On August 1, 2024 UCSIC conducted a second draw from the H-1B lottery pool.
Federal law authorizes the issuance of 85,000 new H-1 visas per year....more
On February 1, 2024, USCIS issued two regulations that will dramatically change the operation of the H-1B visa program. H-1B visas are available to employers who wish to employ foreign nationals in positions that typically...more
On July 24, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule in the Federal Register that allows E-Verify employers to remotely verify the I-9 documents of newly hired employees after July 31, 2023, the...more
7/26/2023
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
E-Verify ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Eligibility Verification ,
Foreign Workers ,
Form I-9 ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Required Forms ,
USCIS
On May 5, 2023, Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced the sunset of the pandemic provision allowing employers to review I-9 employment verification documents remotely. On July 31, 2023, employers must return to the...more
5/16/2023
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Eligibility Verification ,
Foreign Workers ,
Form I-9 ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Remote Proceedings ,
USCIS
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
2/2/2023
/ F-1 Visa ,
Foreign Students ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
OPT ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
USCIS ,
Visas
On January 30, 2023, US Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS”) will permit employers petitioning for multinational managers and individuals seeking a national interest waiver to select premium processing for their...more
On January 3, 2023, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (”USCIS”) released its long-anticipated updated fee schedule that proposes dramatic increases to the fees employers pay to employ foreign nationals using...more
This week, US Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced a policy change that allows employers to accept a receipt notice for a naturalization application along with an expired Permanent Resident Card (a/k/a Green...more
12/12/2022
/ Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Eligibility Verification ,
Foreign Workers ,
Form I-9 ,
Green Cards ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Residency Status ,
USCIS
A recent change in visa processing allows Mexican TN visa applicants to receive a five-year visa. Before this change, Mexican citizens were issued a visa valid for only one year. This policy change allows Mexican TN visa...more
In 1986, the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”) was amended to require all employers to verify the employment eligibility of all newly hired workers. The regulations interpreting the INA require employers to physically...more
10/27/2022
/ Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Eligibility Verification ,
Foreign Workers ,
Form I-9 ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ,
Immigration and Nationality Act ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
USCIS
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
4/25/2022
/ F-1 Visa ,
Foreign Students ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
OPT ,
USCIS ,
Visa Applications ,
Visas
The Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) announced the end of a COVID-19 related temporary policy change regarding acceptable documents during the I-9 process for administration of the Immigration and Nationality Act’s...more
3/22/2022
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Eligibility Verification ,
Foreign Workers ,
Form I-9 ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Relief Measures ,
Required Forms ,
USCIS
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
2/18/2022
/ Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Job Applicants ,
Lottery ,
OPT ,
USCIS ,
Visa Caps ,
Visas
On October 1, 2021, immigrants to the US will be required to supply evidence of vaccination against COVID-19 as a condition of immigrant visa issuance or approval of an adjustment of status application....more
8/25/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Workers ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Popular ,
Requests for Evidence ,
USCIS ,
Vaccinations ,
Visas
On April 27, 2021, USCIS issued guidance to its officers instructing them to give deference to prior USCIS determinations when adjudicating petitions and applications involving the same facts and parties. This guidance...more
The USCIS is modernizing its processes and moving towards electronic filing for student work documents. On April 12, 2021, USCIS announced that it will begin accepting Form I-765 Application for Employment Authorization...more
Yesterday, USCIS published a regulation changing the manner new H-1B visas or “Cap Subject H-1B” visas are allocated. Federal law limits the number of new H-1B temporary worker visas issued every year to 85,000 with 65,000...more
1/8/2021
/ Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Prevailing Wages ,
USCIS ,
Visa Caps ,
Visas