While the EIG team races towards the pending H-1B Cap deadline, I was fortunate to spend some time sprinting around the San Francisco Bay Area over the past few weeks. While Google Hangouts, Skype, Slack and old-fashioned phone calls enable instant communication worldwide, in the current climate, face-to-face meetings are a priority for us here at EIG. Onsite meetings provide an opportunity for us to demonstrate our commitment and care by personally answering questions and allaying concerns for employees and their families. During this time I met with foreign nationals working in the United States, students with their fingers crossed for the upcoming H-1B lottery, and HR/Mobility professionals facing a myriad of hiring issues.
While visiting foreign students, several questions arose concerning the nature of the H-1B Cap process. Navigating the requirements and processes left many employees with unanswered questions regarding their specific case and the selection process used by USCIS. In addition to clarifying how the process works, our team reassured employees that the H-1B selection process is, in fact, a lottery.
We found that many foreign nationals expressed tremendous anxiety as the many changes being announced and considered by the Trump administration raised more questions than answers. The importance of this conversation did not end when we boarded our flight back to Washington DC. The personal connections established during our trip not only put a face with the name on the other end of an email; they served as a reminder of the importance of the work our team does on a daily basis.
While the main purpose of an on-site visit is to connect personally with the employees we represent, our attorneys also use this time to speak with human resources and mobility professionals. Recruiters and other internal stakeholders rely on us as a resource to have a clear sense of visa requirements, policies, and a fine-tuned understanding of immigration processes in the race for talent.
Our mission at EIG is to uncomplicate the oftentimes daunting immigration process. Returning to the office, I was quickly reminded of how persistently our team works to prepare strong and quality filings. Whether it is on the phone or in person, know that we are here to help, we value each and every individual we have the opportunity to serve and will continue serving our clients to the best of our ability.
…Now back to reviewing H-1B Cap petitions.