Summer is in full swing, which can often mean longer processing times at federal government agencies due to the workforce being on summer vacation. Employment-based green card applicants may experience longer processing time for their I-485 applications and, as a result, may consider “porting” job offers under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century […]
Over the past few months, the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) has tightened restrictions for H-1B workers placed at third-party worksites. These changes are in accordance with the presidential administration’s “Buy American and Hire American” executive order.
In a policy memorandum from February 2018, the USCIS announced that it would require all U.S. employers to […]
When considering whether to sponsor a foreign national for a green card, U.S. companies should know who is responsible for paying which portions of the costs associated with the green card. This knowledge is especially vital for companies using green card repayment agreements, which indicate how much money is recoverable by the U.S. company […]
Since January 2018, our firm has seen a sharp increase in administrative processing for U.S. visa applications at consulates in India and China. This has caused significant delays in visas being approved and has resulted in foreign nationals spending an additional three weeks to two months in the country of the visa interview, as […]
The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) recently changed its mission statement to remove the section describing the U.S. as “a nation of immigrants.” Before the recent change, the USCIS’s mission statement read:
“USCIS secures America’s promise as a nation of immigrants by providing accurate and useful information to our customers, granting immigration and […]
Based on current political talks, work permits (“EADs”) for H-4 visa holders may no longer be an option. The current law states that spouses of H-1B visa holders, also known as H-4 visa holders, may not apply for work authorization. The exception to this rule is that H-4 spouses may apply for work authorization […]
The 12 Notes of Christmas H-1B Sponsorship: What U.S. Employers Should Know About the H-1B Lottery
The holidays are just around the corner, closely followed by the H-1B lottery during the first week of April. Though the deadline may seem far off, now is when U.S. employers should begin to consider which foreign workers they […]
In a policy memorandum dated October 23, 2017, the USCIS announced that it has instructed its adjudicating officers to apply the same level of scrutiny to both initial petitions and extension petitions for H-1B, L-1, TN, and other nonimmigrant categories. This is a significant change from the USCIS’ previous policy, which did not allow […]
Spouses of employment-based visa holders who hold H-4, L-2 or E status may now apply for work authorization and a Social Security Number via Form I-765, instead of appearing at a local Social Security Administration office. In order to pursue this streamlined option, spouses must answer a few additional biographical questions on the form. […]
The USCIS has announced that it will accept premium processing requests for all H-1B Cap petitions submitted during the 2018 Fiscal Year Cap. This change applies to petitions that were filed in the H-1B Lottery in April 2017.
This information is especially relevant to foreign workers present in F-1 status with OPT. Many foreign workers […]