what is h1b visa in usa

The H-1B visa is a nonimmigrant work visa that allows U.S. employers to hire foreign workers with specialized skills to work in the United States for a temporary period. The visa is designed for highly educated foreign professionals to work in “specialty occupations” that require at least a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent, such as jobs in fields such as mathematics, engineering, technology, and medical sciences. The H-1B visa is initiated by an employer in the United States who has an open job position and cannot find an American employee who is qualified enough to complete the work. To be eligible for the H-1B visa, the applicant must have a valid job offer from a U.S. employer for a role that requires specialty knowledge, proof of a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in that field, and the employer must show that there is a lack of qualified U.S. applicants for the role. The H-1B visa is a dual-intent visa, which means that the visa holder can apply for a green card. The H-1B classification has an annual numerical limit (cap) of 65,000 new statuses/visas each fiscal year, with an additional 20,000 petitions filed on behalf of beneficiaries with a master’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution of higher education being exempt from the cap.