H-1B Job Training Grants

The H-1B Skills Training Grants provide training and related activities to workers to assist them in gaining the skills and competencies needed to obtain or upgrade employment in high-growth industries or economic sectors. Over time, these education

H-1B Skills Training Grants serve diverse populations, including incumbent workers, underemployed workers (such as those who are not currently connected to a full-time job commensurate with the individual's level of education, skills, or wage and/or salary earned previously, or who have obtained only episodic, short-term, or part-time employment), and unemployed workers. Eligible participants must be at least 17 years old and not currently enrolled in secondary school within a local educational agency. H-1B Skills Training Grants support evidence-based training models, such as work-based learning and Registered Apprenticeship, to build skills and competencies that lead to middle- and high-skill and in-demand occupations and industries, such as information technology, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing, among others.

Grants may be awarded to a partnership of private and public sector entities as defined in the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act (ACWIA). Applicants may generally be public and non-profit organizations, and eligible applicants vary for individual grant programs. See the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for specific requirements.

The scope of potential beneficiaries under these programs can be very broad and can include a variety of individual participants, as well as employers.

Funds are to be used to provide job training services and related activities to assist workers in gaining the skills and competencies needed to obtain or upgrade employment positions in high-growth industries and economic sectors, or occupations, which currently use H-1B visas to employ foreign workers. Grant opportunities are published on grants.gov. Please refer to the Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) for specific eligibility requirements.

Projects last four or five years, depending on the specific FOA. Payments to grantees are usually made by Letter of Credit draw-down procedures.

Criteria for selecting proposals are specified in the applicable Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).

Procedures for each project are specified in the applicable request for proposals. Generally, the procedure is as follows: A technical review panel composed peer reviewers evaluates eligible submitted applications. The panel prepares a report for the ETA Grant Officer identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the application and the cumulative rating. Selections are made based on the best rated proposals, as well as other factors cited in the FOA. Once selections are made by the Grant Officer, an Award Notification is sent through the appropriate congressional channels for notification. If an application is rejected, a letter is sent to the applicant as notification that they were not selected as a recipient of the grant.

DOL announces grant recipients once the paneling process is complete, generally 90 to 120 days after the application deadline.

Renewals with funds are generally not available. However, with significant justification, ETA may elect to exercise its option to award period of performance extensions to these grants for an additional period, at its own discretion, based on the success of the program and other relevant factors.

Procedures for each project are specified in the applicable Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA).