Client Alert
President Signs H-1B Bill Into Law
October 18, 2000
By Paul Hastings Professional
Last night, October 17, 2000, President Clinton signed into law S.2045, The American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act, and a related fee increase bill, H.R. 5362. The AC21 substantially increases the H-1B quota for the next three years, eliminates the H-1B backlog created during the past two years, and contains numerous provisions designed to increase flexibility and deal with INS backlogs. A brief summary of these provisions was contained in the Client Alert sent on October 4, a copy of which is attached. The related fee increase legislation increases the special $500.00 H-1B filing fee introduced by the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act of 1998 to $1,000.00, thus bringing the total H-1B filing fee to $1,110.00 instead of $610.00 (and it also broadens the types of educational institutions eligible for fee exemptions).