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This episode of Immigration Law for Tech Startups is the second in a two-part series on how to plan for this year’s upcoming H-1B lottery in March.
Late-breaking news: I recorded this episode before the State Department announced that international students who are currently abroad and holding or applying for new F-1 or M-1 visas will be granted national interest exemptions to the suspension of travel from Europe, the UK, Brazil, and South Africa due to the COVID-19 variant strains, according to Law360. The announcement also stated that business travelers, investors, academics, and journalists traveling on a visa to the U.S. can apply for a national interest exemption. That means H-1B candidates who are abroad will be able to come to the U.S. if they are selected in the March lottery and their H-1B petition is approved.
If you missed Part 1, click on Episode 55: H-1B Lottery Planning Part 1 to listen. Please note that Part 1 was recorded before the Biden administration decided to stick with the random H-1B lottery this year and delay the implementation of a wage-based H-1B lottery until next year. In this episode, I discuss what employers and H-1B candidates should do before the lottery, dates to remember, the H-1B filing process, and backup options in the event an H-1B candidate is not selected in the lottery.
Don’t miss our upcoming free webinar, “Get Ready for the H-1B FY2022 Lottery – Part 2,” on Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, at 11 am PST. Join me and the Alcorn team as we cover up-to-date info about this year’s random lottery and answer your H-1B questions.
Please reach out to us ASAP if we can help you navigate the H-1B lottery and filing process this year. Share this episode with investors, companies, startup founders, or anyone who can benefit from it. We can help you determine your best immigration options whether you’re in the U.S. or abroad.
In this episode, you’ll hear about:
- The latest on this year’s H-1B lottery process and what’s likely to happen next year
- Dates to remember for this year’s H-1B lottery and filing process
- The benefits of a random lottery and a wage-based lottery
- What employers and H-1B candidates should do before the lottery
- Why there were two lotteries last year
- Why there’s renewed interest in moving to the U.S.
- Wage levels
- Status of work permits for H-4 visa holders and the public charge rule
- Why startups who are new to the process need to find their tax ID number
- What is a Labor Condition Application
- Consular processing vs. change of status
- Premium processing and processing times
- Backup options
Don’t miss my upcoming conversations with top Silicon Valley venture capitalists, startup founders, professors, futurists, and thought leaders on Immigration Law for Tech Startups. Subscribe to this podcast here or on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or whatever your favorite platform is. As always, we welcome your rating and review of this podcast. We appreciate your feedback!
Resources:
Alcorn Immigration Law publications, blog posts, and courses
- All About H-1Bs
- Immigration Options Chart
- Immigration Law for Tech Startups eBook
- Didn’t Win in the H-1B Lottery? Now What?
- Extraordinary Ability Bootcamp course for best practices for securing the O-1A visa, EB-1A green card, or the EB-2 NIW (National Interest Waiver) green card—the top options for startup founders. Use promotion code ILTS for 20% off the enrollment fee.
Immigration Law for Tech Startups
- Episode 9: What Makes a Strong H-1B Petition
- Episode 11: Your Startup’s First H-1
- Episode 46: Get Ready for H-1B FY2022 Lottery
- Episode 44: 7 of the Most Startup-Friendly Visas Explained
TechCrunch columns
