Well, our H-1B cases are now in the hands of Fedex. Happily, we have a good relationship with Wendell, the Fedex guy who made a special trip to our office at 9 pm and carted off our applications. Now we wait. Fedex never did get back with me to explain whether they could handle the load, particularly in Vermont where presumably they don't have the same kind of infrastructure in place as California. But they are Fedex, after all. The emails have piled up this week so I now begin catching up.
I'm actually hoping the cap is hit in the first day. The cap will no doubt be hit quickly this year, but being hit in one day will provide some drama on which the media will hopefully focus. I've written a newspaper op-ed piece that should publish on the day the cap is hit that will lay out the case for expanding the H-1B program. Not positive of the details yet, but will link from here when it runs.
does your h1 application run in hundreds, thousands or ten thousands ?
http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/H1BFY08Cap040307.pdf
Traditionally the number is roughly 50-50 - there was some misinformation on the topic regarding the 9/10 figure. That said, I would speculate that in IT occupations the majority of applicants are undergraduates.
"I'm actually hoping the cap is hit in the first day. "
So you are hoping that our system fails? All for a few political points? Shameful. I think the cap hitting first or second day demonstrates how it truly is a cheap labor program. The fact that they are now doing a lottery demonstrates that even more than before - why not pick the cream of the crop instead of a random visa holder?
Best and brightest - yeah right. I wonder how many visas Tata, Infosys, and Wipro will get so that they can offshore American IT jobs. Will they continue to get the lions share?