bemployeesnolaterthantwoyearspriortothesix-yearmax-outdate.

DependentsEmployeesmaybeaccompaniedbytheirspousesanddependentsunder21yearsofage.

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H-1BVisaCap

• First-timeH-1Bvisaapplicantsaresubjecttotheannualcap,whichopensinApril1

• IftheH-1Bpetitionisacceptedforprocessingandapproved,thefirstofficialstartdateisOctober1

• H-1Bcandidatessponsoredbyaninstitutionofhighereducationoratcertainnonprofitentitiesarenotsubjecttothecap

H-1BCALENDAR

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FilingtheH-1BPetition

• AllpetitionsshouldbecompletedbeforeApril1tomakesureit’sreceivedbeforethelotterycloses

• TheUSCISwilllikelyclosethelotteryonApril7

TIP:Basedonpreviousyears,thelotterywillfillupwithinthefirstfivebusinessdaysofApril.

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FilingtheH-1BPetition

Fact:85,000applicationspotsareavailable,butUSCIStypicallyacceptsmorethanthatduetosomebeingdeniedduringthereviewprocess.

Oncethefilingwindowcloses,theUSCISconductstherandomlottery.Thisisgenerallycompletedwithinonetothreeweeksafterthefilingdeadline.

Acceptedpetitionswillbenotifiedwithareceiptnoticetwotofourweeksafterthelotteryisconducted.

Rejectedpetitionswillbereturnedintheirentiretywithoutareceiptnotice.

Thereceiptnumbercanbeusedtocheckthepetition’sstatusontheUSCISwebsite.

AfterFilingtheH-1BPetition

Thegovernmentthenreviewsandadjudicatespetitions4-6monthsafterissuingreceiptnumbers.Premiumprocessingreducesthisprocessto15days.

Afterallpetitionshavebeenreviewed,receiptnoticesareissued2- 3weeksafter.Onceapetitionisreviewed,theUSCISwillissueanapproval,adenial,oraRequestforEvidence.

October1,2017TheearlieststartdateforapprovedH-1BholdersisOctober1,2017.

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EmploymentWhiletheH-1BPetitionisPending

Cantheemployeecontinueworkingforourcompany?

Whatistheircurrentnonimmigrantstatus?Whendoesitexpire?

“Cap-Gap”employmentforF-1visaholders

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RejectedH-1BPetition

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Ifyourpetitionisn’tacceptedinthelotteryyourpetitionwillbesentbacktoyou.Keepinmind:

• Lotteryselectioniscompletelyrandom

• Thereisnothingyoucandotoincreaseyourchancesofacceptance

• Allfilingfeeswillberefunded

H-1BAlternatives

IfyourH-1Bpetitionisrejected,don’tlosehope.Therearevariousalternatives:• TNvisa

• E-2visa

• E-3visa

• L-1visa

• H-1B1visa

• F-1OPTSTEMExtension

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ThankYou

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