On June 8, 2017, we posted about USCIS’s suspension of the H-1B premium processing option, an option which had allowed for an expedited review process. The suspension was put in place to allow for USCIS to clear its backlog of pending petitions; however, many argued that it would have a severe negative impact on industries that rely on foreign workers.

On June 26, 2017, USCIS resumed premium processing of H-1B petitions filed for medical doctors under the Conrad 30 program and those filed under interested government agency waivers.

The Conrad 30 program allows foreign born doctors to stay in the U.S. after completing their medical training to work in areas that have shortages of physicians. These communities have come to rely on foreign doctors. In his statement announcing the resuming of premium processing, the USCIS Acting Director affirmed that “[the Conrad 30] program improves health care access for Americans living in underserved areas.”

The suspension of premium processing still applies to all other H-1B case types; however, USCIS states that it will resume the process “as workloads permit.”