美國公民及移民服務局(USCIS)28日宣布，從9月11日起將繼續暫停外籍勞工H-1B(工作簽證)加急處理服務(premium processing)，預期持續到明年2月19日，且擴大影響範圍，需要更換雇主的H-1B持有者也無法獲得加急處理服務。

不過有兩種情況例外，一是寄至加州的由大學及非營利機構雇主提出的不占名額的H-1B申請，另一種是就職於同一雇主、需要延期的申請。

移民局早在2017年4月就曾停止所有H-1B的加急服務，直到當年10月才恢復；今年3月移民局再次宣布從4月2日起至9月10日暫停加急服務，本以為能在9月10日後恢復，但如今又被延至明年2月，導致大批H-1B申請者和持有者受影響。

移民局指出，暫停期間移民局將拒收與H-1B申請一併遞交的加急服務申請表I-907，如果申請人同時提交I-907表和 I-129表，並附上支票，兩份表格都會被退回；移民局會退還今年9月11日前遞交I-907表申請加急的申請費。

律師劉汝華表示，本以為移民局9月10日能恢復加急處理，但沒想到不僅沒恢復，還擴大了停止加急處理的範圍。

今年4月開始暫停時，需更換雇主的申請者仍可使用加急處理，但28日新公布的規定將導致這些換雇主的申請者也無法使用。

劉汝華說，新申請的H-1B由於不能加急，已產生很多積壓，10月1日是正常的H-1B開工時間，很多人會在當日後才能知道申請結果，為雇主正常雇用員工造成影響；學生也面臨懸而未決的情況、心情焦慮，形勢也極為被動。

劉汝華分析，移民局之所以做出這一決定，是因為如今H-1B審查趨嚴，如果9月10日恢復加急處理，大量申請者都會選擇交錢加急；而移民局又預計無法在15個工作日內完成如此大量的加急處理審查，因此決定繼續延期。

USCIS is extending the previously announced temporary suspension of premium processing for cap-subject H-1B petitions and, beginning Sept. 11, 2018, will be expanding this temporary suspension to include certain additional H-1B petitions. We expect these suspensions will last until Feb. 19, 2019, and will notify the public via uscis.gov before resuming premium processing for these petitions.

While H-1B premium processing is suspended, we will reject any Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service filed with an affected Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker. If a petitioner submits one combined check for the Form I-907 and Form I‑129 H-1B fees, both forms will be rejected.

Who Is Affected

The expanded temporary suspension applies to all H-1B petitions filed at the Vermont and California Service Centers (excluding cap-exempt filings as noted below).

The previously announced suspension of premium processing for fiscal year 2019 cap-subject H-1B petitions was originally slated to last until Sept. 10, 2018, but that suspension is being extended through an estimated date of Feb. 19, 2019.

We will continue premium processing of Form I-129 H-1B petitions that are not currently suspended if the petitioner properly filed an associated Form I-907 before Sept. 11, 2018. Therefore, we will refund the premium processing fee if:

• The petitioner filed the Form I-907 for an H-1B petition before Sept. 11, 2018; and
• We did not take adjudicative action on the case within the 15-calendar-day processing period.

Premium Processing Remains Available for Certain H-1B Petitions

The suspension does not apply to:

1. Cap-exempt petitions that are filed exclusively at the California Service Center because the employer is cap exempt or because the beneficiary will be employed at a qualifying cap exempt institution, entity, or organization; or
2. Those petitions filed exclusively at the Nebraska Service Center by an employer requesting a “Continuation of previously approved employment without change with the same employer” (Box b. on Part 2, Question 2, Page 2 of the current Form I-129) with a concurrent request to:
   1. Notify the office in Part 4 so each beneficiary can obtain a visa or be admitted. (Box on Part 2, Question 4, Page 2 of the current Form I-129); or
   2. Extend the stay of each beneficiary because the beneficiary now holds this status. (Box c. on Part 2, Question 4, Page 2 of the current Form I-129).

This temporary suspension of premium processing does not apply to any other nonimmigrant classifications filed on Form I-129.

Requesting Expedited Processing

While premium processing is suspended, petitioners may submit a request to expedite an H-1B petition if they meet the criteria on the Expedite Criteria webpage. The petitioner must demonstrate that they meet at least one of the expedite criteria, and petitioners should be prepared to submit documentary evidence to support their expedite request.

We review all expedite requests on a case-by-case basis and requests are granted at the discretion of the office leadership.

Why We Are Temporarily Suspending Premium Processing for H-1B Petitions

This temporary suspension will help us to reduce overall H-1B processing times by allowing us to:

• Process long-pending petitions, which we have been unable to process due to the high volume of incoming petitions and premium processing requests over the past few months;
• Be responsive to petitions with time-sensitive start dates; and
• Prioritize adjudication of H-1B extension of status cases that are nearing the 240-day mark. 

 Last Reviewed/Updated: 08/28/2018