More than one employer

[Runit]

Hi,
One of my cousins is working for Wipro in Bangalore for the past 4 years. He has been contacted by two US employers for filing his H1B visas for 2009. Is there any limit that he can file through one employer only? Please advise me

[Subramanya]

One of my cousins is working for Wipro in Bangalore for the past 4 years. He has been contacted by two US employers for filing his H1B visas for 2009. Is there any limit that he can file through one employer only?

---- As of now yes it is possible to apply for multiple employers as long as one is not asubsidiary of the other. However, just like last year, you may have to wait for a ruling from USCIS regarding multiple applications. In 2008 USCIS gave aruling that one employer can petition for one employee only once and not multiple times as was being done in earlier to 2006

---- Once again filing for H1 by two employers or multiple employers can have its drawbacks. For example you are going to withdraw form one employer after both the H1's are approved and there are plenty of cases where the employer has extracted money from the employee and got into legal wrangles (at least by threatening, if not anything else)

---- Well, that is the price you pay for 2 or more H1B applications. This is despite the fact that both the employers may be in very good standing amongst employees and USCIS

---- Rest, you have make an informed decision considering the present economy in the US and other associated issues

Subramanya