<p>The United States has announced the increase of H-1B work visa application fee by USD 10 as part of its revised selection process.</p>.<p>This non-refundable fee will support the new electronic registration system to make the H-1B cap selection process more efficient for both petitioners and the federal agency said the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Thursday.</p>.<p>"This effort will help implement a more efficient and effective H-1B cap selection process," said USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli.</p>.<p>"The electronic registration system is part of an agency-wide initiative to modernise our immigration system while deterring fraud, improving vetting procedures and strengthening program integrity," he said.</p>.<p>The H-1B program allows companies in the United States to temporarily employ foreign workers in occupations that require the application of a body of highly specialised knowledge and a bachelor's degree or higher in the specific specialty, or its equivalent.</p>.<p>Upon implementation of the electronic registration system, petitioners seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption, will first have to electronically register with the USCIS during a designated registration period, unless the requirement is suspended, the USCIS said.</p>.<p>The federal agency is slated to implement the registration process for the fiscal year 2021 H-1B cap selection process, pending completed testing of the system.</p>.<p>It will announce the implementation timeframe and initial registration period in the federal register once a formal decision has been made, and the USCIS will offer ample notice to the public in advance of implementing the registration requirement.</p>.<p>The USCIS published a notice of proposed rulemaking highlighting a registration fee on September 4, 2019, which included a 30-day public comment period.</p>.<p>The USCIS received only 22 comments during that time, and has considered all submissions and offered public responses ahead of announcing the final rule, which is effective on December 9. </p>
<p>The United States has announced the increase of H-1B work visa application fee by USD 10 as part of its revised selection process.</p>.<p>This non-refundable fee will support the new electronic registration system to make the H-1B cap selection process more efficient for both petitioners and the federal agency said the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) on Thursday.</p>.<p>"This effort will help implement a more efficient and effective H-1B cap selection process," said USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli.</p>.<p>"The electronic registration system is part of an agency-wide initiative to modernise our immigration system while deterring fraud, improving vetting procedures and strengthening program integrity," he said.</p>.<p>The H-1B program allows companies in the United States to temporarily employ foreign workers in occupations that require the application of a body of highly specialised knowledge and a bachelor's degree or higher in the specific specialty, or its equivalent.</p>.<p>Upon implementation of the electronic registration system, petitioners seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption, will first have to electronically register with the USCIS during a designated registration period, unless the requirement is suspended, the USCIS said.</p>.<p>The federal agency is slated to implement the registration process for the fiscal year 2021 H-1B cap selection process, pending completed testing of the system.</p>.<p>It will announce the implementation timeframe and initial registration period in the federal register once a formal decision has been made, and the USCIS will offer ample notice to the public in advance of implementing the registration requirement.</p>.<p>The USCIS published a notice of proposed rulemaking highlighting a registration fee on September 4, 2019, which included a 30-day public comment period.</p>.<p>The USCIS received only 22 comments during that time, and has considered all submissions and offered public responses ahead of announcing the final rule, which is effective on December 9. </p>