Welcome back to the Immigration Lawyer Blog, where we discuss all things immigration. In this video, attorney Jacob Sapochnick discusses the new H-1B online registration system and everything you need to know if you are applying for an H-1B cap petition in fiscal year 2021.
Overview:
What’s new?
As our blog followers will know, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services has drastically changed the filing procedure for submitting H-1B cap subject petitions.
Beginning March 1, 2020, before a petitioner can file an H-1B cap-subject petition on behalf of an alien worker, including petitions eligible for the advanced degree exemption, the petitioner must first electronically register with USCIS on the USCIS website.
This electronic registration requirement is absolutely mandatory.
Only petitioners with a valid registration selection will be eligible to file an H-1B petition with USCIS.
The initial registration period for H-1B FY 2021 will open on March 1, 2020 and is expected to close on March 20, 2020. The actual end date will be provided by USCIS very soon on its website. Petitioners must pay a $10 H-1B registration fee per submission. Duplicate registrations are prohibited.
Who must submit an electronic registration?
Prospective petitioners or their authorized representatives must electronically submit a separate registration naming each alien for whom they seek to file an H-1B cap-subject petition.
What happens after the registration period closes?
Once the registration period closes, USCIS will conduct the initial selection process.
After the selection process is completed, USCIS will send electronic notices to all registrants with selected registrations that are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition on behalf of the individual named in the notice within the filing period indicated on the notice.
Account holders who submitted the selected registration will be notified of selection via email or text message stating that an action has been added to their account. Account holders will need to log in to see the full notice. Selected registrants are expected to receive notification no later than March 31, 2020.
How to Register
Petitioners must register for an online account on the USCIS website. As we get closer to the registration period, USCIS will provide step-by-step registration instructions on its website at www.uscis.gov.
Employers and authorized representatives may start setting up their registration accounts in advance of the registration period opening. USCIS will post the date that employers may begin setting up their accounts on the USCIS website.
Employers and authorized representatives will be able to continue to set up accounts during the registration period and may immediately use those accounts to register.
For more information about the new registration requirement and H1B application process please click here.
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