Good news for H1B visa hopefuls – former President Donald Trump’s executive order banning the visa expires on 31 March 2021. This means international students do not have to wait for President Biden to reverse the order. According to a report by Study International, President Biden is unlikely to renew the visa suspension.

Earlier this year, President Biden also withdrew the previous president’s ban on green cards. He disagreed with Trump that such decisions would help the American economy. “To the contrary,” Biden argued, “it harms the US… it also harms industries in the US, that utilise talent from around the world.”
 

International Students to Benefit

Students with degrees in STEM subjects, and those undergoing an OPT programme, will find the immigration system friendlier with the H1B route opening up again. Those who aspire to Silicon Valley careers will also benefit. That's because not only does the visa allow holders to stay on in the US for at least 3 years but the new system is also starting to prioritise applicants who earn more.

In March, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) replaced the previous lottery selection that filled 85,000 slots annually by designing a new system that prioritises high earners. According to an official statement, this modification will help to “protect the economic interests of US workers and ensure the most highly skilled foreign workers benefit from the temporary employment programme.”

Do you want to apply for entry in 2022? You can check out the latest updates here.