Another attack on H-1 and L-1 visas. Raised fees

H.R. 6080 has been passed and is expected to be signed by the President today, 13 August 2010. This Bill raises The H-1B and L-1 application filing fees (fraud prevention and detection) by $2,000 for companies with 50 or more employees in USA if more than 50% of the employees are on H/L status. The fees are to be effective upon enactment (when the President signs and USCIS can implement) and will end on September 30, 2014.

The Bill states:

Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act or any other provision of law, during the period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act and ending on September 30, 2014, the filing fee and fraud prevention and detection fee required to be submitted with an application for admission as a nonimmigrant under section 101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(15)(H)(i)(b)) shall be increased by $2,000 for applicants that employ 50 or more employees in the United States if more than 50 percent of the applicant's employees are such nonimmigrants or nonimmigrants described in section 101(a)(15)(L) of such Act.

Senator Chuck Schumer (who may have some special insight into US immigration laws and the market place that the rest of us do not) noted:

Border Funding is Fully Offset By Fees on Companies That Offshore High-Paying American Jobs
  The bill raises fees on H-1B visas (for temporary skilled workers) for companies who have more than 50 percent of their employees on H-1B visas (this does not affect U.S. tech companies).
  The bill also raises fees on L visas (given to multi-national transferees) for foreign companies. The L visa is often used by foreign companies to circumvent the requirements of the H-1B visa.
Schumer added, No doubt, we need to comprehensively reform our broken immigration system, and this plan is a first step in that process.

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