The following expenses must be paid by the hiring department/unit:

H-1B Expenses

USCIS Filing Fee

$460

USCIS Anti-Fraud Fee

(for first-time H-1Bs at UNLV, not required for H-1B extensions)

$500

USCIS Premium Processing Fee*

(may be optional, depending upon timeline for hire & current USCIS processing times. Recommended in most cases)

$2,805

UNLV H-1B Processing Fee

(to be charged via JV; department will provide a PG number)

 $1,800

NSHE-Approved Outside Immigration Counsel Fee

(department will pay firm directly with a PO; please reach out to scholar@unlv.edu with specific questions)

 $2,500 (Initial and Extensions only; Amendments may require different legal fees)

TOTAL

$960 - $3,765 for initial H-1B cases depending on case type/details**

*contact International Student and Scholar Services for more details regarding premium processing payment/necessity. In limited cases, employees may elect to pay for premium processing if the payment is purely optional/does not impact employment start date.

**additional expenses may be incurred by the hiring unit if H-1B employment is terminated earlier than expected.

Additional Costs

In addition to the expenses listed above, departments should be mindful of other potential/long-term expenses associated with hiring the H-1B employee. For example:

  • Repatriation expenses

    • If the employee’s position is terminated prior to the expiration of H-1B status (for any reason other than voluntary resignation), then the hiring unit is responsible for paying the reasonable return costs of transportation to the employee’s home country.

  • “No Benching” requirement

    • Certain “no benching” provisions of H-1B status require that the UNLV continue to pay the required, full-time wage rate to the H-1B employee even during non-productive periods.

    • This includes payment for non-productive time (such as furloughs).

H-1B Approval Timeline

  • Six months in advance of the anticipated employment start date is recommended, but in general, departments should initiate this process as early as possible. Even with premium processing and ideal conditions, H-1B approval still typically requires a minimum of two months. We strongly recommend that hiring departments contact International Student and Scholar Services early and proactively in the hiring process to discuss possible international candidate hires which may require H-1B sponsorship.

  • The time required for International Student and Scholar Services to prepare an H-1B petition for submission to USCIS is typically one to two months from the date the department submits a completed H-1B request with all supporting documents.

    • This does NOT include USCIS processing time, which can vary from several weeks to many months in duration!

    • This time may increase depending upon the volume of H-1B requests International Student and Scholar Services has received at the time. H-1B requests are processed in the order in which they are received from hiring departments, except in urgent immigration circumstances.

  • Processing times with USCIS (i.e. time after International Student and Scholar Services submits a completed H-1B Petition) can vary greatly depending upon regulatory and other factors. Currently the official processing times are approximately two to four months. Premium processing reduces this phase of processing time at USCIS to about 15 business days, but this does not reduce the one to two month preparation/filing time for International Student and Scholar Services.

  • If a hire is outside the U.S. and requires an H-1B visa from a U.S. embassy/consulate, the H-1B process can require several additional weeks or months depending upon the country and the individual hired.

Long-Term Considerations

  • H-1B status can be granted for a maximum of six years (usually in two separate three-year increments).  For permanent/long-term positions, this means that – at a minimum – an additional H-1B extension will usually be necessary after the first three years of employment (with the associated costs as discussed above). 

  • Because of this six-year maximum, many employees and their hiring units may choose to pursue long-term employment options, most commonly employment-based permanent residency (“green card”).  These processes can be time-consuming and expensive.  Departments with questions are encouraged to contact International Student and Scholar Services early to discuss these options.

  • Upon receiving approval of H-1B status for an employee, International Student and Scholar Services will meet with each H-1B employee individually to discuss implications of their H-1B status, including the six-year maximum of H-1B status and required extension(s). Nevertheless, hiring units should communicate clearly and early with the H-1B employee regarding long-term plans to appropriately manage expectations for continued sponsorship (i.e. extending H-1B status and/or possible permanent residency sponsorship)