News & Analysis as of

Science Technology Engineering Math United States Citizenship and Immigration Services OPT

Gibney Anthony & Flaherty, LLP

USCIS Updates Guidance for International Student Visa Classifications

USCIS provided updated guidance in the USCIS Policy Manual with regard to the F-1 and M visa classifications utilized by international students for vocational, graduate and post-graduate study at U.S. academic institutions....more

Littler

USCIS Updates Guidance for F-1 Students on OPT and STEM OPT Eligibility

Littler on

The F-1 nonimmigrant visa status allows noncitizens to study in the United States at U.S. colleges and universities. F-1 students may be eligible for off-campus employment under the following programs: Curricular Practical...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

DHS Updates STEM Designated Degree Program List for 24-Month STEM OPT Extensions

On July 23, 2024, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) added the category of Environmental/Natural Resource Economics (03.0204) as a qualifying field of study to the DHS STEM Designated Degree Program List. DHS did...more

Shipman & Goodwin LLP

E-Verify: What Manufacturers Need to Know

Shipman & Goodwin LLP on

Most U.S. employers and workers have heard of E-Verify, but what is it? More critically, is it required for your manufacturing business?  E-Verify is a free internet-based program, run by U.S. Citizenship and...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Navigating Delays: The F-1 STEM EAD Waiting Game Considerations for Employees and Employers

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on

Recent processing time trends at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) are raising concerns for both Employers and F-1 visa holders relying on automatic extensions of work authorization while awaiting the...more

Dorsey & Whitney LLP

Alternative Options for Foreign National Employees Not Selected in USCIS’ FY 2025 H-1B Registration Lottery

Dorsey & Whitney LLP on

The H-1B Electronic Registration Selection Process debuted in March 2020 for fiscal year 2021 H-1B cap-subject petitions. The barrier to entry dropped significantly with the introduction of the electronic registration...more

Holland & Knight LLP

Immigration Options Remain for Employees Not Selected in the H-1B Cap Lottery

Holland & Knight LLP on

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has completed its annual H-1B cap lottery selection process for fiscal year 2025. Given the high number of lottery registrations and the fixed number of...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

USCIS Updates Policy Manual on F, M Visa Status International Students’ Present Intent-to-Depart

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

Students studying in the United States in F or M visa status must have a foreign residence that they have no intention of abandoning. A new USCIS policy manual update has clarified that being the beneficiary of a PERM...more

Holland & Knight LLP

Employers, Get Ready: H-1B Cap Lottery Season Is Almost Here

Holland & Knight LLP on

Beginning March 6, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will conduct its annual H-1B Cap Lottery to award H-1B slots for professional workers in specialty occupations. There are a total of 85,000 visas...more

Littler

USCIS Updates Policy Guidance for International Students

Littler on

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently updated guidance in its policy manual regarding international students within F and M student classifications. This new guidance consolidates and provides greater...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

USCIS Issues New Guidance on F and M Student Visa Classifications

On December 20, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) updated its official policy manual chapters on F and M nonimmigrant student classifications....more

Tarter Krinsky & Drogin LLP

New Proposed H-1B Regulations and Stateside Visa Renewals – November 2023 Update

Significant modifications to the H-1B visa program are expected to be implemented by the Department of Homeland Security. The agency issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPR) that would “modernize the H-1B specialty...more

Holland & Hart - Employers' Lawyers

Talent Without Borders: Immigration Insights – August-September 2023

Second Round of H-1B Cap Registration Selection – United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) conducted a second round of the H-1B cap lottery between July 28th and 31st for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024. The new...more

Gibney Anthony & Flaherty, LLP

DHS Expands STEM OPT Fields for International Students

On July 12, 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) added eight fields of study to the Designated Degree Program List qualifying F-1 students to secure a STEM OPT (science, technology, engineering, mathematics...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

Not Selected for an H-1B? Alternate Work Authorization Options in the United States

The statutory limit of H-1Bs available per fiscal year is 65,000 for those who have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, with 6,800 reserved for citizens of Chile and Singapore. An additional 20,000 are reserved for those who...more

Holland & Knight LLP

Not Selected in the H-1B Lottery? Now What?

Holland & Knight LLP on

Each year in March, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) conducts a lottery to award H-1B slots to enough foreign workers to meet its 85,000 visa annual cap. This number includes 20,000 slots reserved for...more

Quarles & Brady LLP

Taking Luck Out of the Equation: Alternative Immigration Pathways for Foreign Nationals Not Selected in the H-1B Cap Lottery

Quarles & Brady LLP on

On March 27, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the FY2024 H-1B cap lottery was complete. The results: a historically low selection rate—with many multinational companies reporting that...more

Quarles & Brady LLP

USCIS Announces Premium Processing Expansion for F-1 OPT and STEM OPT EAD Applications

Quarles & Brady LLP on

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) has announced an expansion of "premium processing" for F-1 foreign students who are seeking employment authorization related to Optional Practical Training (OPT) and...more

Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Announces a Phase-In of Premium Processing and New Online-Filing Procedures for Certain...

USCIS has expanded premium processing for certain F-1 students seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT) and STEM OPT extensions. Specifically, for a fee of $1,500, eligible applicants can request that USCIS adjudicate their...more

Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,...

USCIS Expands Premium Processing for Certain F-1 Students

On March 6, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced “the expansion of premium processing for certain F-1 students seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT) and F-1 students seeking science,...more

Stinson LLP

FY2024 H-1B Lottery Details Announced

Stinson LLP on

On January 27, 2023, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year 2024 H-1B lottery will open on March 1, 2023 at noon EST and close on March 17,...more

Fisher Phillips

Federal Immigration Officials Make More International Students Eligible for STEM Training Program to Delight of Employers

Fisher Phillips on

The Department of Homeland Security recently added 22 new qualifying fields of study to its STEM Designated Degree Program List, which will greatly expand opportunities for international students to remain in the U.S. – and...more

Williams Mullen

H-1B Lottery Season Underway for FY 2023

Williams Mullen on

U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the registration period for this year’s H-1B lottery will begin at noon Eastern time on March 1, 2022 and will end at noon Eastern time on March 18, 2022. All...more

Miles & Stockbridge P.C.

USCIS Announces Changes to Attract and Retain Foreign Talent with STEM Expertise

Nearly one year ago to the date, I wrote in my blog post that the “the path to qualifying in [for the O-1A visa classification] is far from transparent.” At that time, I noted that the request for evidence (“RFE”) rate was on...more

Morgan Lewis

Biden-Harris Administration Announces Policy Changes to Assist Foreign Nationals in STEM Fields

Morgan Lewis on

In an effort to attract global talent to strengthen the economy, the Biden-Harris administration recently announced several immigration policy expansions geared towards students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and...more

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