US employers have breached the annual visa cap for hiring highly skilled workers from other countries after only five days, the shortest application season since 2008 and a sign that the economic recovery is strengthening.
It comes as the Senate prepares to discuss a comprehensive immigration reform bill, perhaps as soon as next week, and will increase pressure on lawmakers to think creatively to meet businesses’ demands for more visas.
After opening for applications on Monday, the US Citizenship and Immigration Service on Friday said it had reached the annual quotas for H-1B visas for specialised workers and graduates with advanced degrees.