On August 23, local time, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officially announced on its website that the H-1B lottery cap of 85,000 has been reached for this year, and no additional quotas will be issued. USCIS also announced that it has completed notifications for those not selected. In the USCIS system, the status for all registered but unselected applicants now displays as "Not Selected."
This year, the total H-1B quota is 85,000, including 65,000 regular slots and 20,000 slots for applicants with advanced degrees (master's degree or higher obtained in the U.S.). According to official USCIS information from this April, a total of 483,927 H-1B applications were submitted. In the first round of the lottery, 127,600 applications were selected, which is significantly higher than the 85,000 quota, resulting in a selection rate of approximately 26.37%.
Following the practice of the previous two years, many unselected applicants were waiting for a second or third round of the lottery. However, USCIS recently officially announced that the H-1B lottery cap of 85,000 has been reached, and the agency will not conduct multiple rounds of lotteries as it did before! This is undoubtedly devastating news for H-1B applicants who were hoping to be selected in a subsequent round.
In fact, the number of H-1B applications received by USCIS has been rising steadily in recent years. This year's 483,927 electronic registrations set a new record in the history of H-1B applications, nearly quadrupling the figure from the 2014 fiscal year.
Furthermore, according to data released by USCIS, in fiscal year 2021, the agency approved 123,414 initial H-1B applications (including both cap-subject and cap-exempt applications). Regrettably, among these 123,414 lucky recipients, 75,858 were Indian applicants, accounting for 61.5%, while Chinese applicants numbered only 18,770, accounting for 15.2%.
As is well known, under U.S. law, non-U.S. citizens or green card holders require employer sponsorship to obtain an H-1B work visa to work in the United States. Therefore, for international students in the U.S., a daunting problem arises every graduation season: whether they can be selected for an H-1B. As China is a major source of international students in the U.S., and with the surge in H-1B applications, the prospects for Chinese applicants being selected in the future remain grim. Moreover, even if one is lucky enough to be selected, the H-1B is only a temporary work status, and whether one can apply for a green card afterward remains uncertain.
In fact, for those who want to stay and work in the U.S. after graduation, a green card is the most urgent issue to resolve, and the U.S. EB-5 investment immigration program is a preferred way to obtain a U.S. green card. For international students already in the U.S., they can currently choose EB-5 projects without a visa backlog to quickly obtain a U.S. green card. Applicants can simultaneously file Form I-526 (Immigrant Petition by Alien Investor) and Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status), as well as apply for travel authorization (Form I-131) and work authorization (Form I-765). While the I-485 application is pending, applicants can legally reside, study, and work in the United States.
Furthermore, for families currently planning for their children's education abroad, status planning must be done well in advance! Through early planning by parents, children can study abroad with a green card. After graduation, they will not be restricted by status or work visa requirements, allowing them to prioritize internship and job opportunities at Fortune 500 companies, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. They can choose their careers freely and receive the same salary and benefits as local residents. Moreover, holding a U.S. green card allows students to share in the 90%-95% of admission quotas reserved for domestic students. In terms of costs, students with a green card can enjoy the same tuition rates as domestic students, which is only one-third of the cost for international students. In short, green card status plays a pivotal role in every stage of a child's school selection, internship, and job hunting.
Education planning starts with status. Investors with clear needs for immigrating to the U.S. and planning for their children's education should act quickly. Completing the immigration application as early as possible not only saves on immigration costs but also avoids regrets caused by missed opportunities. Currently, the two popular EB-5 projects on the market both qualify as EB-5 projects in Targeted Employment Areas (TEA) under the new act, enjoying a 10% visa set-aside, helping investors catch the "first bus" to avoid visa backlogs and quickly obtain a U.S. green card! With an investment starting at $800,000, one person can apply, and the whole family can quickly immigrate to the United States.
Project 1 is located in Oakland, in the San Francisco Bay Area of the California metropolitan region. The project's apartment building is 39 stories high and features 452 units. Currently, the project is 50% complete and is under steady construction as planned, with completion expected by the end of 2023. This project has multiple advantages, such as having already received I-924 approval; having investors with successfully approved I-526 petitions; sufficient job creation, with reports estimating approximately 19.9 jobs per investor, far exceeding USCIS requirements; being developed and managed by a world-renowned developer with extensive EB-5 project experience; and offering multiple guarantees, such as 100% equity pledge by the developer and protection against I-526 denial.
Project 2 is located in the Arts District of downtown Dallas, Texas, situated in a high-growth area of the U.S. economy. With strong market demand and numerous advantages, it is highly favored by investors. This project is limited to only 45 spots globally, and there are not many spots left. Those interested should act quickly.
Good projects do not wait. For investors with a rigid need to immigrate to the U.S., do not hesitate. Apply early to benefit early, prioritize getting your green card, and start your American journey. For more details, please send us a private message in the comments section or call the Worldway service hotline. Mainland China: 400-138-2929, Hong Kong, China: (852) 2802 8798.
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