USCIS Implements H-1B and L-1 Fee Increase

On August 13, 2010, President Obama signed into law Public Law 111-230 which contains provisions to increase certain H-1B (specialty occupation) and L-1 (intracompany transfer) petition fees.

The increase applies to  H-1B or L-1 petitions postmarked on or after August 14, 2010 and will remain in effect through September 30, 2014.  However, these additional fees apply only to petitioners who employ 50 or more employees in the United States and who have more than 50 percent (50%) of their employees in the United States in H-1B or L (including L-1A, L-1B, and L-2) nonimmigrant visa status.

The additional fee, if applicable, is in addition to the base processing fee, existing Fraud Prevention and Detection Fee and any applicable American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 (ACWIA) fee, as well as any premium processing fees.

The CIS announcement is available here.