USCIS announced a more targeted approach to deter and detect H-1B visa fraud and abuse. The H-1B visa program allows US companies to employ foreign nationals in professional occupations. There is a fraud detection fee of $500 to allow the US Department of Homeland Security to conduct site visits to ensure that companies are complying with the H-1B program. Under the new measures announced, USCIS will focus its audits on H-1B employers who are H-1B dependent (those who have a high ratio of H-1B workers as compared to US workers, as defined by law); employers whose basic business information cannot be validated through commercially available data; or employers whose H-1B employees work offsite at another company’s or organization’s location.
