On Tuesday, an estimated 200,000 visa applications for highly skilled foreign workers flooded the US government, competing for just 65,000 H-1B visas. These visas allow American companies to hire specialized foreign workers for up to six years. Last year, the government received 120,000 applications on the first day alone, leaving many like Sven, a German civil engineer in San Diego, without luck. Sven, who requested to keep his last name private for privacy reasons, plans to participate in the H-1B visa lottery again this year despite knowing the slim chances of success. The 33-year-old, who spent eight years studying civil engineering at a German university, likened winning the lottery to hitting the jackpot. He was surprised by the high number of applicants last year. Although his company has been supportive by covering legal fees and submitting necessary information, Sven is disappointed that his ability to work in the United States depends on luck. This year, the chances of receiving an H-1B visa are expected to be even lower. Experts anticipate around 200,000 applications on the first day that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) begins accepting visa petitions for the fiscal year starting on October 1, 2008. "The individuals we have offered jobs to are essentially at the mercy of a lottery," stated Jack Krumholtz, who is the managing director of federal government affairs at Microsoft Corp. Last year, USCIS closed the application period after just two days and combined all the petitions, selecting visa recipients through a computerized lottery system to ensure equal opportunity for all applicants. Tech companies argue that the high demand for visas highlights the necessity for the industry to utilize foreign talent. Heather Dickinson, a spokesperson for Cisco Systems Inc., stated that not being able to access the best workers puts U.S. companies like Cisco at a disadvantage. Companies in science, technology, engineering, and technology sectors believe that the current system is a dilemma as the U.S. does not have enough qualified candidates and restricts companies from hiring foreign workers. Krumholtz emphasized the importance of getting this right to maintain U.S. competitiveness and economic well-being. Immigration lawyer Jacob Sapochnick mentioned that he is assisting with around 150 visa applications this year for employers and workers in various fields, including high tech, science, and marketing. Last year, Sapochnick filed approximately 200 applications for visas, with about half being approved. This year, he is facing even more uncertainty as the USCIS has announced that the application window will remain open for five business days. Sapochnick anticipates a surge of around 300,000 applications during this time. He described the situation as absurd and The National Association of Manufacturers is calling for a long-term solution to address the shortage of skilled workers in various industries, including manufacturing. There used to be a balance between supply and demand for H-1B visas, with the quota being raised to 195,000 in 2000 but then reduced to 65,000 as the tech industry slowed down. Tech companies have been pushing for an increase in the quota, while labor groups argue that this would harm job opportunities for U.S. workers. Around one-third of Microsoft's U.S.-based employees have needed visa assistance, with the company submitting 1,200 H-1B visa applications last year and receiving 900 approvals. This year, Microsoft is looking to increase its odds in the lottery by submitting around 1,600 applications. According to Krumholtz, the company has 3,000 to 4,000 job openings that they are looking to fill. However, their immigration staff is only expecting about 40 percent, or 640 visas, to be approved. Bob Gaynor, an immigration lawyer in Boston, shared that his clients applying for H-1B visas are concerned about their chances in the selection process this year. Gaynor represents professionals from various countries and anticipates a surge of approximately 200,000 applications on Tuesday. Gaynor expressed her sadness, stating that the individuals mentioned truly make a valuable contribution to the economic environment of the nation.