News & Analysis as of

Visas United States Citizenship and Immigration Services OPT

Follow this channel for insights, news, and commentary on a wide array of visa-related matters by leading immigration lawyers and law firms. Now more than ever; stay in the know.
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

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

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

Akerman LLP - HR Defense

A Modern Approach: USCIS Proposes to Update the H-1B Program

Akerman LLP - HR Defense on

USCIS is proposing to modernize the H-1B visa program by streamlining eligibility requirements, improving program efficiency, providing greater benefits and flexibilities for employers and workers, and strengthening integrity...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

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

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

Roetzel & Andress

Think Early: How to Prepare for This Year’s New H-1B Filing Season

Roetzel & Andress on

With a shortage of workers in many sectors of the U.S. professional labor market, employers continue to seek qualified candidates among the non-U.S.-citizen population, including recent graduates of U.S. colleges. ...more

CDF Labor Law LLP

FY 2024 H-1B Lottery Registration Period Opens March 1

CDF Labor Law LLP on

Employers who recently hired F-1 foreign students and wish to continue to employ them beyond the one or three years of Optional Practical Training employment authorization should contact immigration counsel and start making a...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

ArentFox Schiff

Time for Employers to Decide Who They Are Sponsoring for H-1Bs

ArentFox Schiff on

It’s that time of year again when employers have to decide who they are sponsoring for an H-1B visa. What to Know - The lottery registration period will be from 12:00 pm EST on March 1, 2023, to 12:00 pm EST on March...more

Quarles & Brady LLP

Alternatives to H-1B Status for F-1 OPT Employees

Quarles & Brady LLP on

The H-1B lottery for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023 was conducted in March 2022. USCIS received 483,927 H-1B registrations and initially selected 127,600 registrations, which is the projected amount needed to reach the FY2023...more

CDF Labor Law LLP

Is the H-1B Visa a Viable Option for F-1 Students and Their Employers Anymore?

CDF Labor Law LLP on

An accounting firm hires a new graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Accounting degree from a local university for its audit team.  This new graduate is a foreign student utilizing the one-year Optional Practical Training...more

McAfee & Taft

H-1B visa lottery season now open until March 18

McAfee & Taft on

It’s the lottery that can pay dividends for U.S. employers and foreign nationals. Today marks the official opening of the H-1B lottery season. This is the time in which employers who seek to hire or retain foreign national...more

CDF Labor Law LLP

USCIS Accepts First Time H-1B Applications on March 1, 2022

CDF Labor Law LLP on

US Citizenship & Immigration Service announced that it will accept initial applications for first time H-1B visa petitions from March 1, 2022 until March 18, 2022.  An H-1B visa allows an employer to employ a foreign national...more

101 Results
 / 
View per page
Page: of 5

"My best business intelligence, in one easy email…"

Your first step to building a free, personalized, morning email brief covering pertinent authors and topics on JD Supra:
*By using the service, you signify your acceptance of JD Supra's Privacy Policy.
- hide
- hide