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Global Mobility · H-1B

H-1B, without the drama

The workhorse visa for degreed professionals — and the most calendar-sensitive filing in US immigration. Strategy first, then petitions built to hold.

The H-1B rewards preparation and punishes improvisation: an annual registration window, a lottery, wage-level scrutiny, and a specialty-occupation standard that officers probe hard. A petition assembled against those questions from the start is the difference between an approval and a season lost to an RFE.

Cap strategy and registration

March comes fast. Registration is a strategy exercise, not a form: which entities register, which roles qualify, and what happens if the lottery misses.

  • Registration planning across related entities, done within the rules
  • Backup routes mapped before results day — E, L, TN, O-1, or cap-exempt
  • Timeline planning so start dates survive the October 1 reality

Petitions engineered against RFEs

The specialty-occupation and wage questions are predictable. The filing answers them before they are asked.

  • Degree-to-duties analysis documented up front
  • Wage level selected defensibly, not conveniently
  • Employer-employee relationship evidence for placement-based work

Life after approval

The H-1B is a relationship, not an event.

  • Amendments for material changes in role or location
  • Extensions and max-out planning against the six-year clock
  • Portability filings when talent moves — with start-work timing done right
FAQ

Common questions

When do we have to start?
Registration typically opens in early March for an October start. Serious planning starts in January: role definitions, wage analysis, and entity decisions take longer than the form.
What if our candidate isn't selected in the lottery?
Then nationality, history, and corporate structure decide the fallback: cap-exempt employers, L-1 if there's qualifying service abroad, E status for treaty nationals, TN for Mexicans and Canadians, or O-1 for strong records. The fallback is mapped before results day, not after.
Can H-1B lead to a green card?
Yes — H-1B is dual-intent, and the six-year clock pairs naturally with PERM-based permanent residence. Green-card planning belongs at the start of the H-1B, not the end.

Map the route before you file

One consultation, every viable category, timelines in writing.

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