Demand for the H-1B specialty worker visa has become an interesting economic barometer, particularly in terms of the state of the tech industry. Just a few years ago, the entire year’s quota of available H-1B visas was snapped up within days of the opening of the filing period, which falls on April 1 each year.

What a difference a couple years and a global economic collapse can make!

Last year, the cap of 65,000 visas was not reached until February. While this year is shaping up to be equally slow, immigration attorney Irina Plumlee of Gardere Wynne Sewell LLP cautions companies from being lulled into a false sense of security.

“While most are predicting another slow year, it is impossible to determine how quickly the quota will be filled when the new application period opens on April 1,” she cautions. “Although the current economic conditions are not dramatically different from last year, if hiring starts to pick up as the year goes on, available H-1B visa spots may disappear in the blink of an eye. If a company anticipates a need, they should plan ahead and submit their petitions as early as possible.”