The ISSLink H-1B Process

• U of A
• International Students and Scholars
• Visas and Immigration
• H1b Employees
• The ISSLink H-1B Process

This page is a brief overview of the H-1B process involving ISSLink:

To start the H-1B process in ISSLink, first navigate to isslink.uark.edu and click the link "Login" to log in to ISSLink. The current version of ISSLink differs from a previous version where departments clicked a link at the bottom.

Next, click the "Departmental Services":

If your prospective employee already has a University ID and Network ID (UARK username), then skip the next section and go to the section entitled "When You Know The Employee's University and Network ID."

Add New Person

The following form is located under "Departmental Services" and allows a departmental user to enter a new profile into ISSLink.

After entering basic information, select "No" on both radio buttons for "Do you have an institutional university ID for this new profile?" and "Do you have a network ID for this new profile?"

Next, click the "Add New Person" button.

Administrative and Departmental Services Overview

After you have completed the "Add New Person" form and submitted it, the "Departmental Services" page will appear. Clicking on items in "Lists" will provide lists that are filtered in various ways.

My Current Cases: This will show you current cases you have worked on and let you select a student or scholar record you have worked with previously.

My Closed Cases: Cases you have worked and completed.

My Department's Current Cases: Cases that other users, and yourself, have opened under your Department Code/Name.

My Department's Employees & Scholars: H-1B and J-1, J-2 cases your department has.

Click on the "H-1B Department Request Group" Application link to then see the list of e-forms in that group for the scholar's name.

You can now go to the section in this page entitled "H-1B E-Forms Under the H-1B Department Request Group."

 

When You Know The Employee's University and Network ID

If Departmental Services are not displayed, click "Departmental Services" and then the H-1B Department Request Group link under the "Tasks" heading.

ISSLink will then prompt you for a university ID and a date-of-birth, and then select the Find Record button to look up a record.

The ISSLink system should have data on all international students and scholars attending, or that may have attended, the University of Arkansas. If you cannot find the employee, please use the "Add New Person" forms above.  In this case, International Students and Scholars will create a University of Arkansas ID number for your employee and notify the department and the employee when this has been done.  PLEASE NOTE:  Once ISS has issued a university ID number for your employee, this number must be used to access the employee's records/pending cases in ISSLink.

H-1B E-Forms Under the H-1B Department Request Group

You should now see a menu similar to this:

About the Boxes Besides the E-Forms Above

• Incomplete: The E-Form has not been filled out.
• Optional: The E-Form is not necessary to fill out.
• Complete: The E-Form has been submitted, approved, and is ready for processing.
• Draft: The E-Form has been saved in a "draft" status so the information entered should be saved, but the e-form has not been submitted.
• Submit Another: More than one of this e-form can be submitted.
• Not Yet Available: The E-Form will become available after a condition has been met. Please try and look for large red text on these forms informing you of these condition(s).
• Pending Review: The E-Form has been submitted, but is awaiting review by an administrative person at the International Students and Scholars office.
• Follow-up Required: Not used, but an e-form that is requiring additional processing.
• Awaiting Answer: The E-Form is awaiting another sub-form for a "second approver" to answer. You may want to email or call the second approver to remind them they need to fill out a form.
• Denied: The E-Form was submitted, but an administrative person had denied it.

The Actual E-Forms

(1) H-1B Hiring Department Request Petition

This form is used to start the process, and to generate an additional e-form which will be sent to the Department Head for the hiring department.  You may want to remind your Department Head to expect an e-mail from "isslink@uark.edu" that will provide them with a unique link to review and complete an approval form for the H-1B request.  This form MUST be reviewed and submitted by the Department Head (or Dean, Director, or other equivalent designee) before the H-1B petition process may move ahead.

 

(2) To H-1B Employee: Applicant Information Collection

This e-form is initially unavailable until the first form has been submitted in ISSLink and the H-1B Advisor has determined that all necessary initial information has been received.  Once the H-1B Advisor has reviewed the first form, the department will receive a notification with instructions for the next steps to be completed (or for any further information or materials which may need to be clarified/submitted by the department).  Once the first form has been approved by the H-1B Advisor, the department may enter the employee's name and e-mail address on this form and generate an e-mail to the employee that will provide them with a unique link to access the e-form they must complete in order to submit their portion of the required information and materials for the H-1B process.

 

(3) Invoice for Fee Payment

This form informs departmental users of the fee payments required for the H-1B petition process and aids in determining whether the department may need to utilize the Premium Processing service for expedited processing of the petition.  Once this form is submitted, the Office of the Associate General Counsel will issue a signed document for the department's use in requisitioning the required checks from Business Affairs.

 

You will then complete ONE of the two following forms, depending on whether your department is within the Division of Agriculture and/or AFLS:

(4a) Actual Wage List Information

This form is for non-AGRI departments.  Department users will need to enter a representative's name and e-mail so that an e-form to gather wage data for the department is sent to the representative. This representative will complete the form sent to them with information on all employees in the department holding the same job title as the H-1B beneficiary.  This information includes items such as salary, educational requirements, and years of experience.  If the ISSLink department user completing the H-1B request is the most appropriate person to provide the wage data, the department user may enter their own name and e-mail on this form and may complete and submit the e-form routed to them by the ISSLink system.

 

(4b) AGRI Actual Wage List Information

This form is for AGRI departments.  Department users will need to enter the name and e-mail address of the HR Manager within AGRI, so that an e-form to gather wage data for the hiring department is sent to the HR Manager via ISSLink.  The designated HR Manager will complete the form sent to them with information on all employees in the hiring department holding the same job title as the H-1B beneficiary. 

 

You will then complete ONE of the two following forms, depending on whether your department is within the Division of Agriculture and/or AFLS: 

(5a) I-129 Cert. Form - Deemed Export Control

This form is for NON-AGRI departments. The form must be sent to the H-1B beneficiary's supervisor or P.I. to verify whether the H-1B beneficiary will or will not have access to technology which may be subject to export controls under federal regulations.

 

(5b) AGRI I-129 Cert. Form - Deemed Export Control

This form is for AGRI departments. The form must be sent to the H-1B beneficiary's supervisor or P.I. to verify whether the H-1B beneficiary will or will not have access to technology which may be subject to export controls under federal regulations.

 

(6) Confirm LCA Posting

This form is to be submitted once you have received the Labor Condition Application (LCA) and posted it in your department.  Once a sufficient amount of time has passed, a reminder email will be sent to departmental users informing them that the LCA must be removed from posting and returned to Office of the Associate General Counsel for the audit file.