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One bit of good news for graduate level skilled professionals wishing to work in the US is that there are still plenty of US H-1B visas available. This is an indication that the US economy is still not doing very well. Before 2008 in some years H-1Bs were used up almost as soon as they became available.
If you are an employer you can employ new professional level staff quite quickly. If you pay the premium processing fee it may be possible to bring in a new graduate level staff member within a few weeks. The earliest start date for an H-1B is 1 October 2011. Therefore employers and skilled workers no longer have to wait for the H-1B start date before starting work.
The US H-1B Master Degree exemption cap has now been filled. Therefore those with a Masters Degrees will now have to come under the usual cap. You will also see below that most of the H-1B visas under the regular cap have been used up. It is very possible that all H-1B visas will be used up by the end of 2011.
The latest USCIS H-1B visa Cap count of 21 October 2011 confirms the following:
| Cap Type | Cap Amount | Cap Eligible Petitions | Date of Last Count | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| H-1B Regular Cap | 65,000 | 46,200 | 21 October 2011 | |
| H-1B Master's Exemption | 20,000 | 20,000 | 21 October 2011 |
If you wish to gain entry to the US a graduate level employee you should apply soon. It seems likely that all H-1B visas will be used in the next two or three months. If you do not come under the current visa cap you will have to wait until 1 October 2012 to start work in the US.
