H1B visa quota to increase by 20,000

On November 20th, 2004 the United States Congress passed a new legislative measure to provide an additional 20,000 H1B work visas.

This is part of the $388 billion Omnibus Appropriations Bill that was passed by Congress late on Saturday night. It is expected to be signed into law by President George W. Bush in the next few days.

The additional 20,000 visas will be reserved for International Students in American universities with master's or doctorate degrees.

The proposed H1B visas for up to 20,000 eligible foreign students will be treated as an 'exemption' from the current cap of 65,000. The measure, preceded by months of hectic lobbying by US industry, will benefit thousands of International students who are either waiting in American campuses or back at home. Many of whom had earlier lost out because the competition was so intense that the annual quota of 65,000 H1B visas was snapped up on day one of the new fiscal year, which started on October 1, 2004.