US resumes fast processing of some H-1B visa categories

Washington, July 25 : The US has announced resuming faster processing of H-1B work visas, popular with Indian techies, for high-skilled foreign professionals in categories exempt from Congress-mandated limit, which are mostly for higher education and scientific research institutions. The H1-B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialised fields. The technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year.
During his campaign, Trump had promised to increase oversight of H-1B and L-1 visa programmes. He had signed an executive order in April to tighten the rules of the programme to stop visa abuses.Trump had said that his administration is going to enforce ‘Hire American’ rules that are designed to protect jobs and wages of workers in the US. “US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will resume premium processing for certain cap-exempt H-1B petitions effective immediately,” an official statement said yesterday.