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
With an incoming administration vocal about its stance on immigration enforcement and safeguarding U.S. workers, employers who hire foreign workers on H-1B visas should make certain that they are maintaining compliance with...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
Seyfarth Synopsis: If Congress cannot resolve funding issues by 11:59 pm EST on September 30, 2023, resulting in a federal government shutdown, it will have a ripple effect on employers, both large and small, with an impact...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
1. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Launched Online Appointment Request Form - On August 21, USCIS launched a new online form for individuals to request in-person appointments at their local field offices....more
A variety of U.S. work visas require employers to pay a certain salary to foreign workers whom they employ in the United States. But one employer was recently surprised by an appeals court ruling that it was required to...more
The filing of an H-1B petition requires submission of a Labor Condition Application certified by the U.S. Department of Labor. The LCA certifies, among other things, that the H-1B beneficiary will be paid the prevailing wage...more
As we mentioned in an earlier list of fascinating facts about I-9 compliance and immigration law, it’s a landscape that’s continually shifting – especially on the global front. ...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
During the first week of October and just days into the new fiscal year, the Trump Administration announced two significant changes for employers who wish to sponsor foreign workers. The first of these announcements affects...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On March 20, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) Office of Foreign Labor Certification (“OFLC”) issued Frequently Asked Questions in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, providing guidance and...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
On December 6, 2019, USCIS announced that it officially plans to implement the electronic H-1B registration process for petitioners seeking to submit H-1B cap-subject petitions for FY 2021....more
Earlier this month the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act (H.R. 1044), an act that would radically change the way employment-based immigrant visas are allocated by eliminating...more
The Immigration and Nationality Act and H-1B regulations require employers to notify their U.S. employees of their intent to hire H-1B nonimmigrant workers in connection with filing an H-1B Labor Condition Application....more
The H-1B season is in full swing. Although U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) has proposed changes to the H-1B, the process remains largely the same for this year. ...more
Want to hire a skilled foreign worker? Don't delay, act now! The H-1B visa allows companies in the United States to temporarily hire foreign workers in occupations requiring the theoretical and practical application of a...more
• DHS has announced that it has finalized the previously proposed rule governing the H-1B lottery. The final rule was published in the Federal Register on January 31, 2019. • DHS will reverse the order of the H-1B lottery...more
In early January, the Burr & Forman, LLP immigration team outlined a major change to the H-1B visa lottery system proposed by the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) (DHS Proposes Major Lottery Changes Ahead of H-1B...more
The federal government just published its final rule amending the regulations that will govern petitions filed under the H-1B work visa lottery. Although the final rule is effective April 1, 2019, the Department of Homeland...more
Partial Federal Government Shutdown and How It Applies to an Immigration Workforce - On December 22, 2018, the United States government began its shutdown based on the inability of the Executive Office and Congress to...more
Effective Nov. 19, U.S. employers seeking to file H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 petitions (extension, new or amendment) must use the new ETA 9035 form, the legally required Labor Condition Application (LCA). The most important changes...more
Every year, U.S. employers seeking highly skilled foreign professionals submit their petitions to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) with the hope of receiving an H-1B number. Since 1990, Congress has limited...more