Rush for high-tech visas expected

WASHINGTON — Immigration officials expect to be overwhelmed with more high-tech worker visa applications than they can grant when the application period opens April 1.

So they warned businesses Wednesday not to try to game the system by submitting multiple applications on behalf of the same employee for one of the visas, known as H-1B visas, which are intended for skilled foreign workers.

Last year, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services received 120,000 applications for the annual allotment of 65,000 visas. As a result, the agency conducted a lottery for the first time. Businesses oppose a lottery because it lowers their chances of getting their first-choice workers.

Immigration spokesman Chris Bentley said the agency found that 500 duplicate applications were filed last year.

This year, “to ensure a fair and orderly distribution” of visas, the agency will deny all multiple petitions filed and will not refund the $320 filing fee, the agency said.

High-tech industries have asked Congress for years to lift the 65,000 cap. But some members of Congress are skeptical of how businesses are using the visas and say companies should focus on educating and recruiting homegrown talent.