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Adams and Reese labor and employment and business immigration attorney Mary Kate Fernandez was interviewed on a recent SCG Legal podcast, “What is the H-1B Lottery and How Could It Affect Your Clients?”
Fernandez co-starred alongside attorney Alycia Moss (Hawley Troxell) to be interviewed by SCG Legal CEO Alina Gorokhovsky. The three discussed the H-1B Lottery process, recent changes to the program, and the impact of those changes on companies and applicants.
Fernandez recently published “Navigating the H-1B Visa Lottery Registration: Essential Guide for Employers.” The H-1B visa remains one of the most sought-after pathways for skilled foreign workers seeking U.S. employment opportunities, a program enabling U.S. employers to temporarily employ foreign workers in specialty occupations, such as those in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Each year, USCIS allocates a maximum of 85,000 H-1B visas, comprising 65,000 for regular applicants with a bachelor's degree or equivalent, and 20,000 for those with a master’s degree or higher from a U.S. institution.
Due to high demand, a lottery system has been implemented to fairly distribute these visas among eligible applicants. The H-1B visa lottery registration is a critical step for businesses relying on skilled foreign workers.
At Adams and Reese, Fernandez practices primarily in business immigration, litigation, and labor and employment. She is a leading member of the Adams and Reese Business Immigration team which assists employers in navigating all aspects of the business immigration process. Her practice focuses on advising clients on U.S. immigration laws and regulatory issues and helping clients through the visa petition process, including obtaining and transferring employment-based non-immigrant visas, as well as sponsoring employment-based and family-based immigrant visa petitions.
In September 2023, Fernandez served as a panelist on “Coming to America: Immigration Options and Tax Implications” for the SCG Legal 2023 Annual Meeting in New Orleans. The meeting offers thought leadership on matters top of mind for in-house counsel and clients.
Adams and Reese is a proud member of SCG Legal, a worldwide network of 122 independent law firms. Founded in 1989, SCG Legal has members that serve clients in major commercial centers and capitals in 62 countries, every U.S. state capital city including Chicago, Los Angeles, New York City, and the District of Columbia.