US to suspend fast processing of H-1B visas for high-skilled workers

ASTANA. KAZINFORMUS Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has posted a press release saying that Trump administration is instituting a temporary suspension of what is known as premium processing for H-1B visa petitions, according to The Verge .

The change should take effect on April 3rd, 2017 for all H-1B petitions, and it may last up to six months.

For Silicon Valley companies, many of which employ large numbers of H-1B holders, this move could signal that waiting times for approval may get much longer. Under the current system, a company who is sponsoring a potential employee or current employee's H-1B petition may fill out a form to expedite the processing of that petition. After paying an additional $1,225 fee for this service, USCIS responds typically in 15 calendar days, whereas standard H-1B petitions may take anywhere between three to six months to receive a judgment.

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