H-1B Specialty Occupation Expert Opinion Letter
*sometimes called an H-1B Expert Letter or a Specialty Occupation Letter
What is an H-1B Expert Opinion Letter?
A Specialty Occupation Expert Opinion Letter from ProfVal for an H-1B is used to address USCIS specialty occupation requirements related to a position and/or a beneficiary's qualifications.
Your H-1B Expert Opinion Letter from ProfVal can help USCIS agents ascertain: i) whether your position meets specialty occupation requirements (an H-1B is a specialty occupation visa) and ii) whether or how you or your candidate’s credentials meet the criteria for the position offered. Learn more about specialty occupation requirments.
ProfVal’s Expert Opinion Letters will include an in-depth expert analysis completed and signed by a distinguished expert within the candidate’s discipline, typically a professor affiliated with an accredited public or private nonprofit U.S. college or university.
An H-1B expert opinion letter from ProfVal can thus help a USCIS agent understand your case and may reduce the probability of an Request for Information (RFE), rejection letter after an RFE, or other delays.
ProfVal's experts have written letters on behalf of candidates now employed by Fortune 500 companies, consulting firms, small businesses, startups, colleges and universities, and nonprofit organizations.
H-1B Trends: RFEs and Denials
Between 2016 and 2020, denial rates had increased from the single digits (2010 - 15) into the double digits. The highest year of denials was 2018 at a rate of 24% (NFAP 2022). The reason for these increases were largely due to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) seeking out a higher standard of proof for approving these petitions, as required by an April 2017 Presidential Executive Order and subsequent USCIS memorandums.
By 2021, the National Foundation for American Policy found that federal court decisions "returned H-1B denial rates for employers in FY 2021" to prior levels. In 2021, for example, NFAP found that denials were approximately 4%.
According to a recent article in Forbes, "Higher fees and significant business immigration regulations" are anticipated i 2023 and beyond. For employers, these hurdles represent significant costs in terms of delays, lost contracts, other issues.
ProfVal's analyses, freely, available on H1bexpert.com and our blog, show that H-1B workers make significant contributions to some of the nation's leading employers, including Fortune 500 companies, hospitals, universities, nonprofit organizations, and others. If you're interested to see the top employers of H-1B workers, check out our listing of top employers! (see top employers here)
Learn more
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History: how the H-1B was formed and its purpose
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Requirements for the H-1B visa
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Registration process and timeline
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Period of stay and family considerations
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Specialty occupation position
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Employer-employee relationship
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Availability of work off-site
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Beneficiary qualifications
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Maintenance of status
ProfVal's Expert Opinion Letters can help with Specialty Occupation and Beneficiary Qualification RFEs
Understand what a specialty occupation RFE is, understand how to avoid or respond to one, and read immigration attorney insights*.
Note: we do not offer legal advice.
On H1Bexpert.com, learn more about how to find a home, get a loan, save for retirement, or get insurance.
What type of H-1B Expert Opinion Letter do I need?
It needs to discuss the position only
It needs to discuss the position & academic credentials
It needs to show the US equivalence of a foreign degree
It needs to discuss how work experience is equal to a degree
