The H-1B program remains one of the most important—and most operationally complex—tools for U.S. employers seeking to hire and retain foreign national talent. Between cap-season timing, heightened documentation expectations,...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
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
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
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
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
The recent rise in remote work has transformed industries across the United States, with a large number of employers allowing employees to perform their jobs entirely from home. In many cases, an employee’s home can be...more
Equal Pay Transparency (EPT) laws have been passed in several states and localities, potentially impacting the permanent employment certification (PERM)/H-1B labor condition application (LCA) process for employers conducting...more
Sponsoring foreign talent is a worthwhile venture for any employer who wishes to remain competitive, both domestically and internationally. This is particularly true for highly skilled positions for which demand outpaces...more
The Department of Labor (DOL) has further postponed the effective date of its prevailing wage final rule to November 14, 2022. The final rule significantly increases prevailing wage requirements for permanent resident and...more
On February 1, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) formally proposed delaying the implementation of its final rule, entitled “Strengthening Wage Protections for the Temporary and Permanent Employment of Certain Aliens in...more
Immediately after President Joe Biden took office, his administration unveiled a series of Executive Actions and legislative proposals designed to signal its top priorities. The actions taken within his first week include...more
The H-1B “lottery” will soon be upon us. Here are some action steps employers seeking an H-1B visa can take now to prepare. H-1B Lottery Overview - The number of new H-1Bs available for most employers each year is...more
On January 12, 2021, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced an updated final rule designed to increase prevailing wages required for certain visa processes. The updated rule, entitled “Strengthening Wage Protections for...more
Effective June 30, 2021, 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, resulting...more
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced that it plans to comply with a new U.S. district court order ruling that the agency violated the Administrative Procedure Act by failing to engage in the proper rule-making process...more
In a major blow to the Trump administration, a federal court recently struck down two immigration rules that would limit the ability of skilled foreign workers to obtain H-1B visas. In a December 1 ruling, the U.S. District...more
On October 8, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published the “Strengthening Wage Protections for the Temporary and Permanent Employment of Certain Aliens in the United States”interim final rule, amending the existing...more
On October 6, 2020, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a new rule entitled “Strengthening Wage Protections for the Temporary and Permanent Employment of Certain Aliens in the United States,” amending the regulations...more
President Trump’s Buy American, Hire American Executive Order encouraged the United States Department of Labor (DOL) and the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to propose new rules and guidance that will...more
In its continuing effort to limit legal immigration, the Trump Administration announced two rule changes last week to radically limit H-1Bs and the most common employment-based permanent residence process. The first rule...more
The Trump administration published two new regulations on October 8, 2020, that make significant changes to the H-1B visa rules and to the prevailing wage requirements for PERM labor certification applications as well as...more
On October 8, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published an Interim Final Rule (IFR) that impacts prevailing wage programs for H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 temporary classifications, as well as for certain permanent residence...more
The U.S. Departments of Labor (DOL) and Homeland Security (DHS) published interim final rules yesterday that amend regulations governing prevailing wage computation and the definition of “specialty occupation” in the H-1B...more