Southwest Border Security Bill Signed By President Obama

On August 13, 2010, President Obama signed the Southwest Border Security Bill.  The Bill provisions are designed to make supplemental appropriations for border security for the fiscal year ending September 30, 2010.  In addition to financing border security, however, the Bill includes a provision which drastically increases filing fees for the H-1B and L-1 visa.  With the signing of the Bill, the filing fee and fraud prevention and detection fee for the L-1 visa will increase by $2,250.  The same fees for the H-1B visa will increase by $2,000.  The new fees apply only if the Petitioner (employing company) employs more than 50 workers and if more than 50% of these workers are on H-1 or L-1 visas.  For those the Bill will effect, however, the new fees will undoubtedly hit immigration budgets hard with H-1B fees increasing from $2320 to $4320 and L-1 fees increasing from $820 to $3070. 

While the Bill is effective once signed by the President, USCIS will need to revise the petition (Form I-129) and provide instructions to employers and attorneys.  Employers who file H-1B and L-1 cases should use this time to prepare definitive calculations and supporting evidence showing the percentage of H-1 and L-1 workers on their payroll.

For more informatio visit http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h111-5875