On April 1, 2014, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin accepting new H-1B petitions subject to the fiscal year 2015 quota, with an H-1B start date of October 1, 2014. Kempster, Corcoran, Quiceno & Lenz-Calvo, Ltd. advises that employers seeking to file H-1B applications in the upcoming H-1B quota begin the process in order to allow for adequate preparation time.

As many employers are aware, the H-1B quota for the FY 2014 was reached upon the opening of the initial five-day filing period. We advise that employers make all reasonable efforts to file H-1B applications on April 1, in order to maximize the chances of their employees obtaining H-1B status. US Department of Labor regulatory and processing requirements can increase the average preparation times for H-1B applications by as much as 2 weeks or more.

As a result, we strongly recommend that employers begin the process of preparing H-1B applications as soon as possible. If you have any questions about the H-1B filing period or the 2015 cap, or if you are interested in filing an H-1B in the 2015 cap, please contact one of our attorneys by calling (312)341-9730.