University employed H-1Bs are exempt from the cap. It is a loop hole that is becoming more common where private companies set up partnerships with universities to employ H-1Bs on their behalf in order to skirt the cap.
The company sponsors a position at the university, the employee does work for the company, the university takes a percentage.
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists(274); Biochemists and Biophysicists(187); Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary(100); Biological Technicians(60); Molecular And Cellular Biologists(59);
Yup, the thing that is even MORE interesting is that these positions can be classified as more relating to research which has much lower wage requirements. So the employee may be writing software for your business but she is paid like an academic researcher.
Some companies use Universities to hire foreign Software engineer with the title of "Research Associate", lower wage, same job. Then claiming that they are recruiting the best in the world while providing a very low wage (research associate prevailing wage instead of SE).
It can get worse, I have a friend that has been under a J1 for years, while he is not a student anymore. The company pays a student salary (2k/month) instead of a H1B prevailing wage.
Based on my knowledge of some folks in research science, I'd wager a guess that they don't want to hire US Citizens because they are more expensive, even if they got their degree from the same institution hiring H1Bs. It's...a twisted situation from my experience.
