March 4 2004

The USCIS advised employers NOT to file H-1B petitions under the Visa Reform Act of 2004.  This Act freed up an additional 20,000 H-1B visas for fiscal year 2005 for graduates with Master's or Ph.D's from U.S.universities.   Despite the Act becoming effective on March 9, 2005, the USCIS states that it will not accept such applications until guidance is published in the Federal Register.