Demand for highly skilled workers for American visa program will increase

Figures as of 25 October show that employers had filed around 72,800 American H1B Visa applications for 2009, leaving more than 12,000 of the American visa places still available even after six months of the program being opened.

The results is in marked contrast from previous years, when companies would snap up the 85,000 visas within days of the April 1 opening date.

Technology industry experts say that the rush for the American visas will return as the economy improves.

Peter Bendor-Samuel, founder of the Everest Group, an outsourcing consulting firm in Dallas, told Business Week that he believes the American H1B Visa program will increase.

"It's almost impossible for me to believe demand [for H1Bs] will lessen long term. I find it mildly surprising there are some extras left now," he said.

The American Visa Bureau is an independent consulting company specialising in American visa and immigration services.