H-1B cap update: USCIS demonstrates electronic registration process

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services held a webinar today to provide information on how to open a USCIS account and submit H-1B electronic registrations this cap season.

Key points:

• If a law firm will submit registrations on behalf of a company, both the law firm and the company will need to create myUSCIS accounts. Today’s webinar was geared toward registrant companies, and USCIS will provide more details for attorneys and representatives regarding the new process during another webinar next week.
• H-1B registrants may open a myUSCIS account beginning Feb. 24, 10 a.m. EST.
• Registrants will be able to submit H-1B registrations when the registration period opens on March 1, noon EST, and may continue to submit registrations until the period closes on March 20, noon EST.
• A lottery will be conducted on the registrations between March 20 and March 31. Selection of registrations will appear in individual accounts. Selection notices will be sent no later than March 31.
• The filing period for petitioners to file full H-1B petitions on behalf of selected registrations is expected to begin April 1 and run for 90 days. The agency has not yet announced whether premium processing will be available.

BAL Analysis: Petitioners should anticipate working with their BAL professional to open USCIS accounts beginning Feb. 24. BAL is closely following rollout of the H-1B Electronic Registration system and will inform clients of any new developments. Additionally, BAL has created an H-1B Electronic Registration Resource Center exclusively for clients to access news, breaking developments, government documents and podcasts. Log in to the Resource Center here.

This alert has been provided by the BAL U.S. Practice group. For additional information, please contact berryapplemanleiden@bal.com.

Copyright © 2020 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.