VISANOW Recommends Preparing Now for Rapidly Approaching H-1B Visa Filing Date

With this Year’s Cap Expected to be Met Even Earlier, Companies Should File Their Petitions on April 1

CHICAGO, IL February 21, 2007 –  VISANOW, the industry leading immigration solution provider, strongly urges companies to initiate their fiscal year (FY) 2008 H-1B visa petitions for new foreign employees in anticipation of the April 1 filing date. The congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 foreign employees was met in record time for FY 2007 in which the final receipt date was May 26, 2006—less than two months after the numbers were initially released.

If trends of recent years continue, the FY 2008 cap will be met even earlier. Companies should take the right steps now to ensure the likelihood of having their H-1Bs accepted and approved. H-1B petitions must be prepared in advance for filing with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

“The ability to hire highly skilled foreign nationals is critical to companies that want to compete on a global level,” said Robert Meltzer, CEO of VISANOW. “As H-1Bs are increasingly time-sensitive, companies must prepare petitions now or face drastic consequences, such as increased costs or, worse, losing a crucial new addition to the workforce.”

Employers also need to carefully evaluate their hiring situation, and thoughtfully consider all the possible departments that expect to hire foreign nationals. With the limited cap number and minimal filing time frame, planning is a necessity among human resource departments to account for possible additions required later in the year. Companies should note that H-1B renewals and transfers are not affected by the cap.

The increasing demand for highly skilled workers requiring H-1B visas has magnified the importance of not only submitting applications on the initial filing date, but also ensuring that applications are correctly prepared. VISANOW’s innovative case management capabilities and responsive client services team ensures applications are submitted correctly and on time avoiding costly errors or delays that may cost a corporation a vital addition to their workforce.

To learn more about H-1B application filing, please contact us at info@visanow.com.

About VISANOW
VISANOW has redefined the way immigration services are delivered with a process that consistently provides faster responses, allows greater access to information and saves time. Since 1998, VISANOW has combined superior client support and innovative technology designed to simplify the immigration process for corporations and their foreign employees.

Contact: Paul Colman
312-525-2819
colman@visanow.com