Stats from the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services suggest that both applications and approvals of H-1B visas have already declined dramatically (especially in the non-exempt categories) since 2001. In 2002, about 60% of the H-1B visa quota went unused. It is probable that economic downturns have affected would-be H-1B visa applicants much more harshly than US-born IT workers.
***** Tampa Tribune (Florida) May 3, 2003, Saturday, FINAL EDITION SECTION: MONEYSENSE, Pg. 1 LENGTH: 1295 words HEADLINE: Worker Visa Caps May Be Tightened BYLINE: NATASHIA GREGOIRE, ngregoire at tampatrib.com; Reporter Natashia Gregoire can be reached at (727) 799-7413.
...Under pressure from technology firms that depended on visa workers for their specialized skills, Congress raised the [H-1B] visa cap several times from 65,000 in 1998 to 195,000 in 2001. The latest increase extends to 2003, but employers' desire for these visas dried up with the economy. Only 79,100 visa were issued under the cap in 2002, remarkably fewer than the 163,000 issued the previous year.
If Congress doesn't see the need to intervene, the cap will return to the historical level of 65,000 next year....
(CHART) (C) CAP MATH H-1B CAP: The congressionally mandated number of temporary worker visas the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services can issues each year. The cap does not apply to renewals. Scale in thousands 1998 65 1999 115 2000 115 2001 195 2002 195 2003 195 2004 65 Exempt categories such as employees of nonprofit organizations and institutes of higher learning are not counted against the cap; as a result, the numbers of visas issued in a given year may be higher than the number set by the cap.a 2000 Filed 299,046 Approved 257,640 (115,000 were subject to the cap) 2001 Filed 342,035 Approved 331,206 (163,000 were subject to the cap) 2002 Filed 215,190 Approved 197,537 (79,100 were subject to the cap) Tribune graphic by CAITLIN HOPE WRIGHT; Source: Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services ***** -- Yoshie
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