2013-16165. Agency Information Collection Activities: Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, Form I-129; Revision of a Currently Approved Collection

ACTION:

60-Day Notice.

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SUMMARY:

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) invites the general public and other Federal agencies to comment on this proposed revision 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 September 3, 2013.

ADDRESSES:

All submissions received must include the OMB Control Number 1615-0009 in the subject box, the agency name and Docket ID USCIS-2005-0030. To avoid duplicate submissions, please use only one of the following methods to submit comments:

(1) Online. Submit comments via the Federal eRulemaking Portal Web site at www.regulations.gov under e-Docket ID number USCIS-2005-0030;

(2) Email. Submit comments to [e-mail];

(3) Mail. Submit written comments to DHS, USCIS, Office of Policy and Strategy, Chief, Regulatory Coordination Division, 20 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20529-2140.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Comments

Regardless of the method used for submitting comments or material, all submissions will be posted, without change, to the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://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 http://www.regulations.gov.

Note: The address listed in this notice should only be used to submit comments concerning this information collection. Please do not submit requests for individual case status inquiries to this address. If you are seeking information about the status of your individual case, please check “My Case Status” online at: https://egov.uscis.gov/​cris/​Dashboard.do,, or call the USCIS National Customer Service Center at 1-800-375-5283.

Issues for Comment Focus

For Form I-129 and its supplements, USCIS is especially interested in the public's experience, input, and estimates on the burden in terms of time and money incurred by applicants for the following aspects of this information collection:

• The time burden incurred in reading the instructions, completing the form, obtaining supporting documentation; and
• For preparers who are paid, the expense to the respondent to find and secure such preparers for assistance and the amount that paid preparers charge for their services.

In addition, to truly be helpful to the improvement of this form and the program that oversees the services associated with this information collection 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: Revision 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: This form is used by an employer to petition for aliens to come to the U.S. temporarily to perform services, labor, and training or to request extensions of stay or changes in nonimmigrant status for nonimmigrant workers.

(5) An estimate of the total number of respondents and the amount of time estimated for an average respondent to respond:

• Form I-129—333,891 respondents at 2.34 hours;
• E-1/E-2 Classification to Form I-129—4,760 respondents at .67 hours;
• Trade Agreement Supplement to Form I-129—3,057 respondents at .67 hours;
• H Classification Supplement to Form I-129—255,872 respondents at 2 hours;
• H-1B and H-1B1 Data Collection and Filing Fee Exemption Supplement—243,965 respondents at 1 hour;
• L Classification Supplement to Form I-129—37,831 respondents at 1.34 hours;
• O and P Classifications Supplement to Form I-129—22,710 respondents at 1 hour;
• Q-1 Classification Supplement to Form I-129—155 respondents at .34 hours; and
• R-1 Classification Supplement to Form I-129—6,635 respondents at 2.34 hours.

(6) An estimate of the total public burden (in hours) associated with the collection: 1,631,234 annual burden hours.

If you need a copy of the information collection instrument with instructions, or additional information, please visit the Federal eRulemaking Portal site at: http://www.regulations.gov. We may also be contacted at: USCIS, Office of Policy and Strategy, Regulatory Coordination Division, 20 Massachusetts Avenue NW., Washington, DC 20529-2140, Telephone number 202-272-8377.

Dated: July 1, 2013.

Samantha Deshommes,

Acting Chief, Regulatory Coordination Division, Office of Policy and Strategy, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Department of Homeland Security.