Among the multitude of temporary visa types that the US Immigration Service grants, the H-1B visas stand out as a category that we are learning more about thanks to a training grant program offered by the US Department of Labor (DOL). H-1B is the category being used widely by US firms to find the high skilled workers they need, regardless of their citizenship, and bring them to Wisconsin.
Between 2000 and 2002, over 3000 Wisconsin firms requested visas under the H-1B category. The requests cut across industries, occupations and the regions of the state but a few common characteristics are true. The types of workers sought are highly educated and the average annual salaries being paid were $57,000, well above the average wage in the state. Table 1 below highlights the most frequent types of occupations requested. In addition, there were hundreds of visa requests for physicians, professors, and researchers.
| Occupational category | Number | Occupational category | Number |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Accountant/fiscal analyst |
90 |
Network administrator, engineer |
42 |
|
Computer programmer |
78 |
Programmer analyst |
235 |
|
Database administrator, analyst |
37 |
Software developer |
47 |
|
Engineer (variety of types) |
126 |
Software engineer |
218 |
|
Web developer, e-commerce |
47 |
Systems analyst |
75 |
In the past few years, the Department of Labor has provided training grants to train US workers to fill these skill needs. It is authorized by the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998. A portion of the fees that US firms pay for the visas is used to fund the grants to Workforce Investment Boards and to Business-Led partnerships. The objective of the grant opportunity is to raise the technical skills level of American workers so they can take advantage of the new technology-related employment opportunities. In the recent grant period, DOL has made $200 million available for businesses to train America’s workers for high skilled, high technology occupations. Approximately $50 million will be awarded directly to Business-Led Partnerships for this purpose, and an additional $150 million is available to Local Workforce Investment Boards partnering with business.
Training must be in high technology, information technology, and biotechnology skills including skills needed for software and communications services, telecommunication, systems installation and integration, computers and communications hardware, advanced manufacturing, health care technology, biotechnology and biomedical research and manufacturing, and innovation services. Training must also be aimed at occupations that require a bachelor’s’ degree or higher and/or experience in the specific specialty and may require state licensure to practice in the occupation.
Wisconsin recently submitted a grant application for $3,000,000 to train 600 Wisconsin residents in these high skilled occupations. The grant was submitted by DWD under the Business-Led partnership grant category on behalf of the Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce and the Wisconsin Technology Council. Grant award announcements are expected in late November.
For more information on the H1-B Training Grant program, see the DOL website at: http://www.doleta.gov/h-1b/h1b_index.cfm
If you are interested in more detail on the various visa programs, see the Immigration website at: http://www.immigration.gov/graphics/services/visas.htm
If you are interested in the detail of H-1B visas requested in Wisconsin or other states, see the website at: http://flcdatacenter.com/casesearch.asp
Written by Sue Gleason, DWD Workforce Planning Project Manager,
October 2003.