Immigration Settlement Clears the Way for Thousands of H-1B and L-1 Spouses to Work in the US
On May 4, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that effective immediately, it would increase the automatic extension period for employment authorization documents (EADs) for certain EAD renewal...more
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and its aftermath, backlogs for immigration benefits have been at an all-time high, with some benefits—such as the L-2 Spousal EAD—taking up to 12 months or longer. ...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
Effective November 12, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) extended employment authorization for certain E, H, and L dependent spouses. Specifically, USCIS now recognizes that L and E dependent spouses...more
On November 12, 2021, USCIS issued a new policy that automatically extends employment authorization for dependent spouses in L-2 and E-1/E-2/E-3 status. The new policy also automatically extended employment authorization for...more
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reached a settlement agreement on November 10, 2021, to allow automatic extensions of employment authorization for certain H-4 and L dependent spouses. Additionally, on November...more
In our Nov. 11 client alert, we described the dramatic and beneficial changes to the employment authorization rules affecting dependent spouses of certain nonimmigrant visa holders. On Nov. 12, U.S. Citizenship and...more
Employment Authorization Policy for Nonimmigrant Dependent Spouses On November 10, 2021, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reached a settlement in a landmark case, which provided structural changes for...more
Federal immigration officials just released helpful guidance that eases the process of spouses of highly skilled workers to receive their work authorization documentation, no doubt welcome news for employers across the...more
On November 12, 2021, USCIS updated its Policy Manual to permit H-4, E and L nonimmigrant dependent spouses to receive automatic extension of employment authorization in certain circumstances. Earlier in the week, USCIS...more
A settlement has been reached in Shergill v. Mayorkas, a federal lawsuit seeking to compel US Citizenship and Immigration Services to follow its regulations by automatically granting work permit extensions to L-2 and H-4...more
Because of persistent delays by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) in the processing of applications for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs), a group of aggrieved noncitizen plaintiffs filed a class...more
On November 10, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) settled the class action lawsuit Shergill v. Mayorkas. The settlement agreement will update USCIS policy related to certain H-4 and L-2 spousal...more
Pursuant to a lawsuit brought by the American Immigration Lawyer Association and its litigation partners, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will implement new policies to improve issuance of work authorization...more
Spouses of H-1B and L-1 workers have long faced protracted delays by the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) in processing their work authorization (EAD) renewals. The wait has sometimes exceeded more than a...more
In recognition that many employees are still working remotely due to COVID-19 health concerns, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has extended through September 19,...more
Join attorneys from Jackson Lewis P.C. as we review critical changes in business immigration and employer compliance over the past year and focus on further changes that are expected, as well as strategies for coping with...more
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (USDHS) recently confirmed its plans to publish a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking by June 2018 to remove from its regulations certain H-4 spouses of H-1B nonimmigrant workers as a class...more
The White House and Department of Homeland Security have announced plans to change the legal immigration system in ways that could significantly impact employers with foreign workers who are managers, executives,...more
As part of President Obama’s executive action on immigration reform, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced eligibility for select H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B visa holders to obtain employment...more