The latest figures from the US Citizenship and Immigration Services show that the demand for the US H-1B visa continues to decline for the third straight year in a row. As of now, the number of petitions filed for this type of visa has only covered a small portion of the available annual cap of 85,000. The trend just followed that of the 2009 when the H-1B annual cap was not reached until the end of the year.

As of June 11, 2010, only a little portion of the regular category cap has been reached. A total of 22,200 visa applications have been filed under the category, while the category’s total limit is 65,000. As far as the student’s category is concerned, until June 11, 2010, the USCIS had received only 9,400 petitions. The category’s limit is 20,000.

The drop in demand for the most coveted H-1B visa, which allows overseas professionals to pursue their professions and entrepreneurs to start their businesses can be attributed to the higher costs, as well as USCIS’ tougher regulations attached to H-1B visa category. Critics often tend to complaint about the visa program. According to them, H-1B visa holders, basically foreign nations are alternatives for US, who are found to be working at lower wages as compared to the latter. This often tend to make local workers lose out opportunities, as a result of which, the labor markets in the United States somehow get distorted!

The USCIS’ latest report also puts lights on a number of changes that have occurred since the agency’s last annual report.