Biden Administration Eases H-1B Visa Rules

The outgoing Biden administration has relaxed rules for H-1B visas that will make it easier for American companies to hire foreign workers with special skills and facilitate a smoother transition from F-1 student visas to H-1B visas. 

The rule, announced by the Department of Homeland Security yesterday aims to provide greater flexibility to employers and workers by modernising the definition and criteria. It moderated the definition and criteria for special positions and nonprofit and governmental research organisations that are exempt from the annual statutory limit on H-1B



visas.

This move is likely to benefit thousands of Indian tech professionals. Technology companies depend on it to hire tens of thousands of employees each year from countries like India and China.

As per the media reports, last year, Indian nationals accounted for more than 72 of the three lakh 86 thousand visas issued under the programme.

The most sought H-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise.