As you know, there are no H visa numbers available for the next year, until October 1, 2006. The visa cap or quota was filled on May 26, 2006, 16 months before the end of the next fiscal year, when new H-1B visas will be available.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association is organizing U.S. companies to 'sign on' to a letter that will be sent to each member of Congress urging an increase in the H-1B quota. I urge you to agree to sign that letter.

As you may recall, there were 195,000 H-1B numbers available FY 2001 to FY 2003. The annual H-1B quota dropped to just 65,000, our current allotment, in FY 2004. Since 'cut-outs' are made for certain H-1B visa petitions from Chile and Singapore, there are really only about 58,000 H-1B visa numbers generally available each year.

If your company would lend its name to the attached letter to Congress, chances of raising the H cap back to a more rational level would improve. We hope to have 1,000 companies, universities, and other entities sign the letter. Please reply to me by email to let me know if your company is willing to 'sign on' to the attached letter.

Only your company name, city and state need appear. Individual responsible persons at a company need not be named.

Thank you in advance for your help on this important issue!

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