H1-B season will shortly be upon us. Whilst we await any potential changes with the new administration, the central benefit of a H-1B, or indeed any company sponsored immigration status, remains the same. They are a fantastic tool for maintaining/increasing employee retention as well as loyalty.
With the option of e-filing from April 2025; submitting a H-1B has taken a step towards easier and quicker facilitation. Open to those who are successful in the lottery … a feat in itself, e-filing allows for online submission, payment and subsequent tracking. Certainly an attractive feature in the quest to retain talent.
At a basic level, anything company sponsored means that the individual’s status is based on their work for that organisation. Should that work end for whatever reason, the status would also end. Historically seen by cynics as a mechanism to tie individuals to you, most now see them as a fairly robust way to ensure some return on immigration spend. Amid ever-increasing immigration costs, any way to improve return is celebrated.
Back to employee retention, however; retention rates will always vary across industries, organisations, positions and during the economic cycle. In periods of low retention, it is worth exploring any available tools to mitigate spiralling costs, the sheer disruption to business as well as complexities that ever-changing immigration systems throw at us.
Company sponsored immigration status’ generally increase retention, if nothing else the practicalities of having to secure an alternative immigration status tend to prevent employees choosing to leave without heavily substantiated reason. Arguably, your work force is more secure because of this.
Green cards are often thought as a recruitment, or talent attraction, tool however the status is also fantastic for retaining talent. Seemingly more so we operate in a world where alignment of values and personal recognition are seen as, if not more, important that tangible benefits. Seeing that an organisation values an individual enough to navigate the often lengthy and burdensome green card process is a massive incentive to an employee that could be tempted elsewhere.
Foreign-born employees currently make up 18.6% of the workforce in the United States per the Bureau of Labor Statistics News Release. Studies indicate that in general foreign-born employees tend to have higher retention rates compared to native-born US employees. We have to be mindful therefore, it is not only the practicalities of company sponsored status that tends to enable talent retention. The challenges of establishing a life in a new home country as well as navigating a new political and social system can mean that employment choices are not as scrutinised or made as frequently as for those that do not face these additional challenges; but in the main individuals reward those that give them opportunities, a sense of belonging and a sense of security.
Immigration is not only a tool for talent retention. Talent attraction is paramount in current day business. Apart from granting the mechanism to actually employ foreign talent, immigration is the creator, and often curator, of a diverse workforce. It is widely recognised that we all bring elements of our cultures, customs and behaviours into our work. Whilst I am sure at times this brings its own challenges; diversity also breeds creativity and innovation with different perspectives testing previously accepted norms.
It is very fair to say that navigating immigration systems in 2025 will be challenging; however the benefits of employee retention, creativity and innovation should be worth it … hopefully!
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