Article by Satish Kumar (Chief Manager, Indian Bank)
- H-1B is an employment-based, non-immigrant visa for temporary workers in America in specialty occupations like Engineers, Doctors/Physicians, Managers, Financial Manager, Analyst, Business Managers, Sales Managers, Art, entertainment, Lawyers, CPA, Architect, Health Care professionals, Technicians, there is a preference given to occupations that focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Management.
- The US H-1B visa is to help employers that cannot otherwise obtain needed business skills and abilities from the U.S. workforce for certain specialty occupations. Employers must document in a labor conditions application (LCA) that there are no U.S. workers qualified for the position and that the nonimmigrant worker will be paid an amount that’s the same or equal to other workers in that position.
- The H-1B visa is valid for up to three years and renewable for an additional three years, for a maximum of six years.
- An H4 visa is issued to dependent family members (spouse and children) of H1 visa holders who would like to accompany the H1B visa holder to the U.S. during their stay. Immediate family members like spouse and children under 21 years old may qualify for an H4 visa and may apply at a US Consulate in their home country.
- The US H-1B visa is to help employers that cannot otherwise obtain needed business skills and abilities from the U.S. workforce for certain specialty occupations. The H-1B visa is valid for up to three years and renewable for an additional three years, for a maximum of six years.
- H-1B is the most coveted foreign work visas for technology professionals from India.
- US President Donald Trump is suspended a number of employment visas such as the H1B and H4 visas, till the end of this year in view of the massive unemployment in America due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to a media report.It restricts American companies from hiring talented foreigners and blocks spouses of foreigners working in the US from entering the country.
The suspension bars any new H-1B holder outside the country from coming to work until the suspension is lifted, though visa holders already in the country are unlikely to be affected.
Note:
immigrant /ˈɪmɪɡr(ə)nt/
- a person who comes to live permanently in a foreign country.
- “they found it difficult to expel illegal immigrants”