Angelo Paparelli Quoted in Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Online
“Drop in H-1B Visa Petitions: Blip or Lasting Trend?”

Angelo Paparelli was quoted in the August 28, 2009 Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Online article, “Drop in H-1B Visa Petitions: Blip or Lasting Trend?” The article discussed the reasons for the decrease in demand for H-1B visa petitions. According to the article, for the first time in several years, thousands of H-1B visas remain available for interested employers in the next fiscal year. The decline in petitions, according to the article, is not just due to the poor economy, but rather all of the hassles a company has to go through to obtain an H-1B visa, from paying increased costs to being subjected to fraud investigations.

Angelo noted that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) “has been quite sensitive” to political pressures and their requests for evidence are becoming increasingly burdensome. He also commented that HR should let managers know that if they pursue H-1B visas, they might actually be asked by USCIS to disclose to the government the contents of their contracts and face “other burdensome demands.” Angelo added that “this is not like the good old days. Even with premium processing [allowing expedited action on payment of $1,000 additional filing fee], H-1B visas are not attainable” without heavy lifting by the employer.

Angelo explained that the burdens for employers interested in obtaining H-1B visas might get even worse if a pending bill that would require all H-1B petitioners to satisfy new filing requirements is enacted as part of immigration reform. Even if this bill doesn’t pass, Angelo observed that the H-1B program “already is very regulated.”