USCIS to Delete Old H-1B Applications Starting March 20; Here’s What That Means for You

The H-1B visa program is set to undergo major changes starting Thursday, March 20. The Foreign Labor Access Gateway (FLAG) will begin deleting outdated applications, while the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will implement a new, more efficient system to streamline the process.

The H-1B visa is a critical pathway for skilled foreign workers seeking employment in the United States. The changes, which are part of a reform introduced during the Trump administration, aim to enhance transparency and make the selection process more effective.

What Are the New Changes?

Under the new rules, any H-1B application with a final determination date of March 22, 2020, or earlier will be purged from the system on March 22, 2025. Employers are encouraged to download any records older than five years by March 19 to avoid losing valuable data.

This update, introduced during the Trump administration, is part of a broader effort to reform the H-1B program. The aim is to remove inefficiencies and make the selection process fairer. The new system will prioritize beneficiaries rather than applications, which will help reduce the advantage of larger companies that often submit multiple filings for the same worker. This change will provide a more level playing field, benefiting both smaller employers and individual applicants.

What Does This Mean for Workers?

For H-1B applicants, these changes will have significant implications. Beginning March 20, the USCIS will introduce a new online registration system that will streamline the application process. However, there is a catch: the registration fee for filing an application will rise from $10 to $215, which may increase costs for many employers.

The most important change is the new fairness in the selection process. Under the old system, large companies could submit multiple applications for the same worker, giving them an unfair advantage. The new system will shift the focus to selecting individual beneficiaries rather than considering multiple applications, ensuring that every applicant has an equal chance.

Read Also: Ukraine War Resolution Near? ‘Peacemaker’ Trump Talks to Zelenskyy After ‘Good and Productive’ Call With Putin

 

Why Is USCIS Deleting Old H-1B Applications?

This reform comes at a time of increasing debate over the H-1B visa program. While major tech companies like Tesla and others support the H-1B visa as a means to attract global talent, critics, particularly from the America First movement, argue that the system allows companies to replace American workers with lower-cost foreign labor. The USCIS’s new approach aims to address these concerns by making the process more transparent and merit-based

March 20 is an important deadline for anyone involved in the H-1B visa process. Employers must download any older applications by March 19, or they risk losing valuable data. At the same time, applicants should prepare for a new, fairer system, though it will come with higher costs.

As the H-1B visa program undergoes these significant changes, the new system is expected to reshape how the U.S. attracts foreign talent. These updates could potentially benefit both employers and employees in the long run, creating a more equitable process.