New Delhi: The registration process for application of the H-1B visa, which is a non-immigrant visa that allows the US companies to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise, for the next fiscal year will begin on March 1 and the successful applicants would be notified by March 31 through a computerised draw of lots.


The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued the notification on Friday. The development comes after the administration of newly-elected US President Joe Biden announced to continue with the lottery system to issue the work visa to foreign professionals.


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All you need to know about the H-1B visa:


• The initial registration period for the fiscal year 2022 will open at noon eastern on March 9 and run through noon March 25, according to the USCIS


• The IT companies depend on the H-1B visa to hire employees each year from several nations, including India and China.


• The petitioners and representatives will be able to fill out petitioner and beneficiary information during the registration period and submit their registrations.


• The USCIS will randomly select registrations and send selection notifications by March 31 if it receives enough registrations by March 25


• The successful applicants will be able to join their new jobs on October 1 when the fiscal year starts in the US.


• The USCIS can issue a maximum of 65,000 H-1B visas in a year, as mandated by the Congress. 


• The agency can also issue another 20,000 H-1B visas to the foreign students, who have completed higher studies from a US university in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics subjects.


• The USCIS announced on January 7 to do away with the lottery system in deciding the applicants for the H-1B visas.


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The announcement came after the USCIS said it is delaying implementation of former US President Donald Trump administration’s policy of allocation of H-1B through a wage and skilled based process.