On January 30, 2024, local time, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the final rule regarding the initial registration period for the FY2025 H-1B cap and online filing of H-1B petitions. To strengthen the integrity of the H-1B program, the H-1B (FY2025) process will officially implement a "beneficiary-centric" selection process.
The "beneficiary-centric" system means that each beneficiary is only eligible for one selection entry. The selection is based on the beneficiary, not the registering employer, changing the current practice where each employer could submit a registration for the same individual. While beneficiaries are allowed to be registered by different employers, multiple registrations for the same beneficiary will not increase the chances of selection. Only after a beneficiary is successfully selected is the associated employer eligible to file an H-1B petition. If a beneficiary is not selected, no employer can file a petition. In other words, the purpose of this move is to prohibit "multiple entries for one person" and eliminate fraud.
USCIS also announced the final rule for the fee schedule. This reform does not affect the H-1B online registration fee, which remains at $10 and has not increased to the $215 originally proposed. The new immigration filing fees will take effect on April 1, 2024.
These details are positive news for students in the U.S., as they increase "fairness." However, it is worth noting that this does not mean immigration status issues are resolved. Graduates staying in the U.S. must still overcome the "three mountains": OPT internship, H-1B visa lottery, and the transition from EB-2/3 to a Green Card.
As the primary pathway for students and others to obtain a work visa and stay in the U.S. legally, the H-1B program has become increasingly competitive, long suffering from "more monks than gruel." For the 2024 fiscal year, USCIS received a total of 780,884 H-1B online registrations, of which 758,994 were valid. The 14.2% selection rate in the first round was disheartening for students. With the low selection rate and the year-over-year increase in application volume, the probability of staying in the U.S. and obtaining status through the lottery is naturally becoming lower.
Meanwhile, the ongoing wave of layoffs at major U.S. tech companies has made the situation even worse for graduates in the U.S. International students in the U.S. hold F-1 visas and have one year of Optional Practical Training (OPT) after graduation. During this period, if they are unemployed for more than 90 days, their valid OPT status will immediately expire, and they must leave the U.S. immediately. Even if they find an internship, they must apply for an H-1B visa before the OPT ends to continue working and stay in the U.S. In fact, the massive layoffs serve as a wake-up call for students in the U.S.; even if they successfully obtain an H-1B visa, if they encounter a layoff and fail to find a new job or convert to another legal status within the prescribed time, they must leave the U.S. This reflects the uncertainty and limitations of the H-1B visa regarding employment, career development, and daily needs.
Therefore, for families whose children are already studying in the U.S. or planning to study in the U.S., if they want to work and live in the U.S. without being troubled by the H-1B visa, parents may want to plan ahead: let their children obtain a Green Card so they can study and stay! For example, through the EB-5 investment immigration program, preparing a U.S. Green Card for children in advance is a reassurance for the family, whether for the success rate of their children's applications to top universities or for their future stable life. After graduation, children will no longer be trapped by OPT and H-1B, and will have more high-quality choices and fair opportunities in internships and employment.
According to the "Concurrent Filing" provision in the new EB-5 law, EB-5 applicants within the U.S., including international students, can simultaneously file their I-526E immigrant petition and I-485 adjustment of status application, as well as applications for an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) and Advance Parole, provided that there is no visa backlog in their EB-5 project category. Therefore, applicants can legally reside, study, and work in the U.S. while waiting for the Green Card approval, without the need for employer sponsorship, enjoying "quasi-Green Card" freedom in advance.
Immigration has two key elements—timing and choice. The window for EB-5 "concurrent filing" without a backlog is fleeting, so seize the opportunity to catch the last train! For investors with a rigid demand for U.S. immigration, the rural projects in the EB-5 reserved visa category are the best of the best among the current options for quickly obtaining a U.S. Green Card.
Currently, the "Florida Lakeside Jewish Community" EB-5 rural project, for which WorldWay serves as the exclusive agent in Greater China and which has already received I-956F approval, is a popular choice for investors to immigrate to the U.S. quickly. This project combines many advantages, such as no backlog, priority processing, a project employment multiplier as high as 5.75, EB-5 funds enjoying a first-priority mortgage guarantee with the collateral value being 2.6 times the EB-5 loan amount, and a minimum investment period of only 3 years, providing investors with an excellent opportunity to quickly obtain a U.S. Green Card! This high-quality rural EB-5 project is rare and hard to find; after round after round of snapping up, only a few spots remain globally. Good projects do not wait; interested parties should subscribe as soon as possible!
In addition, the "University Town Hilton Hotel," a diamond-level EB-5 rural project in North Carolina, USA, for which WorldWay serves as the exclusive agent in Greater China, is also an excellent choice for investors to immigrate to the U.S. quickly. This project qualifies for both "Rural TEA" and "High Unemployment Urban TEA," and features priority processing, no backlog, 2.9 times real estate mortgage guarantee (50%) / developer personal asset guarantee (50%), EB-5 funds entering and exiting with the Peachtree Group, permanent first-priority mortgage guarantee, and an irreplaceable, scarce location in the university town. The project is limited to 25 spots globally. Spots are limited; interested parties should subscribe as soon as possible!
Investment immigration is all about choices. For EB-5 investment immigration, choosing the right project and the right professional immigration agency is key! Immigration is a comprehensive planning process, and choosing a formal, professional, reputable, and strong-branded immigration agency is very important! Only a capable immigration company can truly help immigration applicants complete their immigration successfully.
WorldWay Group, one of the top 500 Asian brands, has been rooted in Hong Kong for over 20 years and has been professionally handling U.S. investment immigration for 18 years. It has a professional documentation team with over 18 years of service experience to ensure that the application documents of applicants and their families comply with immigration laws, serving clients with loyalty and responsibility, and has successfully helped thousands of families immigrate to the U.S. In 2006, WorldWay became one of the first professional immigration agencies in China to promote U.S. EB-5 investment immigration projects; it was among the first in the EB-5 industry to propose the concept of selected projects and establish a professional analyst team; it was among the first to propose that U.S. EB-5 investment is about project selection and treating clients with sincerity; WorldWay has won the global "Best Immigration Agent Award" at the U.S. EB-5 Annual Conference many times; WorldWay senior management has met with many U.S. congressmen and maintains good interactions with many U.S. congressmen, governors, mayors, senior government officials, and well-known figures in the EB-5 industry. It is your trusted choice for handling U.S. immigration!
For more details, please send us a private message in the comment section or call the WorldWay service hotline: Mainland China: 400-138-2929, Hong Kong, China: (852) 2802 8798
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Note: 1. Within the scope permitted by law, the right of interpretation of this promotional activity belongs to WorldWay Group. 2. EB-5 funds obtaining first-priority mortgage rights are subject to certain conditions; please refer to the project's official English investment documents for details. 3. This material and any content therein do not constitute an offer of any kind and are for reference only. To improve readability, the information published in this material has been excerpted and summarized. Any detailed information of a legal nature should be based solely on the English investment documents provided by the project party at the time of formal subscription. 4. Investors should make their own investment judgments and decisions based on the project's official English investment documents. Investment involves risks, and choices should be made with caution. 5. The regional center of the "University Town Hilton Hotel" does not participate in the management of the project or conduct the proposed solicitation activities. The regional center does not provide investors for the project, nor does it participate in fundraising activities.