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Employers Have Paid $5 Billion In H-1B Visa Fees Since 1999
https://www.forbes.com/sites/stuartanderson/2019/04/01/employers-have-paid-5-billion-in-h-1b-visa-fees-since-1999/#6812b50b68d1
Employers spend a lot of money to sponsor high-skilled foreign nationals on H-1B visas – and the costs continue to rise. These costs take on increased significance at a time of heightened government scrutiny over hiring high-skilled foreign nationals, particularly given that on April 1, 2019, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began accepting H-1B applications for FY 2020.
“Employers have paid nearly $5 billion in mandated H-1B fees (currently $1,500 per a new or extended H-1B petition) that primarily fund scholarships for U.S. students and training for U.S. workers, a figure that rises to over $7 billion if one includes $1.6 billion in mandated anti-fraud fees and other government fees,” according to a new study from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP).
Attorney costs and government fees range from $3,400 up to $16,560 for an initial H-1B petition and from $6,300 to $28,620 for the cost of both an initial H-1B petition and an extension. Note that employers also must pay an H-1B professional the higher of the prevailing wage or actual wage paid to “all other individuals with similar experience and qualifications for the specific employment in question.”
Since wait times for H-1B processing are typically 10 to 12 months, it is generally imperative for most employers to pay a $1,410 “premium processing” fee, which can guarantee a USCIS decision within 15 days. Companies can spend up to $4,500 in extra legal costs if a USCIS adjudicator issues a Request for Evidence, which government data show happened in 60% of completed cases in the 1st quarter of FY 2019.
Employers spend a lot of money to sponsor high-skilled foreign nationals on H-1B visas – and the costs continue to rise. These costs take on increased significance at a time of heightened government scrutiny over hiring high-skilled foreign nationals, particularly given that on April 1, 2019, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began accepting H-1B applications for FY 2020.
“Employers have paid nearly $5 billion in mandated H-1B fees (currently $1,500 per a new or extended H-1B petition) that primarily fund scholarships for U.S. students and training for U.S. workers, a figure that rises to over $7 billion if one includes $1.6 billion in mandated anti-fraud fees and other government fees,” according to a new study from the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP).
Attorney costs and government fees range from $3,400 up to $16,560 for an initial H-1B petition and from $6,300 to $28,620 for the cost of both an initial H-1B petition and an extension. Note that employers also must pay an H-1B professional the higher of the prevailing wage or actual wage paid to “all other individuals with similar experience and qualifications for the specific employment in question.”
Since wait times for H-1B processing are typically 10 to 12 months, it is generally imperative for most employers to pay a $1,410 “premium processing” fee, which can guarantee a USCIS decision within 15 days. Companies can spend up to $4,500 in extra legal costs if a USCIS adjudicator issues a Request for Evidence, which government data show happened in 60% of completed cases in the 1st quarter of FY 2019.
There's a good table at the link showing the costs of H-1B ranging from $3,400 to $16,560 for initial H-1B petition; $6,300 to $28,620 combined cost of initial H-1B petition and extension.
Fun Fact: Employers don't have to pay any of that to hire US citizens like you, DUer! Apply for these jobs today. Take the jobs back that H-1Bs have been doing and show them some true American exceptionalism. Do it for America.
There are a lot of client services contracting jobs posted online and you can take these jobs back from H-1Bs. I can't do this by myself. I want more Americans in these jobs.
Get it DUers!
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