H1B application cap exhausted; “Where next?” the right question now

Highlights: Alternative to H1B Visa

• A major update has been announced by the USCIS regarding the number of H1B visa applications.
• USCIS has stated that the annual cap of 65,000 H1B visa applications has already been reached for FY 2023.
• USCIS has already sent all the non-selection notifications to registrants’ online accounts.
• The major thought at this point for migrants is whether to go for Canada PR or Australia PR.

Are you planning to migrate to USA on an H1B visa? Here’s news for you that will have you rethink. The word from the USCIS (United States Citizenship and Immigration Services) is that it has received as many applications for the H1B visa that has exhausted the congressionally mandated annual limit of 65,000 petitions for FY 2023.

What’s an H1B visa and why is the Congressional cap important?

The H1B visa comes under the category of a non-immigrant visa for moving to the USA. It allows US companies to recruit foreign workers in specialty occupations that need theoretical/technical expertise.

The H1B visa is the most relevant visa category, especially for technology companies in the USA. They recruit tens of thousands of skilled workers every year through this visa. Professionals around the world choose H1B the most and hence it carries great significance for aspiring migrants.

The Congressional mandate in the USA imposes a limit (cap) on the number of H1B visa applications that can be approved. Currently, it’s 65,000, which is the regular visa cap. There are 20,000 more H1B visas allowed with an exemption applicable for those with advanced degree qualifications.

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What does the USCIS say about the status of the H1B visa?

Here’s the excerpt from the statement issued by USCIS on August 23, 2022:

“We have received a sufficient number of petitions needed to reach the Congressionally mandated 65,000 H1B visa regular cap and the 20,000 H1B visa US advanced degree exemption, known as the master’s cap, for the fiscal year 2023.”

The USCIS has already completed the screening of all the H1B visa applications. It’s also finished sending notifications of non-selection to registrants’ online accounts. However, the USICS will go ahead with accepting and processing petitions that otherwise have exemption from the cap.

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What are your best alternatives now?

We know that the USA must have had great significance to you as you must have planned a career and a better life there. However, the good news is that this could be the best opportunity to consider migrating to other English-speaking countries that are as promising as the USA.

*Know your eligibility to immigrate to Canada through Y-Axis Canada Immigration Points Calculator.

The best countries we could suggest are Canada and Australia.

*Know your eligibility to immigrate to Australia through Y-Axis Australia Immigration Points Calculator.

If you need us to reason why these countries are best for you, here’s a comparative study:

Factor	Canada	Australia
Currency value	USD1 = CAD1.29	USD1 = AUD1.43
Job opportunities	You can access job opportunities in both Australia and New Zealand.	Lots of opportunities for professionals in IT, healthcare, engineering, and many more.
Cost of living	The average cost of living is around CAD2,700 per month (USD2,092.90).	The average cost of living is around AUD1,400 per month (USD977.87).
Healthcare	Free/subsidized healthcare services for residents.	“Medicare” is the healthcare program available to residents.
Immigration	Options for immigration are available at federal and provincial levels. Skill-based immigration option is available under the FSWP (Federal Skilled Worker Program) of Express Entry.	Skill-based immigration to Australia is possible through various visas including: · Subclass 186 (Employer Nomination Scheme) · Subclass 189 (Skilled Independent Visa) · Subclass 190 (Skilled Nominated Visa) · Subclass 407 (Training Visa) · Subclass 457 (Temporary Work Visa) · Subclass 485 (Temporary Graduate Visa) · Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional Visa Family Nominated) · Subclass 491 (Skilled Work Regional Visa State or Territory Nominated) · Subclass 494 (Skilled Employer Sponsored Regional (Provisional) Visa) · Subclass 482 (Temporary Skill Shortage visa)
Visa processing	PR visa processing time is around 6 to 12 months. The government has taken definite steps to accelerate PR visa processing.	PR visa processing time is around 8 to 12 months.

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As an English-speaking immigrant looking for highly promising career development options along with a high standard of living can settle in either of the aforementioned countries. They have levelled up with a prosperous country as the US and are doing an even better job than other world countries in immigration.

If you are willing to migrate to USA, talk to Y-Axis, the leading immigration and career consultant in the UAE.

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