With the elections just around the corner and President Trump on a rat race to tighten immigration policies, USCIS’s announcement of furlough in the coming months, it looks like this window period of two-three months is the best time to get the O-1 Visa rolling, as the U.S economy begins to rebuild after the Pandemic.
Due to the constant change in Work visa policies, the tech industry is currently void of tech experts to fill job vacancies that are now at over six hundred thousand. According to many leading news and newspaper channels like Forbes, Wall Street Journal, CNBC the scarcity of the talent pool in the IT industry is growing.
Why Apply for an O-1 visa Right Now?
There are several reasons why this is the right time to apply for the O-1 Visa:
- Visa policies around the O-1 Visa have not been affected, but we cannot be certain it will remain the same after the elections.
- More and more tech talents required as the country begins to emerge from the pandemic.
- A high percentage of baby boomers at the age of retirement, increasing the number of human resources required, in an industry already deficient of talents.
According to data from the Labor Department there are still about 670,000 more job vacancies than there are unemployed potential workers. Also, based on the manpower group survey, it is indicated that there has been the greatest talent shortage in decades.
Source: ManpowerGroup
Benefits of the O-1 Visa
The O-1 visa processing is comparatively is quicker and is granted for 3 years, to begin with and after completion of 3 years, the candidate is still eligible to apply for further extension. O-1 Visa doesn’t have any limit unlike H-1B Visa which is maximum for 6 years L-1B 5-years, L-1A 7 years and it allows the visa holder to work legally in the U.S. with the employer who sponsored their visa.
The O-1 visa is not restricted to industry or job role but it’s open for all with the niche skill sets and achievement in the area of expertise. It is a dual intent visa leading to Permanent Residence.
Similarly, O-1 visa holders can work remotely unlike H-1B holders, so they are free to work from anywhere during the Pandemic and can travel freely inside and outside the United States.
Also, unlike the H-1B annual cap, the O-1 visa doesn’t have any cap on the number of applications and it also does not require the labor condition application (LCA) to be filed with the U.S Department of Labor (DOL).
Finally, a formal Education or professional degree is not essential for approval no prevailing wage requirement exists. And, there is no annual limit on the number for a visa issued. making it the most attractive visa for many experts working in the United States.
How PassRight can help?
Interested in applying for a visa to the US? Have questions about what the best strategy for your case might be? Contact us and let us know what questions or comments you still have.
