Rudraksh Group’s talks about the increasing number of H-1B visa applications

Rudraksh Group, one of the leading immigration consultancies in India highlights the fact that more than 20,000 H-1B visa petitions were received by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for the financial year 2017. The inadequate supply of talent for the type of demand in the US is well evident from the reports of Indian IT industry being the largest applicant of US skilled worker visas. The process of visa application began on 1st April. There is a massive difference between the H-1B visas that are issued and the number that are actually required. There have been several attempts in the past to enhance the number and resolve the situation. 

Being a prominent beneficiary of the H-1B visa programme, the IT services industry has faced severe criticism for allegedly abusing the visa process. However, the industry denied the claims and asserted that the nature of work requires these work visas for transfer of skilled labour across borders. Rudraksh Group states that the matter of H-1B visa misuse has become one of the major concerning issues in the country with the US heading towards presidential elections this year. The company further added that considering other alternatives will prove to be the right course of action in this situation. The quota of H- 1B is very restrictive which is well evident from the huge number of applications for the quota in the supposedly most free market economy in the world within the first few days.

Students having STEM F-1 visa can work for 3 years under OPT’, states Rudraksh Group

Rudraksh Group Overseas Solutions, one of the leading immigration consultancies states that the students who are having F-1 visa and are enrolled in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields of study from accredited educational institutions in the United States will be allowed to work for as long as three years under the Optional Practical Training (OPT). The company further highlighted that the Department of Homeland Security has asserted that the students who are having F-1 visa and are enrolled in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) fields of study from accredited educational institutions in the United States will be allowed to work for as long as three years under the Optional Practical Training (OPT). 

The Department of Homeland Security will publish the final rule on this matter in the Federal Register on 11th March. The rule will come into effect from 10th May, 2016. All the students who are either under OPT till that date, or who qualify for OPT by then, will be able to work in the country, for a period of 36 months. After completing the initial OPT of 12 months, the students can avail their extension of 17 months under OPT, which will be done on 10th May 2016, or the students can file to extend their OPT by seven months. Rudraksh Group states that the OPT will remain the same at 12 months for the students who don’t come under the category of STEM field of study. A cap-gap protection is extended by the Department of Homeland Security for those H-1B petition beneficiaries that are selected in the H-1B cap.