H1B Master’s Degree Exemption 2020-2021: Cap Eligibility Rules, Chances

As we enter the H-1B 2020-2021 season, U.S. employers and potential overseas workers from all around the world and from all types of occupations are getting ready to submit their registrations and enter the annual H-1B lottery. One technique to make your registration stand out is to enter the grasp’s diploma exemption, which is a separate lottery for individuals who possess superior levels from eligible establishments. It might sound easy, however there are very particular necessities to comply with when making use of. Let’s delve into the grasp’s cap, the way it can profit you, and how one can enter it.

IMPORTANT UPDATE (3/21/2020): Premium processing has been quickly suspended for all cap-subject petitions within the 2021 season.

IMPORTANT UPDATE (3/30/2020): The USCIS has simply introduced that it has obtained enough H-1B registrations and has efficiently performed the 2021 lottery. To seek out out how one can see whether or not your registration was chosen, learn this replace.

IMPORTANT UPDATE (6/24/2020): President Trump has simply signed a proclamation suspending the stamping of all H-1B, L, and J visas in an effort to lower competitors within the recovering U.S. job market after COVID-19. You possibly can learn extra in regards to the proclamation and its affect in our current replace.

H-1B Visa Annual Quota Background

The H-1B visa is a nonimmigrant work visa that’s designated for professionals that work in jobs which can be thought of specialty occupations. As a result of the necessities are comparatively lenient in comparison with different work visas for expert staff, there may be normally numerous registrations which can be obtained annually. To handle this, the USCIS has carried out an annual restrict and makes use of a random lottery to decide on the registrations to enter processing.

The common H-1B cap, which is made up of those that don’t qualify for the grasp’s diploma exemption, consists of 65,000 spots. Of those, 6,800 are reserved for residents of Singapore and Chile. One other 20,000 spots can be found to these candidates which have a U.S. grasp’s diploma or greater from eligible universities or establishments. That is what is typically referred to as the superior or grasp’s diploma exemption. Nevertheless, it’s not actually an exemption because it doesn’t make you exempt from the H-1B grasp’s cap.

The primary good thing about the grasp’s diploma exemption is that it provides your H-1B registration two probabilities to be chosen. In case your registration isn’t chosen within the common cap, will probably be entered into the grasp’s cap for a second likelihood at choice.

H-1B Grasp’s Quota Lottery Reordering and Registrations for 2020-21 season

One of many main coverage modifications which can be shaking the world of immigration legislation is the Purchase American and Rent American Government Order that was signed by President Trump on April 18, 2017. This has mandated that the Division of Homeland Safety and the USCIS enact new guidelines to guard present American staff, stop immigration fraud, and to make sure that the H-1B visa is geared extra towards extremely expert and extremely paid staff. That is summed up on this assertion from the manager order:

“[the USCIS must] suggest new guidelines and subject new steering, to supersede or revise earlier guidelines and steering if applicable, to guard the pursuits of U.S. staff within the administration of our immigration system.”

On January 30, 2019, the DHS introduced a ultimate rule, which makes two vital modifications to the H-1B visa lottery course of. The ultimate rule turned efficient on April 1, 2019.

(1) The DHS has created a system by which all H-B petitioners have to register their alien beneficiary earlier than the opening of the lottery window. These digital registrations might be counted as a substitute of the petitions for the lottery. Right here is the way it will work:

• Earlier than the H-1B submitting window, employers should register their beneficiaries with the USCIS on-line system.
• The USCIS will then use the lottery system to pick out from the registered beneficiaries.
• The petitioners whose beneficiaries had been chosen will then file petitions on April 1^st.

The USCIS states this as a technique of expediting the method (because it is not going to need to undergo tens of hundreds of petitions yearly) and in addition a technique to make the submitting course of cheaper for employers.

(2) Moreover, this new rule will even make a serious change with the H-1B grasp’s exemption. In years previous, the 20,000 grasp’s cap petitions had been chosen first. Then those who weren’t chosen had been entered into the common cap.

This ultimate rule has reversed that order. As of the H-1B 2019-20 cap season, all registrations – together with masters quota eligible registrations – might be up for choice within the common cap. These registrations with superior diploma designations that weren’t chosen within the common cap might be put into the grasp’s cap afterward. The USCIS estimates that this modification will lead to an estimated enhance of as much as 16% (or 5,340 staff) within the variety of chosen registrations for H-1B beneficiaries with a grasp’s diploma or greater from a U.S. establishment of upper training.

What Sort of Establishment is H-1B Masters Cap Eligible?

So as so that you can qualify for the H-1B grasp’s diploma exemption, there are two essential necessities:

1. You could have earned a grasp’s diploma from an establishment that’s accredited by a nationally acknowledged company.
2. The U.S. establishment also needs to be public or non-profit in nature.

So, if the establishment the place you obtained your diploma from is unaccredited or occurs to be a for-profit college, your petition might be denied. Please word that you just’re additionally topic to all the opposite H-1B necessities.

Likewise, should you failed to fulfill that requirement and your petition was denied by USCIS then you definately additionally received’t be eligible to rely in the direction of the common (65,000) cap. For that purpose, it’s essential to make sure you meet the statutory necessities previous to submitting. Failure to take action solely causes delays and extra frustration.

Let’s recap the H-1B grasp’s cap necessities once more:

• U.S. primarily based establishment
• Public or non-profit in nature
• Has been accredited by a nationally acknowledged accrediting company

Some formally acknowledged accrediting organizations embrace:

• Accrediting Fee of Profession Faculties and Schools
• Accrediting Council for Persevering with Schooling and Coaching
• Accrediting Council for Impartial Schools and Faculties

A full record of accreditation applications in the USA might be discovered right here.

Do Not Assume All U.S. Establishments Qualify

You could be inclined to imagine that each one U.S. primarily based establishments are accredited. Don’t make this assumption as a result of it could steer you within the unsuitable path.

For instance, at one time, the College of Northern Virginia was accredited. Nevertheless, attributable to violations, their accreditation was revoked and subsequently shut down by the federal government in 2013. Graduates from this college weren’t eligible to file beneath the H-1B grasp’s cap however may nonetheless file beneath the common quota.

The opposite subject we come throughout continuously is faculties not being public or non-profit. If a college is acknowledged as proprietary meaning they’re a for-profit establishment and due to this fact not eligible beneath the standards.

H-1B Denials and Requests for Proof (RFE)

Even when your establishment is masters cap-eligible, your petition should be denied if it’s not filed correctly. This may be the results of:

1. Inadequate proof – this may end up in both USCIS rejection or a Request for Proof (RFE). This can come within the type of an I-797 kind or receipt in addition to a complete record of proof required to confirm your establishment and diploma.
2. Inconsistent documentation – It will be significant that all the info concerning your establishment matches in order that the USCIS doesn’t increase its suspicion regarding your case.

You will need to word that the USCIS takes {qualifications} to your establishment very severely. An RFE could also be issued if the USCIS can not decide in case your establishment is nationally accredited or if it’s a public or non-profit group.

You will need to word that the H-1B grasp’s diploma exemption is mostly solely out there to those that have already graduated from an accredited public or non-profit establishment. When you’ve got accomplished your coursework or thesis protection however nonetheless await commencement, the USCIS will most probably deny your petition.

There have been instances of petitioners submitting a letter of completion from the dean of the establishment in these conditions. Nevertheless, these instances have been uncommon and have gotten extra seldom because the demand for H-1B visas will increase. In consequence, we predict that this is not going to be a profitable tactic for H-1B 2020-2021 season.

If you happen to transfer or in any other case change your handle, you will need to inform the USCIS. The RFE might be despatched to the final recognized handle and you’ll be held answerable for responding to the request. If no response is given, your petition might be denied.

As a result of an RFE can drastically delay your petition, it’s at all times advisable to work together with your immigration lawyer to make sure that your establishment qualifies and all the needed proof is filed accurately the primary time.

If you happen to’ve been denied to your H-1B visa, an alternative choice is to get a job with a cap-exempt employer. Usually, non-profit establishments together with universities and schools fall beneath this class.

What Choices Do I Have After a Denial?

The very first thing to know when contemplating what to do subsequent is to find out whether or not your H-1B grasp’s petition was rejected or denied.

• A rejection implies that the evaluating officer noticed that you just:
  • Had incomplete, inconsistent, or incorrect info in your petition
  • Didn’t file the correct charges to their correct locations, or;
  • Didn’t have enough proof (i.e. lacking paperwork like levels, resumes, job descriptions)
• A denial implies that the evaluating officer absolutely processed your case and determined that you just or your employer didn’t meet the {qualifications} for an H-1B visa.

In case your H-1B grasp’s petition is rejected, then it’s possible you’ll merely want to repair the error and refile the petition subsequent season in case your registration is chosen once more.

Nevertheless, in case your petition is denied, you could possibly file a authorized movement. There are two essential kinds of these motions:

• You’d file a movement to reopen your case you probably have new proof to convey to the desk which may change the evaluating officer’s thoughts if thought of alongside the unique proof.
• A movement to rethink is used whenever you and your immigration lawyer consider that the evaluating officer was unsuitable in his or her evaluation of your case.

As a result of they’re each legally delicate issues. Neither of those needs to be tried with out the assistance of an skilled immigration lawyer. As an apart, you’ll probably obtain an H-1B denial letter that prohibits any appeals to a 3rd get together.

H-1B Grasp’s Cap Lottery–How Does it Work?

Underneath the brand new system, the grasp’s cap lottery adopted the method outlined beneath.

1. If the common quota H-1B candidate pool – together with masters quota eligible registrations – exceeds 65,000 then a random laptop lottery is run to pick out 65,000 registrations. (Observe: the precise numbers could also be completely different attributable to as much as 6800 visas reserved for petitioners from Chile and Singapore)
2. USCIS then identifies H-1B grasp’s cap-eligible registrations from the pool of all registrations rejected within the common cap lottery. If there are greater than 20,000 grasp’s cap-eligible purposes, then USCIS runs a second computer-generated lottery to pick out 20,000 registrations from the grasp’s pool.
3. The USCIS then sends letters to people whose registrations are chosen. These sponsors will then be capable of file I-129 petitions on behalf of their beneficiaries.
4. These registrations not chosen in both the common or masters quota might be designated as “not chosen” within the on-line portal. No refund might be given for the $10 registration payment.
5. Chosen petitioners will obtain their monitoring quantity to remain up-to-date on H-1B processing instances.

How the Pre-Registration System Works

As beforehand talked about, every sponsor will submit a registration for his or her beneficiary somewhat than a petition. This includes creating a web-based account after February twenty fourth with the USCIS portal and submitting one registration for every beneficiary. Every sponsor can solely submit one petition per beneficiary. Take into accout, nonetheless, {that a} single sponsor can submit registrations for a number of beneficiaries and beneficiaries can have registrations submitted for them by a number of employers.

On March 1st, at midday, the registration window will open, permitting sponsors to submit their registrations. This window will stay open till March twentieth at midday. It doesn’t matter how early or late you submit, it doesn’t have an effect on your probabilities.

On March thirty first, the USCIS plans to launch the outcomes of the lottery. It’ll do that by altering the standing of your on-line registration to one in every of 4 statuses:

Chosen: Because of this your registration was chosen within the lottery and your sponsor can submit a petition.

Denied: In case your sponsor submitted a couple of registration in your behalf, then all of that sponsor’s registrations for you’ll be disqualified and subsequently denied.

Not Chosen: The USCIS will conduct the lottery after March twentieth and choose the required 80,000 registrations for each the common cap and the grasp’s exemption. Any that aren’t chosen will stay within the “Submitted” standing till the top of the fiscal yr. If the USCIS must fill extra areas all through the remaining 6 months, then it is going to draw from this pool. In any other case, all unselected petitions will change to “Not Chosen”.

Submitted: This simply implies that the USCIS has obtained your registration. In case your petition isn’t chosen but in addition not denied, it is going to stay in “Submitted” standing till October 1st. After which, it is going to change to “Not Chosen”.

Potential Challenges

When a sponsor registers a beneficiary, she or he might want to designate whether or not it’s for the grasp’s cap or the common cap. Sponsors should make it possible for they take the eligibility elements we’ve mentioned above into consideration earlier than submitting a registration. If a sponsor submits a grasp’s cap registration that doesn’t qualify, then the registration will probably nonetheless undergo, however the subsequent will in all probability be denied if the registration is chosen. Understand that, as soon as a registration is submitted, it can’t be corrected.

Moreover, a second registration can’t be submitted for a similar beneficiary. A single sponsor can solely submit one registration for every beneficiary in any given fiscal yr. If this rule is violated, then all registrations for the beneficiary filed by the responsible sponsor might be denied. 

Nevertheless, understand that a beneficiary can have a number of registrations filed on his or her behalf by completely different sponsors. Additionally, a single sponsor can submit registrations for a number of beneficiaries. 

Moreover, the speed of denials and RFEs have skyrocketed over the previous a number of years. With such a brief window for submitting registrations and submitting subsequent petitions, it’s crucial to make it possible for needed supporting paperwork and costs are correctly filed together with the petition. With different visas, a small mistake would possibly delay your visa by a number of weeks or months. Nevertheless, with the time constraints positioned on the H-1B, a small error might trigger you to have to attend till the subsequent fiscal yr to strive once more.

And lastly, as a result of registrations are far simpler and cheaper to submit than petitions, we anticipate that there might be considerably extra entries this yr than in any of the years prior. As this can be a new system, it’s completely doable that the amount of registrations may trigger a system failure. If this occurs, the method will revert again to the previous paper petitioning system. 

With a model new course of in place, a brief window of success, and the potential of a system crash, making an attempt to deal with the H-1B course of this yr with out the assistance of an immigration lawyer might be disastrous for an individual’s case. Hiring an lawyer will assist make it possible for your registration has the right designation, that your petition is correctly and promptly filed with the proper supporting paperwork and costs, and that you’re ready within the occasion of a system failure.

H-1B Grasp’s Cap Predictions

With the brand new techniques in place, we predict that there might be much more registrations than there have been petitions in years previous. It’s because sponsors are solely answerable for a $10 registration payment somewhat than the a number of thousand {dollars} price of charges that go along with a full petition. Subsequently, whereas the brand new grasp’s cap reordering will probably enhance the probabilities for grasp’s registrations to be chosen, the anticipated enhance in competitors with the decrease barrier to entry might outweigh that benefit and finally decrease a person’s probabilities of being chosen.

Moreover, for each the grasp’s and common cap, the spouses of H-1B holders beneath H-4 standing have, for the previous a number of years, been in a position to search employment by means of the usage of Employment Authorization Paperwork (EAD). Nevertheless, the present govt administration is looking for to rescind this rule, which might drive H-1B spouses to discover a completely different path to employment. Once more, this can be a good purpose to remain up-to-date on the most recent immigration information to see if this goes by means of.

H-1B Masters Diploma Exemption Standards You Could Qualify For

A beneficiary might be thought of cap-exempt if she or he:

• Has been counted beneath the cap beforehand
• Is taken into account a citizen of Singapore, Chile or Australia
  • 6,800 spots are put aside for residents of Singapore and Chile as a part of the free commerce settlement.
• Is employed by an H-1B cap-exempt employer
  • Final yr, among the prime cap-exempt jobs included issues like researchers, occupational therapists, analysis assistants, analysts, biologists, and nurses. Once more, you’ll want to make sure that the employer is H-1B cap-exempt earlier than routinely assuming.

Why Is Cap Exemption Necessary?

Cap-exempt petitions might be worthwhile for a lot of causes. They are often filed with a view to prolong the time an H-1B overseas employee has within the nation (basically an H-1B extension). Second, they are often filed with a view to change the small print/phrases for a present H-1B or switch employers.

The final purpose is a cap-exempt petition can be utilized to facilitate a concurrent petition (for a second place). Since these are cap-exempt they’ll file at any level through the yr, and should not topic to the time constraints of the registration and petitioning processes.

The vital factor to know is that cap-exempt beneficiaries don’t have to undergo the registration course of, which implies they aren’t entered into the cap in any respect. If you happen to qualify for a cap-exempt petition, you’ll be able to merely file the I-129 at any time.

Whereas the grasp’s cap might exempt you from the common cap, you’ll nonetheless be subjected to some type of annual lottery. To keep away from this completely, you will need to file with a cap-exempt employer. These embrace:

• Establishments of upper training
• Non-profit organizations which can be related to an establishment of upper training, and;
• Governmental analysis organizations

Advantages of cap-exempt employers:

• No numerical restrict yearly
• No established submitting or registration dates
• No set starting dates for employment

Alternatively, in case you are already beneath H-1B standing and you’re submitting one other I-129 for a job switch or an H-1B extension, then you’ll not have to be registered and that petition is not going to be counted towards the cap. The one exception to that is should you beforehand entered the U.S. beneath a cap-exempt job and are switching to a cap-subject job. On this scenario, your cap-subject employer would wish to register you through the registration window in March and enter you into the lottery.

Will Premium Processing Assist My Case?

Premium processing, the elective service offered by the USCIS that expedites your petition’s processing time to simply 15 calendar days for a further payment, doesn’t enhance the chance that your petition might be authorised in case your registration is chosen within the lottery. It solely serves to shorten your petition’s processing time.

Additionally, due to the date constraints on the H-1B (i.e. submitting on April 2nd and dealing on October 1st), expediting your petition is not going to change these dates. If you’re chosen and authorised you’ll nonetheless want to attend not less than six months between April and October earlier than starting work as an H-1B worker.

Will the H-1B Grasp’s Cap Assist With My Inexperienced Card?

The trail from an H-1B visa to an employment-based inexperienced card generally is a troublesome one. Nevertheless, it may doubtlessly be made simpler should you possess a grasp’s diploma, right here’s why.

As soon as your registration has been entered into the 2020 grasp’s diploma exemption and your petition has been processed and authorised, it is possible for you to to begin working that fall beneath your H-1B. This visa is thankfully thought of a twin intent visa, which means that you could pursue a inexperienced card. Step one to getting your inexperienced card is selecting which choice degree you wish to apply for. Listed below are the principle contenders:

• EB-1: This inexperienced card is for immigrants with extraordinary achievements, excellent researchers and professors, and multinational managers and executives.
• EB-2: This one is for those who have distinctive means, qualify for a Nationwide Curiosity Waiver, or have a sophisticated diploma.
• EB-3: This third degree is for these with bachelor’s levels, these with greater than two years of expertise (expert work), and people with lower than 2 years of expertise (unskilled work)

As you’ll be able to see, by having a registration that might be entered into the 2020 grasp’s quota, you’ve a chief spot for an EB-2 inexperienced card. This has the benefit of typically having a a lot shorter ready time than the EB-3, which is the inexperienced card that the majority H-1B workers qualify for.

Nevertheless, it isn’t sufficient simply to have a grasp’s diploma. You additionally have to have a job with a U.S. employer that requires your diploma. The USCIS seems extra at your place than it does at your explicit {qualifications}.

If you happen to and your lawyer resolve that the EB-2 is the proper inexperienced card for you on account of your superior diploma, your employer (both your H-1B employer or a brand new one) should get hold of a PERM Labor Certification in your behalf earlier than submitting an I-140 petition. As soon as the USCIS receives your petition, that date might be your precedence date. You have to to attend till your precedence matches or passes the ultimate motion dates given within the month-to-month visa bulletin launched by the Division of State. As soon as that occurs, you’ll be able to submit an I-485 to regulate your standing from H-1B to inexperienced card.

As a result of the ultimate motion dates for the EB-2 are typically a lot ahead of these for the EB-3, your grasp’s diploma may find yourself shaving months and even years off of your inexperienced card ready time.

Abstract of Quota Exemption

These petitions should not topic to the annual quotas:

• H-1B visa amended petitions
• Renewals and extensions
• H-1B switch petitions
• In case your employer is a school/college or different establishment of upper training
• If the employer is a nonprofit group or affiliated to an accredited school/college

H-1B Grasp’s Exemption FAQ

Does the grasp’s exemption exempt me from the cap?

No. The phrase exemption is simply used to explain an exception. In case your registration is filed within the grasp’s cap, it is going to nonetheless be subjected to the common and the grasp’s lottery.

Do I’ve to register earlier than the H-1B cap?

Sure, all employers who plan on submitting petitions on behalf of H-1B beneficiaries must register. If they’re picked within the lottery, solely then will they file a petition.

Do I’ve to file a petition within the lottery this yr?

Sponsors now not submit petitions with a view to enter the lottery. As an alternative, beneficiaries have to be registered and the USCIS will choose registrations. You solely have to file a petition in case your beneficiary’s registration was chosen within the lottery.

Will there be registration yearly?

Theoretically, sure. Nevertheless, the USCIS reserves the flexibility to droop the registration course of for any yr in the event that they encounter technical difficulties. We are going to hold you apprised of any suspensions.

How would the grasp’s cap order reversal enhance my probabilities of choice?

In years previous, your grasp’s petition would first be entered right into a lottery with tens of hundreds of different petitions all vying for simply 20,000 spots. If you weren’t chosen, then your petition can be entered into the common lottery with a whole bunch of hundreds of different petitions and solely 65,000 spots (even much less should you embrace these designated for Singapore and Chile).

Nevertheless, with this new reversal, your grasp’s registration might be entered with all the different registrations into the common cap first. Because of this some grasp’s registrations might be chosen within the common cap with out ever having been entered into the grasp’s cap. All unselected grasp’s registrations might be entered into the grasp’s lottery, which could have a smaller quantity of competitors attributable to the truth that some grasp’s registrations had already been chosen within the common cap.

That is understandably complicated, so we at all times encourage you to work together with your immigration lawyer to make an informed resolution about your case.

How Our H-1B Attorneys Can Assist

Our H-1B attorneys have a superb document of approvals relating to H-1B filings. As well as, we cost a aggressive flat payment and have a 100% monitor document of assembly submitting deadlines. Assume you don’t qualify or are lacking a significant part for the H-1B grasp’s quota? Contact us that can assist you discover a artistic answer or an alternate visa possibility.

Our H-1B grasp’s cap prediction is that the cap might be crammed inside the first 5 days of the window opening so it’s finest to schedule a session as quickly as doable. Contact us to obtain your H-1B visa session. We are able to accommodate people who communicate English, Spanish, Hindi, and Tamil.

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