View Information Collection Request (ICR) Package

OMB Control No: 1615-0009	ICR Reference No: 201508-1615-001
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No: 201503-1615-009
Agency/Subagency: DHS/USCIS	Agency Tracking No: I-129
Title: Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker
Type of Information Collection: No material or nonsubstantive change to a currently approved collection	Common Form ICR: No
Type of Review Request: Regular
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 08/13/2015
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 08/06/2015
Terms of Clearance:

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	10/31/2016	10/31/2016	10/31/2016
Responses	333,891	0	333,891
Time Burden (Hours)	1,631,400	0	1,631,400
Cost Burden (Dollars)	75,001,935	0	75,001,935

Abstract: USCIS needs the information collected through this form and accompanying supplements to determine whether the foreign national beneficiary (ies) is(are) eligible for the nonimmigrant status being sought and that the petitioning employer is eligible to hire the foreign worker. The statutory authority is section 214(c)(1) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (Act) and the regulatory authority is 8 CFR 214.2 (h)(2)(i)(A), (l)(2)(i), (o)(2)(i), (p)(2)(i), (q)(2)(i), and (r)(3). A U.S. employer, or their agent, in some instances, may file a petition for nonimmigrant worker to employ foreign nationals under the following nonimmigrant classifications: H-1B, H-2A, H-2B, H-3, L-1, O-1, O-2, P-1, P-2, P-3, P-1S, P-2S, P-3S, Q-1, or R-1 nonimmigrant worker. The collection of this information is also required from a U.S. employer on a petition for an extension of stay or change of status for E-1, E-2, E-3, Free Trade H-1B1 Chile/Singapore nonimmigrants and TN (NAFTA workers) who are in the United States. A Form I-129 is not required to apply for an E-1 or E-2 nonimmigrant visa or admission as a TN nonimmigrant. A petition is only required to apply for a change to one of these classifications. The statutory authority for collecting information for the E-3s and H-1B1 classifications can be found in section 101(a)(15)(E)(iii) and (H)(i)(b1) of the Act. The additional regulatory authority for collection of this information for E-1s, E-2s, and TNs is found in 8 CFR 214.2(e)(1) and 8 CFR 214.6. In addition to this collection serving as the tool to collect data on the form and the supplements themselves, it also provides the avenue through which employers or agents submit documentary evidence to establish eligibility for the nonimmigrant classification being sought. Biometric information is required to be collected from a beneficiary in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) or if requested in accordance with 8 CFR 103.2(b)(9). DHS may collect and store for present or future use, by electronic or other means, the biometric information submitted by an individual. DHS may use this biometric information to conduct background and security checks, adjudicate the nonimmigrant petition, and perform other functions related to administering and enforcing the immigrant and nationality laws. USCIS uses the data collected on this form to determine eligibility for the requested nonimmigrant petition and/or requests to extend or change nonimmigrant status. (See USCIS response to Question 1 of this supporting statement, above). An employer uses this form to petition USCIS for an alien to temporarily enter as a nonimmigrant. An employer also uses this form to request an extension of stay or change of status on behalf of the alien worker. The form serves the purpose of standardizing requests for nonimmigrant workers, and ensuring that basic information required for assessing eligibility is provided by U.S. employers while seeking that beneficiaries be classified under certain nonimmigrant employment categories. It also assists USCIS in compiling information required by Congress annually to assess effectiveness and utilization of certain nonimmigrant classifications.

Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 8 USC 1101

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

Federal Register Notices & Comments
60-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	78 FR 40490	07/05/2013
30-day Notice:	Federal Register Citation:	Citation Date:
	78 FR 63487	10/24/2013
Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? Yes

Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 1

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker	I-129	Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker

ICR Summary of Burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved
Annual Number of Responses	333,891	333,891
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	1,631,400	1,631,400
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	75,001,935	75,001,935

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Increase Due to:

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement:

Annual Cost to Federal Government: $275,460,075

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Is the Supporting Statement intended to be a Privacy Impact Assessment required by the E-Government Act of 2002? No

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? Uncollected

Agency Contact: Shelly Hock 2022721562 shelly.hock@dhs.gov

View ICR - OIRA Conclusion