On Monday, January 8, 2018, USCIS reversed itself on its stance regarding H-1B extensions. Over New Year’s weekend, USCIS stated that it was considering terminating certain H-1B extensions for longer than six years. However, on Monday its chief of media relations announced:
“What we can say, however, is that USCIS is not considering a regulatory change that would force H-1B visa holders to leave the United States by changing our interpretation of section 104(c) of AC-21, which provides for H-1B extensions beyond the 6 year limit,” the agency told McClatchy. “Even if it were, such a change would not likely result in these H-1B visa holders having to leave the United States because employers could request extensions in one-year increments under section 106(a)-(b) of AC21 instead.” ”
This is very welcome news, since the termination of the H-1B extensions beyond six years would have wreaked havoc on the US’s economy and harmed the careers and lives of hundreds of thousands of H-1B foreign workers and their families.