USCIS Suspends H-1B Visa Premium Processing

Beginning April 3, employers will no longer be able to use the government’s expedited processing program for H-1B visa cases, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced March 3.The agency is temporarily suspending premium processing for all H-1B petitions, including those counted against the annual H-1B numerical cap, for up to six months.The premium processing option allows employers to pay an additional $1,225 filing fee to USCIS in return for a guarantee that the agency will issue a decision on the case within 15 calendar days. That’s an advantage for employers seeking certainty when planning for their workforce needs for the coming year.[SHRM members-only toolkit: Obtaining U.S. Employment Visas]The suspension will delay adjudication of all H-1B cap-subject cases filed for fiscal year (FY) 2018, as well as H-1B petitions that are exempt from the annual quota, like extensions of stay, and change-of-employer requests.”This is particularly upsetting

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