Trump Administration Mandates Purge of Old H-1B Visa Records Starting March 20

Starting from March 20, as per the new mandate by the Trump administration, the Foreign Labor Access Gateway system will begin purging records and applications that are over five years old. This move is set to significantly alter the H-1B visa program, impacting how visa applications are processed. The directive specifies that, for instance, an application with a final decision dated March 22, 2020, will see its records expunged on the same date in 2025. This decision will affect not just H-1B visas but all temporary labor condition applications and permanent labor certificate applications as well.

Entities have been warned to save any visa records for their employees that surpass the five-year mark by March 19 to avoid loss of information. This cleansing of old records is part of an initiative to make the visa service more transparent for applicants. The US Immigration Department is on the brink of launching a revamped application process for visa issuance, aiming at streamlining procedures and ensuring fairness in the selection process.

US President Donald Trump's administration has been firm on tightening immigration policies since he took office. Part of these efforts includes the revamping of the H-1B visa issuance system. The upcoming changes are anticipated to provide a more equal footing for all applicants by treating multiple applications from a single beneficiary as one. This new regulation was introduced to prevent organizations from exploiting the lottery system by submitting multiple registrations for one individual.

The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced a 'centralized selection process' to combat the issue of multiple registrations, ensuring that all applicants have an equal opportunity, irrespective of the number of times they are registered. This measure aims to curb the advantage some organizations might seek through the submission of numerous applications for the same beneficiary.

In conclusion, the Trump administration's forthcoming adjustments to the H-1B visa program, including the deletion of records older than five years and the implementation of a centralized selection process, are part of broader efforts to reform immigration policies. These changes are designed to enhance transparency and fairness in the visa issuance process, addressing issues of redundancy and potential misuse within the system.