The following information updates the initial alert distributed on January 13, 2026. USCIS has provided additional information regarding the timing of the H-1B cap lottery for the FY 2027 registration season....more
The H-1B visa classification was established as a nonimmigrant, temporary worker program to aid U.S. employers unable to fill highly specialized positions (those requiring a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent). The...more
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security published a final rule that will shift the H-1B cap registration selection process from a random lottery to a weighted selection process based on a beneficiary’s proposed salary and...more
On December 29, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security published a final rule amending the H-1B cap process. Congress mandates an annual cap for new H-1B visas each fiscal year, including 20,000 H-1B visas for...more
On October 31, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced the resumption of processing for employer requests related to prevailing wage determinations and labor certifications for both temporary and permanent...more
On October 31, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced that it had resumed processing of requests for prevailing wages and labor certification determinations for temporary and permanent employment in the U.S....more
The Department of Labor (DOL), Office of the Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC), has resumed processing of applications for both temporary and permanent employment programs despite the continued government shutdown....more
On October 31, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced that its Office of Foreign Labor Certification has resumed certain application processing. Online filing functionality has been restored for Labor Condition...more
On September 19, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced Project Firewall. This initiative reflects a strengthening of investigative efforts to ensure employer compliance with their obligations under the H-1B visa...more
Employers that rely on the H-1B visa program to bring in high skilled and specialty talent will face stricter scrutiny and heightened enforcement under a new Department of Labor effort dubbed “Project Firewall.” The Trump...more
In this episode of The Inside Track, hosts Grace Shie and Maximillian Del Rey explore the U.S. Department of Labor’s new H-1B enforcement initiative, Project Firewall, and its implications for employers. They break down the...more
Much of the federal government is at a standstill after lawmakers were unable to reach a spending deal by midnight on Tuesday, September 30. The government shutdown has significant consequences for employers who do work for...more
The U.S. government entered a partial shutdown at 12:01 a.m. (EDT) on October 1, 2025, after the president and congressional lawmakers could not reach an agreement to fund the federal government for fiscal year 2026. ...more
The current government funding expired at the end of the fiscal year without a continuing resolution, resulting in a government shutdown. A federal government shutdown can create ripple effects across immigration processes,...more
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has announced a new enforcement initiative called Project Firewall, focused on companies that employ H-1B workers. The program will bring more audits and investigations to check that...more
In anticipation of a possible government shutdown this week, many employers are wondering how a shuttering of U.S. government agencies for budgetary reasons could impact or delay their U.S. immigration processing, exclusively...more
The White House has announced significant changes to the H-1B program, including a new $100,000 petition fee, revised prevailing wage rules, a tiered lottery system, and expanded enforcement measures. These developments...more
The US Department of Labor has launched Project Firewall, a new enforcement initiative focused on safeguarding the rights, wages, and job opportunities of American workers. The program signals heightened scrutiny of H-1B...more
On September 24, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a notice of proposed rulemaking (“NPRM”) to amend its H-1B regulations. The proposal also includes provisions that would change the H-1B cap...more
On September 19, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced the launch of Project Firewall, a comprehensive enforcement initiative designed to protect the rights, wages, and job opportunities of highly skilled...more
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has launched Project Firewall, a sweeping enforcement initiative designed to ensure strict employer compliance with the H-1B visa program. Coupled with the recent presidential proclamation...more
On Friday September 19, 2025, President Trump signed a Proclamation titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” which stands to significantly change the H-1B visa process and related costs. The H-1B...more
Another potential government shutdown may be on the horizon, as we await updates on the progress of the latest funding bill. Although already passed in the House of Representatives, an extension to continue funding the...more
Last week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the initial registration period for the Fiscal Year 2026 H-1B lottery will open at noon EST on March 7, 2025, and run through noon EST on March 24,...more
President Trump’s new administration takes charge this week with a renewed focus on enforcing federal immigration law. In fact, as explained in today’s companion article, one of President Trump’s first action items on...more