For immigrants traversing the complicated terrain of U.S. immigration rules and practices, it is critical to stay current on the most recent immigration updates. Keeping up with the most recent developments can significantly impact an immigrant’s path in a setting where policies are frequently susceptible to interpretation and revision.
Education enables immigrants to make wise decisions and successfully manage the immigration process. This includes comprehending eligibility requirements for visa applications and being aware of policy changes that may impact residency status. This article will discuss the significance of keeping up with immigration updates and offer advice for newcomers on staying current.
USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for Second Half of FY 2024
USCIS has received enough applications to fulfill the congressionally mandated H-2B ceiling for the second half of FY 2024. Therefore, US companies hiring H-2B workers should be aware of this. New cap-subject H-2B applications that request an employment start date between April 1, 2024, and October 1, 2024, and are received after March 7, 2024, will be denied by USCIS.
However, USCIS will continue to accept H-2B applications exempt from the congressionally mandated cap until December 31, 2029. This includes petitions from current H-2B workers in the United States who want to prolong their stay, fish roe processors/technicians/supervisors, and workers performing labor/services in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam.
Additionally, USCIS has published the filing start dates for supplemental H-2B visas for the balance of FY 2024, which are now available under the FY 2024 H-2B supplemental visa temporary final rule. These extra visas are only granted to US enterprises that have suffered or will suffer irreparable injury because they cannot employ all of the H-2B workers requested in their petition.
Employers looking for workers from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, and Costa Rica can petition USCIS starting March 22, 2024, for an employment start date between April 1 and September 30. USCIS again accepted applications from employers with job start dates beginning on October 1 in November 2023.
For firms looking for returning workers, USCIS will begin accepting petitions for the additional 19,000 visas made available to returning workers, regardless of nationality, on March 22, 2024. For March 22, 2024. In the early second part of FY 2024, USCIS will begin collecting petitions for the additional 5,000 visas made available to returning workers, regardless of nationality, from April to May 14). On April 22, 2024, USCIS will begin accepting requests for the additional 5,000 visas made available to returning workers, regardless of nationality. For the late second half of FY 2024 (May 15 to Sept. 30), USCIS will begin collecting petitions for the additional 5,000 visas made available to returning workers, regardless of their place of nationality, on April 22, 2024.
It is important to note that USCIS will no longer accept applications under this interim final rule after September 16, 2024, or when the applicable cap is met, whichever comes first.