(Image source from: Forbes)

The data released by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) shows that the applications for H-1B visa that allows the United States companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations continue to undergo extreme scrutiny. The data highlights for the first six months of U.S. fiscal 2019 (October 1, 2018, up to March 31, 2019).

Of the total scrutinized applications for H-1B visa, nearly 61 percent have been rejected.

As many as 48 percents of applicants have been asked for REF (Requests for Evidence) for both initial H-1B visa and extensions during the first six months of fiscal 2019, which is an increase of 1 percent as compared to the corresponding period last year, reported TOI. More than 60 percent of applications for H-1B visa comes for Indians.

The spike in denials of applications by the USICIS even after the submission of additional information as part of RFE is what worrying the Indians the most. The USCIS, in the first six months of 2019, rejected 60.5 percent of applications that were sent back seeking REF in spite of obtaining additional information from the sponsoring employers, the data shows.

Besides, the REF approval rating has been steadily dropping. In 2015, it was as high as 83 percent. However, it was down to 74 percent in fiscal 2017 and for the entire fiscal 2018, it was the same as the half-yearly figure of 62.3 percent. The USCIS announced the new H-1B Employer Data Hub. It will be available on its USCIS official website uscis.gov on April 1.

The technology companies depend on H-1B visa to employ tens of thousands of employees every year from countries like India and China. It is the most sought-after work visa among foreign, including Indianprofessionals.

By Sowmya Sangam