ANG H1B application process ay inumpisahan na noong Marso 1, 2020 sa pamamagitan ng H1B cap electronic registration. Ayon sa USCIS, ang electronic registration ay mananatiling bukas hanggang Marso 20, 2020 para sa 2021 fiscal year (FY). Ito ay sang-ayon sa pormal na pahayag ng USCIS noong Enero 9, 2020 ukol sa implementasyon ng H1B registration process para sa FY 2021 H1B cap-subject petitions. Kasama sa H1B cap-subject petition ang mga visa numbers na may “statutory cap” na 65,000 na empleyado bawat FY, pati na rin ang karagdagang 20,000 “master’s exemption” visa numbers para sa mga dayuhang empleyadong may master’s degree o mas mataas pa sa master’s degree mula sa mga kwalipikadong colegio o unibersidad sa US.
Sa loob ng H1B cap electronic registration period, ang H1B cap-petitioners ay kailangang mag-electronic registration sa USCIS at magbayad ng $10 registration fee para sa bawat submission. Ang H1B petitioners ay kailangang mag-submit ng hiwalay na registration para sa bawat dayuhan na nais ng US employer na i-petition para sa H1B. Bawal ang dobleng registration. Ang US employer ay kailangang makatanggap ng electronic notice mula sa USCIS na nagsasabing ang kanyang registration ay napili bago makapag-file ng H1B petition para sa dayuhang empleyado na kanyang nirehistro.
Sa bagong prosesong ito, ang USCIS ay maaaring magbukas ulit ng registration period kung ito ay hindi makatanggap ng sapat na registration para sa FY 2021. Ngunit kung labis ang mga registration na matatanggap ng USCIS, ang USCIS ay magsasagawa ng random selection para sa FY 2021 H1B numerical allocations pagkatapos ng registration period. Ang employer ay kailangang magfile ng H1B sa loob ng filing period na nakalagay sa eligibility notice. Ayon sa registration regulations, ang USCIS ay kailangang magbigay sa H1B employer ng hindi bababa ng 90 araw para magfile ng H1B petition.
Ayon sa USCIS, ang pagstreamline ng H1B cap selection process sa pamamagitan ng bagong electronic registration system ay kapaki-pakinabang sa US employer at sa USCIS. Ito ay dahil magkakapagbawas ito sa gastos ng petitioner employer at USCIS, sapagkat ang mga napili lamang na registration ang kinakailangang magfile ng H1B petition packet.
The H1B application process opened on March 1, 2020 with the H1B cap electronic registration. According to USCIS, electronic registration will remain open until March 20, 2020 for the 2021 fiscal year (FY). This is in accordance with USCIS formal announcement on January 9, 2020, on the implementation of the H1B registration process for FY 2021 H1B cap-subject petitions. This includes the H1B visa numbers subject to the “statutory cap” of 65,000 workers per fiscal year, as well as the 20,000 additional “master’s exemption” visa numbers for foreign workers with a master’s degree or a higher degree from a qualified US college or university.
During the H1B cap electronic registration period, H1B cap-petitioners will be required to register first electronically with USCIS and pay the $10 registration fee for each submission. H1B petitioners must submit a separate registration naming each alien for whom the employer seeks to file an H1B petition; duplicate registrations are prohibited. The US petitioner employer must receive an electronic notice from USCIS by March 31 stating that its registration was selected before the employer can file the H1B petition for the worker it registered.
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Under the new process, USCIS may reopen the registration period if it does not receive enough registrations. If more than a sufficient number of registrations are received, USCIS will randomly select the number of registrations projected as needed to reach the FY 2021 H1B numerical allocations after the registration period closes. H1B employers with selected registrations will be eligible to file FY 2021 H1B cap-subject petition only for the alien named in the registration and within the filing period indicated on the eligibility notice. Per the registration regulations, USCIS must give the employer at least 90 days within which to file its petition.
According to the USCIS, by streamlining the H1B cap selection process with the new electronic registration system, it is creating cost savings and efficiencies for petitioner employers and USCIS, as only those selected will be required to submit a full H1B petition.
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ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is the principal of SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C. She has been a member of the State Bar of California for over 15 years and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines for over 20 years. Atty. Samson received her Legal Management degree from the Ateneo de Manila University and her Juris Doctor degree from the Ateneo Law School. She was a Professor for over 10 years, teaching Obligations and Contracts, Labor Laws and Social Legislation and Taxation Law. Atty Samson is the author of The Law on Obligations and Contracts (2016), Working with Labor Laws-Revised Edition (2014) and Working with Labor Laws (2005).
SAMSON LAW FIRM, P.C., 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1710, Los Angeles, CA 90010; Phone: (213) 381-5710; Email:[email protected]” [email protected].
