H-1B and L1 visa fee has been increased by $4000 and $4500 respectively on Friday (18th December, 2015) by the US Senate. The fee, previously $2000, was waived off in September, 2014 but now it has again been imposed on IT companies.
President Obama said, “It will soon become a law”.
The bill says that IT companies would be liable to pay a staggaring amount of $8000 to $10,000 for an H-1B visa. This amount will be applicable for H-1B visa and L1 visa as the next annual visa filing season commences, from April 1st 2016.
Also Read: H-1B Visa 2017
The new bill passed by Barack Obama says, “Companies having more than 50 employees and having more than 50% of H-1B visa employees would pay an extra fee of $4000 for H-1B visa and $4500 for L1 application ”.
Breakdown of H-1B fees which takes into effect from April 1st, 2016:
| Base Filing Fee | $325 |
| USCIS Anti Fraud Fee | $500 |
| ACWIA Education and Training Fee |
$750 ( For employers less than 25 employees) or $1500 (For employees more than 25 employees) |
| Public Law 111-320 Fee | $4,000 |
| Premium Processing (Optional) | $1,225 |
Here are some examples on how much a company has to pay for H-1B fee:
Scenario 1: Company A is an Indian IT firm or a consultancy which has more than 50 employees and has more than 50% of H-1B visa people. Here are the fees involved if they are filing for H-1B visa in premium processing.
Total Fee: $325 (base) + $500 (fraud fee) + $1500 ( Training Fee)+ 4000 (New fee) + $1225 (Premium Processing) + $1000 (Attorney Fee) = $8550
Scenario 2: Company B is a American Startup company which has less than 25 employees and has less than 50% of H-1B visa people. Here are the fees involved if they are filing for H-1B visa in regular processing.
Total Fee: $325 (base) + $500 (fraud fee) + $750 ( Training Fee) + $1000 (Attorney Fee) = $2575
For Instant H-1B Updates, Like us on Facebook below
It is quite an unjustifiable move according to the Indian IT companies because the bill is written in such a way which will leave a drastic impact on Indian firms.
Furthermore, Indians coming to the US on H-1B or L1 visa, have to pay Medicare and Social Security. Reports say that, “A total of more than $1 billion is expected to be generated with H-1B visas, which would go to 9/11 responder and Biometric Account. And if some amount will be left after this deposit, it will be saved in general fund of Treasury”.
Also Read: 95% Off on Software Courses – Hadoop, SAP,Java, Python, Testing and many more…
As per some sources, “This fee, imposed on IT companies, will remain intact for coming 10 years, till September 30, 2025”.
India is talking to the US in this concern, but no move has been made till now. Let’s hope for the best to happen…
I have 10 years of experience in Java/J2ee technology. I am looking for trustable H1B sponsorship.
Scenario 1 – Company A, < 50 employees and H1B visa employees > 50%
Any comments over here?
lets say If a company A has 40 employees and 50%(employess means 20 employees are on h1b)..
What if the consultancy has 6 employees and all are in h1? Will it come under $4000 fees? Thanks
If I am with same employer of H1B filed first time and wants to extend my H1B is this fee applicable ?
Most indian companies now files through contracting companies to extract visa cost fromprospective employees.
I'm totally for this passed bill, which could possibly stop so many nonsense Indian cases. Don't get me wrong, there are still some quite smart Indians, but look at how other not-so-smart Indians have been abusing the immigration system and see how they screw up other people's lives, not just only in the US, but also in other developed countries as well, and they are still crying out loud for sympathy saying it's unfair for them. What about other people?
Company A is an Indian IT firm or a consultancy which has more than 50 employees and has LESS than 50% of H-1B visa people. Can you please explain this scenario as well.
Less that 50% of H1B employees is the key here. So in your scenario – this company would not be paying the new extra fees.
What kind of stupidity is this.. For student who have been paying more money for education and also not getting picked up in lottery n going back to colleges to survive and make their american dreams come true keep suffering.. Do something about it .. Increase the quota for masters students from 20k .. Everything is about money .. Sad ass issue.. !! RIP the Immigration system .. Got screwed big TIME!!!
Does this apply for Amendment also ?
For Amending H-1B petitions of the same beneficiary not requesting an extension of H-1B stay, no need to pay acwia fee
For Second (or later) petition requesting an extension of H-1B stay by the same petitioner filing on behalf of the same beneficiary, no need to pay acwia fee.
I have got my petition approved this year . I am yet to have a project and chances are my petition will need amendment . Is this applicable in my case as well ?
Hi,
Is the extra $4000 fees applicable for H1B transfer OOC cases also? Where can I find the legitimate information on this.
Thanks.
Is this applicable if we change the employer? (A client sponsoring an H1)
Whats the scenario for American IT companies in India who hav more than 50 employees and more than 50% in H1B ??
Does this case applies to the pharma sector i mean for pharmaceutical industries??
Hi,
It says bill is applicable after 1st April 2016.
What if an H1b is transferred before that date? Would it be applicable in that scenario as well ?
I am in a non-IT related field and for a person like myself, a non-Indian, non-IT professional, these changes are welcoming. There are other industries in need of qualifying professionals and when Indian outsourcing companies are rigging the system something has to be done.
It makes no sense to have more than 50% of employee being H1b for a mid-sized company.
I hope you guys stop this nonsense.
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2015/11/06/us/outsourcing-companies-dominate-h1b-visas.html
Hi,
Change in H1b fees will be applicable for individuals applying through consultants ?
Thanks,
you are sstill an employee of your Consultancy who holds your h1.
Hi,
Will this fees apply for the companies having more than 50 employees but total h1b employees less than 50 percent of their total workforce?
Thanks in advance.
Does this apply to the employers for which there are more than 25 employees and less than 50% on H1
what about the scenario for companies with more than 50 employees but less than 50% h1b employees
The fee is not applicable if the company has less than 50% non-immigrants.
In this case what would be the fees.
This is pretty sad news.. 🙁
Does this fee apply to H1B visa extension (including 7th year extension after PERM approval ) or just for new H1B visa petition that are filed?
It applies to extensions as well.
for H1b Extension there won't be Public Law 114-113 Fee of $4000
https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/new-law-increases-h-1b-and-l-1-petition-fees
The additional fees apply to petitioners who employ 50 or more employees in the United States, with more than 50 percent of those employees in H-1B or L (including L-1A and L-1B) nonimmigrant status. These petitioners must submit the additional fees with an H-1B or L-1 petition filed:
Initially to grant status to a nonimmigrant described in subparagraph (H)(i)(b) or (L) of section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act; or
To obtain authorization for a nonimmigrant in such status to change employers.