Here’s another edition of “Dear Sophie,” the advice column that answers immigration-related questions about working at technology companies.
“Your questions are vital to the spread of knowledge that allows people all over the world to rise above borders and pursue their dreams,” says Sophie Alcorn, a Silicon Valley immigration attorney. “Whether you’re in people ops, a founder or seeking a job in Silicon Valley, I would love to answer your questions in my next column.” Extra Crunch members receive access to weekly “Dear Sophie” columns; use promo code ALCORN to purchase a one- or two-year subscription for 50% off.Dear Sophie: We’ve been having a tough time filling vacant engineering and other positions at our company and are planning to make a more concerted effort to recruit internationally. Do you have suggestions for attracting workers from abroad? — Proactive in Pacifica Dear Proactive, Yes, I have many suggestions on what you can do to support international talent interested in moving to the United States. Immigration is a great benefit for attracting the best and the brightest team members from around the globe. And providing immigration security through visa practices and green card programs supports retaining these valued individuals. Consider sponsoring international students and other qualified candidates in the upcoming H-1B lottery in March. As it now stands, the H-1B lottery will be random this year, not pay-to-play. We anticipate the electronic lottery process will follow these dates:
- March 9 at 9 a.m. PST: H-1B registration process opens.
- March 25 at 9 a.m. PDT: H-1B registration process closes.
- March 31: You’ll know if your H-1B beneficiaries were selected electronically in this initial round of the lottery.
- April 1: First date to file H-1Bs selected in the lottery to request a 10/1/2021 or later start date.
- June 30: Last anticipated day to complete filing of selected H-1B petitions in this initial round of the lottery.
- After June 30: Possibility of a second lottery for registrations submitted in March.