On October 23, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued its long-anticipated notice of proposed rulemaking on modernizing the H-1B program. The purpose is to amend regulations governing H–1B specialty occupation...more
10/25/2023
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Final Rules ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Specialty Occupations ,
USCIS ,
Visa Caps ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: Employers should identify as soon as possible any current employees and employment candidates who may require H-1B work permit sponsorship before October 1, 2021, given that it is anticipated USCIS will...more
12/12/2019
/ Conditional Job Offers ,
Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) ,
Filing Fees ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Job Applicants ,
Lottery ,
NAFTA ,
OPT ,
Registration Requirement ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Trump Administration ,
USCIS ,
Vetting ,
Visa Caps ,
Visas ,
Work Permits
Seyfarth Synopsis: On January 31, 2019 DHS published the final rule for the electronic pre-registration of H-1B cap petitions and changed the order of selection of filings. ...more
2/1/2019
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Final Rules ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Registration Requirement ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
USCIS ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: Effective September 11, 2018, USCIS will suspend Premium Processing for all H-1B petitions filed at the Vermont and California Service Centers until February 19, 2019 (excluding filings by cap-exempt...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: USCIS recently announced that the agency will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B petitions subject to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 cap beginning on April 2, 2018. ...more
3/22/2018
/ Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Lottery ,
USCIS ,
Visa Caps ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published its regulatory plan for 2018, which aligns with President Trump’s Executive Order, Buy American Hire American.
...more
12/20/2017
/ Buy America ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Employment Eligibility Verification ,
Executive Orders ,
F-1 Visa ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
H-4 Spouses ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Trump Administration ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: On September 18, 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that effective immediately it would resume premium processing for H-1B petitions filed subject to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018...more
9/19/2017
/ F-1 Visa ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
OPT ,
USCIS ,
Visa Caps ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: On May 25, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled that President Trump’s travel ban should remain on hold, upholding a preliminary injunction issued in March 2017 by a lower court....more
6/8/2017
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Executive Orders ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Workers ,
Green Cards ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Refugees ,
Terrorist Threats ,
Travel Ban ,
Trump Administration ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: The EO orders the Departments of State, Justice, Labor, and Homeland Security to propose new rules and issue new guidance to “protect the interests of U.S. workers” and “promote the functioning of the H-1B...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: USCIS completes the lottery process and receives 199,000 H-1B cap petitions.
On April 17, 2017, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it received 199,000 H-1B...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: USCIS announced today that it has reached the FY 2018 H-1B Cap.
On April 7, 2017, United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it received sufficient H-1B petitions to meet...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: USCIS recently announced that the agency will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B petitions beginning on April 3, 2017. USCIS indicates the purpose of the suspension is to process H-1B...more
3/9/2017
/ Driver's Licenses ,
F-1 Visa ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Lottery ,
OPT ,
USCIS ,
Visa Caps ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: Employers and foreign nationals should take note of critical changes to DHS’ regulations impacting employment-based immigration for highly skilled workers.
On January 17, 2017, the Department of...more
12/5/2016
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
E-1 ,
E-2 ,
E-3 ,
Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) ,
Form I-140 Petitions ,
Grace Period ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Immigration and Nationality Act ,
L-1 ,
O-1 Aliens of Extraordinary Ability ,
Portability ,
TN-Visas ,
USCIS
This Management Alert is intended to enable employers to identify any current employees and employment candidates who may require H-1B work permit sponsorship before October 1, 2017. We recommend that employers identify any...more
The Migration Advisory Committee (“MAC”) has published its recommendations following an in-depth review of Tier 2, which is the primary route for economic migration to the UK. The MAC is an independent advisory body...more
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sent its proposed regulation on the STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) program to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) this week. A notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) is...more
10/9/2015
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Executive Orders ,
Form F-1 ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Lottery ,
NPRM ,
OMB ,
OPT ,
STEM ,
Visa Caps
On Wednesday, August 12, 2015, U.S. District Court Judge Ellen Huvelle of the District of Columbia vacated the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) 2008 rule allowing F-1 students in the U.S. with college-level degrees in...more