Immigration Insights Podcast: International Entrepreneur Parole Program & Biometrics Requirement
The H-1B visa is among the most popular working visas in the U.S. for individuals filling professional positions. Most H-1B visas are subject to an annual quota or “cap.” Because demand exceeds the number of available visas,...more
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) recently updated its Occupational Information Network (O*NET), resulting in readjustments to the “Job Zones”—five articulated categories correlated with the levels of education, training,...more
Missing out on the H-1B visa lottery can be disheartening, but it’s not necessarily the end of the road. If you employ foreign nationals, the good news is that you can explore certain short-term, long-term, and even some...more
Employers that employ foreign nationals have various notification requirements. Immigration cases that require LCA (Labor Condition Application) filings with the Department of Labor (DOL) before submitting petitions to USCIS...more
On September 30, 2023, President Joe Biden signed into law stopgap funding legislation that temporarily averted a government shutdown. The legislation, which passed the U.S. Congress with bipartisan support and extended...more
If Congress does not pass appropriations legislation or a stopgap spending bill by September 30, 2023, the federal government will experience a shutdown on October 1, 2023. A federal government shutdown will disrupt certain...more
Unintended new job locations have always presented issues for employers with H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 workers. However, the issues are even more common today, given employers’ remote work policies and continued changes thereto. ...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
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has just closed its annual H-1B registration, and employers are anxiously awaiting news on whether USCIS has selected...more
On December 1, 2020, a U.S. Federal District Court in California set aside the two Interim Final Rules announced in October by the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) and the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”). ...more
The US District Court for the Northern District of California on Tuesday set aside two Interim Final Rules (IFRs) that sought to restrict severely eligibility for the H-1B Specialty Occupation nonimmigrant category....more
New rules published by the Department of Labor (DOL) and the Department of Homeland Security (specifically, USCIS) are intended to severely restrict the use of the H-1B and related H-1B1 and E-3 visa classifications for...more
In the last few months, it has been difficult for employers and immigration attorneys to keep up with the flurry of changes released by the Trump Administration, including the suspension on the issuance of H-1B visas at U.S....more
Effective October 8, 2020, the US Department of Labor will determine the prevailing wage for permanent labor certifications and labor condition applications based on a new formula for computing prevailing wage levels,...more
The Trump Administration has announced that it will publish two Interim Final Rules on Thursday, October 8, 2020 that will substantially alter the H-1B visa program for temporary professionals working in a specialty...more
Hiring the best talent can maximize the success of your company. Sometimes that means hiring a foreign national on a work visa. We prepared this booklet to help you navigate the complex U.S. employment-based visa options....more
Many visa options exist to enable U.S. manufacturing companies to employ talented professionals, researchers and managers who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents. This article will introduce the primary nonimmigrant...more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has started returning H-1B petitions to employers whose cases were not selected in the recent H-1B lottery selection process. The USCIS reported that a total of 195,000 H-1B...more
Effective yesterday, January 17, 2017, a new USCIS rule seeks to improve multiple employment-based temporary nonimmigrant and immigrant visa (“green card”) programs. The new regulations are designed to help U.S. employers...more
Employers seek predictability when hiring employees. You don’t need to be a mathematician (although that might help qualify you as an outstanding researcher) to know that the odds of being selected in U.S. Citizenship and...more
DHS recently published amended regulations affecting certain highly skilled workers in specialty occupations from Chile, Singapore (H-1B1) and Australia (E-3), nonimmigrant workers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana...more
Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) issued its long-awaited final rule regarding highly skilled workers from Australia, Chile, Singapore, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (“CNMI”),...more
A good business plan involves consideration of both short-term and long-term goals. Your plans should do the same for your management and business employees; getting them into the U.S. as you start or grow your business, and...more
In recent days, the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) has published several proposed rules in the Federal Register, which, if adopted, will bring welcome and much needed regulatory changes....more
On May 12, 2014, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published two notices of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register. The public is able to comment on the proposed rules during the 60-day comment period. The...more