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Comment by pavanky | Hacker News Reader

Before anyone jumps the gun, this has happened previously in 2015 too: https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-temporarily-suspends...

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This is not the same as the new suspension. The one in 2015 only affected extension of stay applications (if you want to extend your visa beyond 6 years). Typically people start the extension of stay process well in advance (USCIS lets you start at most 6 months before expiry).

The current one affects anyone trying to file a new petition (including those that are cap-exempt). If someone wants to switch employers they cannot use premium processing, which affects their ability to travel internationally and/or move jobs.

This is not true. 2015 freeze applied to all h1b applications including h1b transfers.

Maybe one of you two should actually cite something instead of saying "yes they did/no they didn't" silly games.

The link I pavanky's post spells it out in plain English:

> Starting May 26, 2015, USCIS will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B extension of stay petitions until July 27, 2015. During this time frame, petitioners will not be able to file Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, for a Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, requesting an extension of the stay for an H-1B nonimmigrant.

In summary, yes the 2015 stay was just for extensions. No it wasn't for all applications.

Will this effect H1B extensions petition if upgraded from regular filing to premium?

It seems to affect any premium filing.

I wish more headlines came with caveats like this one. In just as bold lettering. The last couple of months has not been great for the mitigation of clickbait.

IMHO the real disclaimer that is needed is an explanation of what premium processing is. Not being able to pay to put your application towards the top of the pile is likely not the first image that title invokes for many people.

You are not the target audience. It is a press release on a immigration website for immigrants who already know what this means.

Of course, I'm not arguing with the USCIS's choice of title (I have heard of premium processing before, though I'm not an immigrant). But it would be nice if when this hit public media there would be some effort to explain that term (though I'm not remotely optimistic about that).

I think you overestimating the number of immigrants who know it - or underestimating variety of ways people can immigrate. I am an immigrant who went through the whole process, have red websites, etc. - still don't know what exactly that is (beyond reasonable guesses anybody could do).

Immigrants don't get H1 visas. That's a non-immigrant visa. This conflating of 'immigrant' and 'temporary highly skilled worker' is concerning. The same incorrect rhetoric is used when discussing illegal immigrantion. People say 'anti-immigrant' when an illegal immigrant is a subset of 'immigrants,' thus being anti-illegal immigrant isn't the same as being anti-immigrant.

Terminology matters.

H1-B visas are dual purpose; they support intent to transition to permanent residency, and have a defined procedure for the same.

In particular, I don't think many skilled employees with a global choice of employers are going to move to a country for a 3 or 6 year stint with deportation waiting at the end of the period. The costs and trouble of moving don't make it worthwhile, and it's hard to predict what life will bring - it's best to maximize all options. So I think anyone migrating to the US on a H1-B visa will also end up going through the permanent residency application process, just so they don't face a cliff edge after 6 years. That would make them migrants at the start of the process, rather than some kind of seasonal workers.

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