Latest news with #H-1B
News18
7 hours ago
- Business
- News18
O-1 Visa: New Route To US Gaining Popularity Among Indians; All You Need To Know
Last Updated: The O-1 visa, a US non-immigrant visa for individuals with extraordinary ability, is gaining popularity among Indian professionals in STEM, creative industries, and academia. As people from across the globe face several challenges to make it to the United States for work, the O-1 visa is gaining popularity among professionals. The O-1 visa is a specialized US non-immigrant visa for individuals with extraordinary ability or achievement. It is fast becoming a preferred route to the US for Indian professionals too— especially those in STEM fields, creative industries, and academia. It is being touted as H-1B visa but 'with no lottery system." Given its high success rate, the O-1 visa is now being seen as an alternative to the increasingly competitive H-1B visa. What Is O-1 Visa? The O-1 visa was introduced under the US Immigration Act of 1990 and is granted to individuals who can demonstrate exceptional talent or achievements in science, education, business, athletics (O-1A), or the arts and film. To qualify, applicants must meet at least three of eight criteria, which include awards, original contributions, published work, media coverage, and memberships in distinguished organizations. The visa is gaining traction among Indian nationals — including cybersecurity experts, AI researchers, filmmakers, athletes, and digital content creators — who are looking for a direct and merit-based pathway to work and live in the U.S. 'O-1's Like H-1B Without A Lottery' The application cost for O-1 visas could range from $10,000 to $30,000. The Economic Times, citing official data from the US Department of State, reported that the number of O-1 visas granted has increased from 8,838 in FY20 to 18,994 in fiscal 2023. ET quoting Sahil Nyati, founder at Jinee Green Card—a US-based immigration consultancy advising on specialised visa categories— reported that 'O-1's like an H-1B without a lottery." 'There's definitely higher interest in O-1, simply because it's like an H-1B without a lottery, although it's not a piece of cake," ET quoted Sahil Nyati as saying. A Growing Trend Among Indian Talent Notably, the current demand of O-1 visa by professionals has positioned India as the third highest recipient country after Great Britain and Brazil, securing 1,418 O-1 visas in FY23, up from 487 in FY20, data showed. First Published:
Time Business News
10 hours ago
- Business
- Time Business News
10 Risks to Assess When Choosing a Work Visa for International Staff
Hiring international staff can open the door to a broader talent pool, global innovation, and a competitive edge. But with opportunity comes complexity, especially when selecting the right U.S. work visa. This article explores the key risk factors HR professionals, hiring managers and founders must consider when choosing a work visa for international hires. The first step in visa selection is determining whether the candidate qualifies for the chosen visa type. Misalignment here can lead to denials, audits, or worse. Common Risks: Misunderstanding degree requirements for H-1B visas Assuming 'extraordinary ability' under O-1 without strong documentation Using L-1 without sufficient intra-company history Mitigation Tip: Use corporate immigration platforms like Boundless, which help automate eligibility screening and prepare documentation for common work visas, including H-1B, L, and O visas. U.S. immigration timelines are notoriously unpredictable. Premium processing may shorten some timelines, but bottlenecks in consulates or USCIS offices can delay onboarding by weeks or months. Common Risks: H-1B cap lottery delays or rejections EB green cards are subject to country-specific backlogs (India and China, especially) Security checks and document requests prolong approval Mitigation Tip: Plan visa timelines 6–12 months in advance. Monitor Visa Bulletin updates to USCIS processing stages in order to identify delays early. Once a visa is approved, the employer must maintain compliance with Department of Labor and USCIS rules. Failure to do so can lead to fines or disqualification from future visa sponsorship. Common Risks: Incorrect wage level filings for H-1B Incomplete Public Access Files (PAFs) Misclassification of visa status (e.g., interns misrepresented as employees) Mitigation Tip: Work with HR platforms and legal partners that maintain digital audit trails. Use structured workflows for onboarding, compensation documentation, and visa updates. Visa processing can be expensive. Fees vary based on visa type, premium processing, legal counsel, and ongoing compliance. Average Costs (approximate): H-1B: $5,000–$10,000 L-1: $4,000–$8,000 O-1: $6,000–$12,000 EB Green Cards: $10,000–$20,000 over multiple years Mitigation Tip: Use transparent, flat-fee platforms for predictable budgeting when hiring international talent. More complex immigration cases might require an immigration attorney or in-house counsel. Visa constraints can affect job satisfaction, mobility, and retention. Employees waiting years for a green card or dependent on employer sponsorship may feel stuck, or leave when options arise. Common Risks: Long wait times for EB-2/EB-3 green cards Spouses unable to work (dependent visa restrictions) Employees lured by companies offering better immigration pathways Mitigation Tip: Provide long-term sponsorship roadmaps and support (EB categories), invest in employee experience, and communicate clearly about options and timelines. Not every visa aligns with your company's size, structure, or global goals. A mismatch can introduce friction. Examples: L-1 requires a qualifying relationship between foreign and U.S. entities O-1 demands extensive documentation of individual acclaim H-1B relies on a lottery (March–April), limiting spontaneity Mitigation Tip: Consider hybrid solutions: hire offshore temporarily, use remote-first models, or explore cap-exempt H-1Bs (e.g., through nonprofit partnerships or research institutions). U.S. immigration policy shifts with each administration, and even legal visa holders can be affected by sudden regulatory changes. Recent Trends: Travel bans, visa suspensions, or executive orders under the Trump administration Increased scrutiny of STEM-related H-1Bs Green card backlog reform debates in congress Mitigation Tip: Monitor immigration policy closely and build redundancy into your talent strategy (e.g., remote teams in Canada or EU). Platforms like Boundless Immigration also offer compliance updates and government alerts. Top talent often travels with spouses or children. A restrictive dependent policy may deter candidates. Considerations: H-4 spouses may not be eligible to work without an EAD (Employment Authorization Document) School access and local licensing for dependents Permanent residency path for family members Mitigation Tip: Include family support in relocation packages and immigration planning. Errors or embellishments in visa applications can lead to denials or blacklisting, even if unintentional. Examples: Inaccurate job descriptions or inflated credentials Fake degrees or work experience (especially from third-party firms) Misuse of Optional Practical Training (OPT) or Curricular Practical Training (CPT) Mitigation Tip: Conduct thorough reference and credential checks. Centralize application materials and vet with legal oversight. Can your chosen visa process scale as your company grows? Questions to ask: Is your legal partner or platform equipped to handle dozens of visas at once? Will your HR systems track visa milestones at scale? Can your business model handle recurring sponsorship costs? Mitigation Tip: Invest in tools for end-to-end visa lifecycle management. Choose partners who can scale with your hiring roadmap. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Wall Street's Secret Weapon: How Citi and Capital One Cracked the H-1B Code
Wall Street might not be building the next ChatGPT, but it's hiring like it wants to. New data covering May 2020 through 2024 shows that Citigroup (NYSE:C) brought in over 3,000 new H-1B workersmore than many Big Tech names. But here's the kicker: nearly two-thirds weren't even Citi employees. They were contractorslower-paid, outsourced, and funneled in through firms like Tata Consultancy Services, which is now under federal investigation. These middlemen operate a parallel system: they recruit, place, and often underpay talent while clipping a cut from each paycheck. Median salary for one of these H-1B developers? $94,000. Compare that to $142,000 for a direct hire doing similar work. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 7 Warning Sign with C. Capital One might just be the poster child for how deep this goes. More than half of its 905 H-1B contract hires came from staffing firms flagged for using multiple registrationsa strategy the government deemed fraudulent just last year. The company worked with 429 separate middlemen, including six previously linked to visa gaming. Other big namesVerizon (NYSE:VZ), AT&T (NYSE:T), Walmart (NYSE:WMT)also relied heavily on such contractors, but remained silent when pressed for comment. Even with similar job titles and education levels, the pay gap between contract and full-time H-1B workers remained stark. In some cases, one in three contractors was paid the bare minimum allowed under US law. This is no longer just a Silicon Valley story. It's a systemic reshaping of white-collar labor. And the incentives are clear: lower wages, flexible hiring, and easier paths to offshoring. The data, obtained through FOIA litigation, exposes how middlemen now dominate a program once meant to bring in the best of the best. But instead of elite AI talent, we're seeing armies of outsourced IT workers filling lower-level rolesoften stuck in second-tier status due to visa restrictions. Whether Washington reforms it or not, investors would be smart to watch how companies like Citigroup and Capital One are quietly arbitraging America's immigration system. This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
Mint
19 hours ago
- Business
- Mint
What is O-1 visa? New entry scheme to United States gaining popularity among Indians
The O-1 visa, designed for individuals with "extraordinary ability" in fields like STEM, business, arts, and athletics, is rapidly gaining traction among Indian professionals as a reliable alternative to the H-1B visa. Established under the Immigration Act of 1990, the visa requires applicants to meet at least three of eight rigorous criteria, such as major awards, scholarly publications, or original contributions to their field, but offers significant advantages: no annual lottery or caps, a 93% approval rate, and initial validity for up to three years with unlimited extensions. Unlike the H-1B, which faces intense scrutiny and a 37% approval rate, the O-1 allows high-skilled talent to bypass systemic uncertainties, fueling its appeal. U.S. Department of State data reveals O-1A issuances surged from 8,838 in FY2020 to 18,994 in FY2023, with Indians driving much of this growth . Indian nationals are now the third-largest cohort of O-1A visa recipients globally, trailing only the U.K. and Brazil. In FY2023, Indians secured 1,418 O-1As—a staggering 191% increase from 487 in FY2020—as STEM graduates, AI researchers, entrepreneurs, and artists leverage this pathway. Major U.S. firms like Google, Tesla, and McKinsey actively sponsor O-1 talent, while universities like Harvard and Yale recruit Indian faculty through it. The AI boom has intensified demand, with companies funding credential-building initiatives: candidates are urged to publish research, speak at conferences, or file patents to strengthen applications. For example, Soundarya Balasubramani, a 28-year-old founder of educational venture The Curious Maverick, secured an O-1A as a solo entrepreneur, highlighting its accessibility beyond traditional employment . Despite costs ranging from $10,000–$30,000—10 times higher than H-1B fees—employers and applicants increasingly invest in the O-1 for its predictability. Immigration firms like Jinee Green Card report client rosters expanding from 60 to 300 amid soaring demand, particularly from Indians rejected in multiple H-1B lotteries. While O-1A issuances (22,669 in FY2024) remain dwarfed by H-1B approvals (225,957), they grow at nearly 10% annually. Experts attribute this to the visa's flexibility: it requires no minimum salary or formal degree, accepts evidence like international awards or media coverage, and processes some petitions in as little as 10 days. As U.S. tech talent wars escalate, the O-1 represents both a lifeline for elite Indian professionals and a strategic tool for companies securing "extraordinary" global talent .
USA Today
19 hours ago
- Politics
- USA Today
As an immigrant, I don't expect shortcuts. Birthright citizenship is our right.
Trump's executive order reflects growing hostility toward all immigrants, regardless of how they arrived. The national rhetoric has grown more cynical and suspicious to all foreigners. 'Welcome home.' That's what a border protection agent said to me after a recent vacation. His words struck a chord with me because he acknowledged that the United States was my home. The irony of the situation being that I am not a U.S. citizen, I am an immigrant. As an immigrant, I often wonder whether I'm truly accepted in the country where I've spent the past 21 years of my life. Now the decision by the Supreme Court on President Donald Trump's birthright citizenship executive order makes me question that even more. Trump ordered an end to automatic citizenship for those born here ‒ unless at least one of the child's parents is a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident. And while the court's June 27 ruling didn't deal with the birthright citizenship question directly, their 6-3 decision lifted a temporary block on the president's unjust order. That order was the latest attempt to alienate immigrants and erase the immigrant history that built this nation. It undermines the idea that any immigrant, legal or not, can ever truly belong in America. Opinion: Supreme Court takes on birthright citizenship – but that's not the real case When I immigrated to this country as a child, I was once welcomed with open arms and integrated into the culture. However, for years, it's felt like my country has been slowly closing its doors to immigrants like me. While attacks on undocumented immigrants have often dominated the headlines, legal immigrants have been quietly targeted as well through backlogs, unnecessary barriers and, more recently, executive actions. Aging out of legal immigration visa My family immigrated to the United States when I was 5 years old on the H-1B visa. My father was invited to work here because of his skills in IT, and we eventually settled in Pittsburgh. Like many immigrant families, we built a life here. I went to school, made friends and followed the typical American path. That path eventually led me to Pennsylvania State University, where I earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. But on my 21st birthday, I aged out of my parents' immigration status because as far as immigration rules were concerned, I wasn't a child anymore. In a cruel twist of fate, four months later my parents received their green cards. That small gap meant they would become permanent residents, while I was forced to start over from the back of a broken immigration system. Opinion: I joked about getting deported. In Trump's America, it's not funny. I first realized that I was different from my friends in high school when I wasn't allowed to get a job and help support my family. In college, this realization became even more apparent when I had to switch to an F-1 student visa and had to legally prove that my 'home' address was in India, not in Pittsburgh where I lived with my family. Once I graduated and wanted to enter the workforce, I was denied most job opportunities ‒ not because I am unqualified, but because companies could not or would not sponsor immigrants. Every piece of paperwork I filed had to be absolutely perfect. Something as minor as a technical error on the immigration forms could have, and once nearly did, jeopardize my entire immigration status. Because of that four-month gap, I will continue to be treated as a visitor in the only country I have ever known and called home. Growing hostility toward immigrants I share this to make a simple but important point: Despite what the headlines might suggest, legal immigration is anything but easy. When the Biden administration announced in 2024 protections for Dreamers who as kids were brought to the United States illegally, I questioned the omission of children like me who continue to be left behind. Trump's executive order reinforces this message of exclusion by taking it even further and signaling that none of us belong here. Although the executive order does not apply directly to me, because I was born in India, it could have changed everything for my younger brother, who was born in Detroit. If this executive order had been in effect when he was born, he would not have been granted citizenship and he would be just like me, stuck in limbo and questioning his sense of acceptance. The executive order reflects the growing hostility toward all immigrants, regardless of how they arrived. Over the past decade, the national rhetoric has grown more cynical and suspicious of all foreigners. Immigrants are increasingly portrayed as threats, as job takers and outsiders, even when we are contributing to industries America depends on or are the only ones willing or capable of performing a job. I do not expect a shortcut. I do not expect special treatment. But I do expect the country that I love to treat me and people like my brother as if we belong here. Because this country was founded by immigrants, and her promise should still include all of us. Tanay Raje graduated from Pennsylvania State University in 2021 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. He is now working as an engineer at a sterile pharmaceutical company in Philadelphia. Tanay is also a member of Improve the Dream, one of the more than 250,000 children of long-term visa holders, raised and educated in America.
