今年的H-1B申请估计更难了，美国公民与移民局（USCIS）22日发布新的政策备忘录，提高了H-1B工作签证的监管要求。
美国移民局发布新政策：2月22日起提高H-1B工作签证的监管要求
备忘录的两个重点：
一、雇主要提供更细致的证据，证明其与雇员之间是符合工作签证要求的合法雇佣关系。这项政策主要针对的是在外包公司工作的人员。
二、 H-1B签证有效期根据不同的个人情况可能会缩短。
移民局指出，H-1B工作签证通常允许外国雇员为特定的、支持其身份的美国雇主工作。在许多就业情况下，工作地点会发生变化。移民局从现在开始可能要求雇主提供更详细的文件资料，以验证申请H-1B的公司和签证收件人之间的“雇主 - 雇员”关系。
通知中说，这些包括技术文件，里程碑表，市场分析，成本效益分析，小册子和资金文件。此外，申请还必须包括各种合同，工作人员的行程表和详细的工作说明等。
有时美国公司突然终止了雇员的合同，在此期间，雇员仍保持H-1B签证身份，美国移民局认为这是非法和滥用该系统，因此作出了此项规定。
这个更严格的监管要求从2018年2月22起施行。为了批准涉及第三方工作场所的H-1B工作签证申请，申请人（雇主）必须以优势证据表明，受益人（雇员）将从事专业职业；申请人必须在所申请的工作签证有效时期内保证与受益人的雇佣关系。
H-1B签证有效期为三年，可续签三年。美国移民局表示，根据雇主提供的信息，它可能会将签证的时间限制在三年以内。例如，如果雇主无法证明H-1B持有人在整整三年内“更可能”需要，政府可能签发不到三年的签证。
根据文件内容可以推测，雇主直接雇用具有H-1B身份的员工并不会受到影响，而为第三方提供合同工的外包公司将需要提供更详细的材料来规范其外包行为。
值得注意的是，这一举措是在4月2日H-1B申请开始之前的一个月颁布的。
移民法律事务所表示，移民局正在广泛告诉其官员，他们必须查看H-1B申请的某些内容，而这些内容早先由他们自行决定是否执行。美国移民局对H-1B申请的审查将变得更加严格。
中国也有不少IT的留学生毕业后与外包公司签订合同，再被派往第三方公司工作，如今，这项政策会令这一群体受到比较严重的影响。
以下为加加留学整理的移民局政策原文：
USCIS Strengthens Protections to Combat H-1B Abuses
Clarifies Policy on Requirements for Third-Party Worksite H-1B Petitions
WASHINGTON—The H-1B visa program generally allows a foreign employee to work for a specific sponsoring American employer. As is true in many employment situations, the location of work can change. USCIS has published a policy memorandum (PDF, 119 KB) making clear that USCIS may request detailed documentation to ensure a legitimate employer-employee relationship is maintained while an employee is working at a third-party worksite.
In publishing this policy, USCIS clarifies existing regulatory requirements relating to H-1B petitions filed for workers who will be employed at one or more third-party worksites. This policy memorandum makes clear that employers must provide contracts and itineraries for employees who will work at a third-party location.
The guidance, effective Feb. 22, 2018, explains that, in order for an H-1B petition involving a third-party worksite to be approved, the petitioner must show by a preponderance of evidence that, among other things:
•The beneficiary will be employed in a specialty occupation; and
•The employer will maintain an employer-employee relationship with the beneficiary for the duration of the requested validity period.
When H-1B beneficiaries are placed at third-party worksites, petitioners must demonstrate that they have specific and non-speculative qualifying assignments in a specialty occupation for that beneficiary for the entire time requested on the petition. While an H-1B petition may be approved for up to three years, USCIS will, in its discretion, generally limit the approval period to the length of time demonstrated that the beneficiary will be placed in non-speculative work and during which the petitioner will maintain the requisite employer-employee relationship.
The updated policy guidance aligns with President Trump’s Buy American and Hire American Executive Order and the directive to protect the interests of U.S. workers. Employment-based petitioners who circumvent the worker protections outlined in the nation’s immigration laws not only injure U.S. workers (e.g., their wages and job opportunities), but also the foreign workers for whom they are petitioning.
For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter (@uscis), YouTube (/uscis), and Facebook (/uscis).
来源：https://www.uscis.gov/news/news-releases/uscis-strengthens-protections-combat-h-1b-abuses
