Approval Rates Rise for the H-1B Visa As the Tech Industry Need More Tech Workers

1.5 minute read

"The approval rate for H-1B Visas improves as the demand for skilled foreign professionals increases in the US Tech sector. In 2020, the tech industry’s interest in the H-1B Visas dwindled due to the ban implemented by the Trump administration."

Written by My Visa Source Team
Published on: Oct 15, 2021

The approval rate for H-1B Visas improves as the demand for skilled foreign professionals increases in the US Tech sector. In 2020, the tech industry’s interest in the H-1B Visas dwindled due to the ban implemented by the Trump administration. Many had to change their hiring policies and process. However, President Joe Biden allowed that ban on a few nonimmigrant visa categories to expire naturally in March 2021.

How Did the Approval Rates for the H-1B Visa Increase?

According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the approval rate for non-immigrant visas from the first quarter of 2021 to June was 98.1%. In the first quarter, it was at 97%. It is a significant increase compared to the H-1B approval rate of 84% in 2018-19. The approval rates in 2018-19 dipped due to the Trump administration’s decision to reject incomplete applications without requesting supporting documents.

This increase in the H-1B Visa approval rate can contribute to the change in administration and reinstatement of a deference policy. Immigration experts believe that the environment for legal immigration has improved in the last 6 months.

What Updates Have Been Introduced for the H-1B Visa?

Given the rising demand for foreign workers by the tech industry and the inability of the USCIS to issue 85,000 H-1B Visas, which is the annual limit, they have decided to conduct a second round of lottery. The petition filing round for the second lottery will begin on August 2 and close on November 3, 2021. Online petitions are not allowed, so applicants will have to submit their petitions by mail.

In 2019, global tech giants like Amazon hired 3,000 H-1B Visa holders, while Google hired approximately 2,500 H-1B Visa holders. The majority of applicants hired by these companies were from East India. Indian and Chinese nationals are the top applicants for the H-1B Visa as they are generally working in tech fields. An H-1B Visa is valid for an initial period of 3 years. It can also be renewed.