H1B Visa Relief

In response to strong lobbying efforts by AILA, the Senate Judiciary Committee has passed a proposal to provide temporary relief from the H-1B visa blackout and the employment-based immigrant visa backlogs in exchange for increased fees on some petitions. The measure, part of the budget reconciliation process, still must pass the full Senate and then be reconciled with the House’s alternative proposal, which imposes a $1,500 fee increase on L visas. bh