Recently, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released the application data for the latest round of H-1B lottery conducted in March 2023: for the fiscal year 2024, there were a total of 780,884 online registrations for H-1B, with 758,994 valid registrations. The agency selected 110,791 valid registrations, resulting in a rough approval rate of 14.2% and a valid approval rate of 14.6%, marking the lowest record since the inception of the H-1B lottery program.
Compared to previous years, the number of H-1B registrations submitted this year has surged. The 780,884 registration applications represent an increase of approximately 61.4% from last year's 483,927, while the approval rate has nearly halved, plummeting from 26.9% last year to 14.2% this year.
As the primary pathway for obtaining work visas to legally stay in the U.S. (including international students), the competition for H-1B visas has become increasingly fierce. For a long time, there has been a "surplus of applicants and a shortage of opportunities." This year's 14.2% approval rate has left many international students feeling disheartened. With the low approval rate for H-1B visas and the increasing number of applications each year, the chances of securing a visa through the lottery are naturally diminishing.
This year, the wave of layoffs at many tech companies in the U.S. has further compounded the challenges for graduates. As we know, international students holding F-1 visas have one year of Optional Practical Training (OPT) after graduation. During this period, if they are unemployed for more than 90 days, their OPT status will immediately become invalid, requiring them to leave the U.S. Even if they find an internship, they must secure an H-1B visa before the end of their OPT to continue working in the U.S. after the internship. In fact, the layoffs serve as a wake-up call for students in the U.S. Even if they successfully obtain an H-1B visa, if they face layoffs and do not find a new job or change to another legal status within the specified time, they will have to leave the U.S., which can jeopardize their spouse's legal status and their children's schooling. This also reflects the uncertainty and limitations of the H-1B visa regarding employment, career development, and daily needs.
Therefore, for families with children already studying in the U.S. or those planning to study in the U.S., if they wish to work and live in the U.S. without the concerns of the H-1B visa, parents of international students should consider early planning: enabling their children to obtain green card status, allowing them to study and stay! For example, through the EB-5 investment immigration program, parents can prepare a U.S. green card for their children in advance, which significantly enhances their chances of being accepted into prestigious schools and ensures a stable future for the family. After graduation, children will no longer be constrained by OPT and H-1B, having more quality options and fair opportunities in internships and employment.
"Parents who love their children plan for their future," and by planning their status in advance, children can study without worries. Currently, it is an excellent time to plan for children's status through EB-5 investment immigration. The new EB-5 legislation passed in March 2022 has made significant adjustments to the rules of EB-5. One major benefit is that it provides investors from mainland China with an option to bypass the waiting list by investing in reserved categories of EB-5 visas (20% for rural area projects, 10% for high-unemployment area projects, and 2% for infrastructure project reserved visas), which are currently in a no-waiting status, allowing for rapid immigration to the U.S.
Another significant advantage is that the new legislation allows eligible applicants to submit both the I-526E/I-526 immigration application and the I-485 adjustment of status application simultaneously. When submitting the I-485 application, applicants can also apply for travel permission (I-131) and work authorization (I-765). Once the I-485 receipt is received, applicants can legally stay in the U.S. for an extended period; upon approval of the I-765 application (3-6 months), they can obtain a work permit and freely choose their employment; and upon approval of the I-131 application (6-12 months), they can obtain Advance Parole (AP) to travel in and out of the U.S. This means that once these applications are approved, they can work freely in the U.S. and travel in and out, allowing the applicant and their spouse to work legally, and their children can attend local public schools and apply for state government health insurance, enjoying most of the conveniences of life as U.S. residents. For investors, if they apply for an immigration category without a waiting list and are in the U.S. meeting the relevant conditions, they can submit the I-485 adjustment of status application simultaneously with the immigration application, thus living and working in the U.S. more quickly.
The U.S. EB-5 investment immigration application has relaxed conditions, with no restrictions on age, education, language, business, or work experience backgrounds. One application allows the entire family to immigrate to the U.S., where they can live and work anywhere in the country, and children can enjoy free public education (K-12). Spouses and unmarried children under 21 can also immigrate together. For investors with a clear need to immigrate to the U.S. and plan for their children's education, now is the time to seize the opportunity.
Currently, the popular "Florida Lakeside Jewish Community" project is compliant with the new legislation under the rural TEA project, not only enjoying reserved EB-5 visa quotas but also receiving priority processing from the immigration agency, combining the advantages of no waiting list, a project employment multiplier of up to 5.44, and first-priority collateral guarantees for EB-5 funds!
Good projects wait for no one; apply early to benefit early, prioritize obtaining a green card, and start your American journey. The Florida Lakeside Jewish Community EB-5 project is currently in high demand, with limited project quotas available. Interested investors should act quickly. For more details, please send us a private message in the comments section or call the WorldWay Immigration Service hotline: Mainland China: 400-138-2929, Hong Kong: (852) 2802 8798.
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*This information does not constitute any form of offer and is for informational reference only. To improve readability, the information published in this document has been truncated and summarized. Any legally binding detailed information should be based solely on the official English investment documents provided by the project party at the time of subscription.* Investors should make their own investment judgments and decisions based on the official English investment documents of this project.* Investment involves risks; please choose wisely.*