As another H-1B season draws to a close and our batteries recharge, it’s time for some U.S. facts and figures showing the growing need for legal immigrants:
– The number of H-1B initial and extension applications filed by employers in 2015 was 315,857.
– $16.3 million in administrative fines was imposed on employers who engaged in unlawful employment in 2014, which exceeded the total level of fines imposed over the entire period from 1999 through 2009.
– The number of foreign-born residents in the U.S. is at its highest level in history, reaching 42.4 million in 2014. Foreign-born residents also made up 13.3% of the U.S. population in 2014, which is the highest percentage since 1910 (14.8%).
– The denial of green card applications by the U.S. Department of State has increased in recent years.
– Temporary visa issuances reach 9.9 million in 2014, compared to 7.6 million in 2001 and 5 million in 2004.
– Generally, demand in all of the temporary employment-based visa categories has increased since 1994. While there was a dip during the recent recession, the number of employment-based temporary visas then increased each year between 2010 and 2014.
– The number of employers enrolled in the government’s e-Verify employment eligibility verification system grew from 5,900 at the close of 2005 to 617,000 by the end of 2015, indicating that approximately 10% of U.S. employers were participating in e-Verify by the close of 2015.
– In 2013, almost one million (991,000) people became green card holders, of which 65% were based on family ties.
It is clear that people still want to move to the U.S., both temporarily and permanently, to be with their families and for work, but they should ensure that their eligibility is fully assessed and their applications are thoroughly prepared. Government focus on immigration compliance has also increased considerably, making it critical for U.S. employers to ensure that they are properly navigating the immigration landscape. That’s what we are here for!