Immigration Insights Podcast: International Entrepreneur Parole Program & Biometrics Requirement
The H-1B is a work permit classification for those who work in Specialty Occupations, which are occupations for which specific university degrees, or related degrees, are required. These are very well-used by foreign students...more
This article is part of a monthly column that connects popular culture to hot-button labor and employment law issues. In this installment, we focus on the immigration challenges highlighted in the romantic comedy “The...more
There may be a change coming to the way Canada taxes capital gains. While Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claims it will affect a minuscule percentage of Canadians, it has more than a minuscule percentage of Canadian taxpayers...more
On April 1, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had selected sufficient H-1B visa preregistrations to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 regular H-1B cap (bachelor’s degree cap)...more
The E-1 Treaty Trader visa permits executives, managers, supervisors, and essential employees of non-U.S. companies that engage in substantial trade between the U.S. and a treaty country to obtain work permits valid for five...more
On December 13, 2023, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) announced that it reached the requisite number of H-1B Cap petitions and stopped making further selections for Fiscal Year 2024. Fiscal...more
The biggest problem with H-1B status is that Congress has authorized so few of them to be approved on an annual basis. For some non-profit employers, the cap on the numbers does not impact them... Originally published by...more
On March 27, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had selected sufficient H-1B visa preregistrations to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 regular H-1B cap (bachelor’s degree cap)...more
The U.S. immigration system can be both complex and tedious, but for anyone involved in international trade with the United States the E-1 International Trade Visa offers a swift and effective path to U.S. immigration status....more
Employers know that U.S. immigration laws are complex, and the Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) long processing delays – coupled with recent layoffs in the tech industry – have further complicated matters by adding new fact...more
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will soon announce the fiscal year 2024 H-1B registration period. This is an important time of the year for employers wishing to sponsor a candidate for a cap...more
A new federal program that just went into effect late last year is smoothing the way for international entrepreneurs to gain eligibility to enter and work in the United States – but how does it compare to other immigration...more
In November 2021 DHS announced a new policy recognizing E and L dependent spouses as having employment authorized incident to their status, meaning they do not need to apply for a separate employment authorization document...more
During this challenging time for employers in search of workers, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have managed to cooperate to coordinate a response to the...more
On November 19, 2021, the Quarles & Brady team issued an alert detailing U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s (USCIS) policy changes regarding work authorization for L-2, H-4, and E dependent visa spouses....more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be suspending biometric screening requirements for H-4, L-2, E-1, E-2, and E-3 dependent visa holders for two years beginning May 17, 2021. This suspension will...more
“America is back, the trans-Atlantic alliance is back.” – So declared President Biden on February 23, 2021. Apparently, however, Antony J. Blinken, the newly installed U.S. Secretary of State (DOS), didn’t get the memo. On...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: U.S. employers, applicants for immigration benefits, and other stakeholders should be aware of United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) application fee increases and form changes...more
As employers work through issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important to evaluate the immigration considerations for employees on various work visas. Some of the most common alternatives to H-1B visas include...more
As employers prepare plans to handle possible alternate employee work arrangements in light of the 2019 Novel Coronavirus outbreak, it is important to keep in mind how these plans and policies—including telework policies—may...more
Visa issuance fees and validity periods are set based on reciprocity. If a country charges U.S. citizens $50 to receive a visa, then the U.S. will charge citizens of that country a similar amount for a U.S. visa. In 2017,...more
Escalating tensions between the U.S. and Iran are significantly impacting the ability of Iranian nationals to immigrate to, or remain in, the United States. Most recently, on January 23, 2020, USCIS announced via notice in...more
A new federal rule has created a new electronic registration process for the annual H-1B lottery. The new electronic registration system will significantly change the sequence of the H-1B lottery. There will no longer be a...more
A seemingly benign application form known as the DS-160 nonimmigrant visa application form is completed online by all applicants seeking to work in temporary visa status in the United States. The form, available on the...more
Employers who file I-129 petitions to sponsor foreign nationals for work visas make a number of representations to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) about the terms of the foreign national’s employment,...more