[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 99 (Monday, May 23, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 31257-31258]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-10968]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

[OMB Control Number 1615-0009]


Agency Information Collection Activities; Extension, Without 
Change, of a Currently Approved Collection: Petition for Nonimmigrant 
Worker

AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of 
Homeland Security.

ACTION: 60-Day notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship 
and Immigration Services (USCIS) invites the general public and other 
Federal agencies to comment upon this proposed extension of a currently 
approved collection of information. In accordance with the Paperwork 
Reduction Act (PRA) of 1995, the information collection notice is 
published in the Federal Register to obtain comments regarding the 
nature of the information collection, the categories of respondents, 
the estimated burden (i.e., the time, effort, and resources used by the 
respondents to respond), the estimated cost to the respondent, and the 
actual information collection instruments.

DATES: Comments are encouraged and will be accepted for 60 days until 
July 22, 2022.

ADDRESSES: All submissions received must include the OMB Control Number 
1615-0009 in the body of the letter, the agency name and Docket ID 
USCIS-2005-0030. Submit comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal 
website at https://www.regulations.gov under e-Docket ID number USCIS-
2005-0030.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: USCIS, Office of Policy and Strategy, 
Regulatory Coordination Division, Samantha Deshommes, Chief, telephone 
number (240) 721-3000 (This is not a toll-free number. Comments are not 
accepted via telephone message). Please note contact information 
provided here is solely for questions regarding this notice. It is not 
for individual case status inquiries. Applicants seeking information 
about the status of their individual cases can check Case Status 
Online, available at the USCIS website at https://www.uscis.gov, or 
call the USCIS Contact Center at 800-375-5283 (TTY 800-767-1833).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments

    USCIS is proposing to extend the currently approved USCIS Form I-
129 due to the closely approaching Office of Management and Budget 
(OMB) expiration date of the form. USCIS has separately proposed 
creating three new OMB-controlled collections of information to replace 
the currently approved single collection approved (OMB Control Number 
1615-0009). 60-day Federal Register Notices for the proposed 
information collections can be found at 86 FR 46260, 86 FR 46261, and 
86 FR 46263 which all published on 08/18/2021. The 30-day Federal 
Register Notices can be found at 87 FR 2891 which published on 01/19/
2022, and at 87 FR 8599 and 87 FR 8601 which both published on 02/15/
2022. USCIS is currently holding on submission of

[[Page 31258]]

those three actions due to needing additional time for the systems work 
required to support the release of these new versions. USCIS will 
republish a Notice in the Federal Register when it is proposing to 
recommence these actions.
    You may access the information collection instrument with 
instructions or additional information by visiting the Federal 
eRulemaking Portal site at: https://www.regulations.gov and entering 
USCIS-2005-0030 in the search box. All submissions will be posted, 
without change, to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at https://www.regulations.gov, and will include any personal information you 
provide. Therefore, submitting this information makes it public. You 
may wish to consider limiting the amount of personal information that 
you provide in any voluntary submission you make to DHS. DHS may 
withhold information provided in comments from public viewing that it 
determines may impact the privacy of an individual or is offensive. For 
additional information, please read the Privacy Act notice that is 
available via the link in the footer of https://www.regulations.gov.
    Written comments and suggestions from the public and affected 
agencies should address one or more of the following four points:
    (1) Evaluate whether the proposed collection of information is 
necessary for the proper performance of the functions of the agency, 
including whether the information will have practical utility;
    (2) Evaluate the accuracy of the agency's estimate of the burden of 
the proposed collection of information, including the validity of the 
methodology and assumptions used;
    (3) Enhance the quality, utility, and clarity of the information to 
be collected; and
    (4) Minimize the burden of the collection of information on those 
who are to respond, including through the use of appropriate automated, 
electronic, mechanical, or other technological collection techniques or 
other forms of information technology, e.g., permitting electronic 
submission of responses.

Overview of This Information Collection

    (1) Type of Information Collection: Extension, Without Change, of a 
Currently Approved Collection.
    (2) Title of the Form/Collection: Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker.
    (3) Agency form number, if any, and the applicable component of the 
DHS sponsoring the collection: I-129; USCIS.
    (4) Affected public who will be asked or required to respond, as 
well as a brief abstract: Primary: Business or other for-profit. 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 (or agent, where applicable) 
uses this form to petition USCIS for an alien to temporarily enter as a 
nonimmigrant. An employer (or agent, where applicable) 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 the petitioner while 
requesting 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.
    (5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount 
of time estimated for an average respondent to respond: The estimated 
total number of respondents for the information collection I-129 is 
294,751 and the estimated hour burden per response is 2.34 hours; the 
estimated total number of respondents for the information collection E-
1/E-2 Classification Supplement to Form I-129 is 4,760 and the 
estimated hour burden per response is 0.67 hours; the estimated total 
number of respondents for the information collection Trade Agreement 
Supplement to Form I-129 is 3,057 and the estimated hour burden per 
response is 0.67 hours; the estimated total number of respondents for 
the information collection H Classification Supplement to Form I-129 is 
96,291 and the estimated hour burden per response is 2 hours; the 
estimated total number of respondents for the information collection H-
1B and H-1B1 Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption Supplement is 
96,291 and the estimated hour burden per response is 1 hour; the 
estimated total number of respondents for the information collection L 
Classification Supplement to Form I-129 is 37,831 and the estimated 
hour burden per response is 1.34 hours; the estimated total number of 
respondents for the information collection O and P Classifications 
Supplement to Form I-129 is 22,710 and the estimated hour burden per 
response is 1 hour; the estimated total number of respondents for the 
information collection Q-1 Classification Supplement to Form I-129 is 
155 and the estimated hour burden per response is 0.34 hours; and the 
estimated total number of respondents for the information collection R-
1 Classification Supplement to Form I-129 is 6,635 and the estimated 
hour burden per response is 2.34 hours.
    (6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated 
with the collection: The total estimated annual hour burden associated 
with this collection is 1,072,810 hours.
    (7) An estimate of the total public burden (in cost) associated 
with the collection: The estimated total annual cost burden associated 
with this collection of information is $70,681,290.

    Dated: May 17, 2022.
Samantha L. Deshommes,
Chief, Regulatory Coordination Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, 
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland 
Security.
[FR Doc. 2022-10968 Filed 5-20-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 9111-97-P