As of May 21, five months should be allowed to apply for and obtain H-1B status for international faculty and staff hires.
On May 15, the U.S. Department of Labor initiated a process for obtaining a Labor Condition Application, a document required to be submitted with the H-lB visa application. This new online i-cert system, combined with the requirement to first obtain prevailing wage determination from the Georgia Department of Labor, is anticipated to add 45-60 days to the process before the application can be submitted to USCIS (immigration). The DOL does not offer expedited processing for the i-cert segment of the application.
Only those individuals who are extending their stay or transferring to UGA from another institution (who are already in H-lB status) may work once they receive a receipt for the filing while the application is being processed by USCIS.
Individuals currently working while on F-l Optional Practical Training or J-1 Academic Training may not continue working after the end date of authorized employment. These individuals must have an
approved H-lB in hand to continue employment. There is no provision in the F or J regulations to allow for employment while the H-lB application is being processed.
The UGA community will be kept informed of any additional changes to this new process.
