OPS Professional Employment Category No Longer Eligible For H-1B Status

Lynn Frazier, Executive Associate Director, UF International Center

The International Center began providing immigration services to departments hiring employees to fill USPS, A&P, and OPS Professional positions in June 2000. These employment categories were added to the services already being provided for faculty and postdoctoral associates.

Upon careful re-examination of the regulations of the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the U.S. Department of Labor in light of these newly acquired responsibilities, we believe the University of Florida can no longer justify the use of H-1B status for employees in the OPS Professional employment category. Departments should look to eligible USPS and A&P positions for professional staff.

As you may be aware, H-1Bs have been limited by Congress to an annual quota, which is scheduled to diminish by 7,500 nationally next year. We join our sister institutions in the SUS, as well as other graduate research institutions in limiting our sponsorship for this important and useful immigration status to positions that carry greater academic or “specialty occupational” stature than do OPS Professional positions. Individuals currently holding OPS Professional positions in H-1B status will be permitted to continue in that status until expiration of their eligibility to hold H-1B status. Guidelines outlining the policies and procedures concerning eligible USPS and A&P positions can be found at the UFIC web site http://www.ufic.ufl.edu/. For more information regarding these issues, please contact UFIC’s International Faculty and Scholar Services at 392-5323×650 or x651.