On October 23, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued its long-anticipated notice of proposed rulemaking on modernizing the H-1B program. The purpose is to amend regulations governing H–1B specialty occupation...more
10/25/2023
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Final Rules ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Specialty Occupations ,
USCIS ,
Visa Caps ,
Visas
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
9/11/2023
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Disaster Aid ,
Foreign Workers ,
Form I-9 ,
H-1B ,
Hawaii ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Labor Condition Applications ,
National Interest Waiver ,
OFLC ,
USCIS ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: The CDC issued new guidance clarifying President Biden’s October 25, 2021 Executive Order that impacts nonimmigrants’ international air travel to the U.S. Fully vaccinated nonimmigrants can enter the U.S....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: USCIS officially announced that the number of electronic cap registrations exceeded the regular bachelor’s cap and advanced degree cap (“master’s cap”) for FY 2022. USCIS has also completed its initial...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Employers should identify as soon as possible any current employees and employment candidates who may require H-1B work permit sponsorship before October 1, 2021, given that it is anticipated USCIS will...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Previously scheduled to expire on December 31, 2020, Proclamations 10052 and 10014 have been extended by President Trump until March 31, 2021. These visa bans will continue to restrict the issuance of...more
1/5/2021
/ Corporate Counsel ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
H-2B ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigration Procedures ,
J-1 Visas ,
L-1 Visas ,
Non-Immigrant Visas ,
Presidential Proclamations ,
Trump Administration ,
Visas
On December 1, 2020, a U.S. Federal District Court in California set aside the two Interim Final Rules announced in October by the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) and the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”). ...more
12/3/2020
/ Chamber of Commerce ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Domestic Hiring Policy ,
E-3 ,
Foreign Workers ,
Good Cause ,
H-1B ,
H-1B1 ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigration and Nationality Act ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Motion to Set Aside the Verdict ,
PERM ,
Trump Administration ,
USCIS ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: Employers should identify as soon as possible any current employees and employment candidates who may require H-1B work permit sponsorship before October 1, 2021, given that it is anticipated USCIS will...more
12/12/2019
/ Conditional Job Offers ,
Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) ,
Filing Fees ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Job Applicants ,
Lottery ,
NAFTA ,
OPT ,
Registration Requirement ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Trump Administration ,
USCIS ,
Vetting ,
Visa Caps ,
Visas ,
Work Permits
Seyfarth Synopsis: USCIS confirms FY 2020 H-1B petition selection is complete.
On April 10, 2019, United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) received sufficient H-1B petitions to meet the 20,000 H-1B visa...more
On April 5, 2019, United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it received sufficient H-1B petitions to meet the regular H-1B quota (or "cap") for Fiscal Year 2020, which begins on October 1, 2019....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On February 11, 2019, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it revised Form I-539 and that the new version will be released on March 11, 2019. ...more
2/15/2019
/ Corporate Counsel ,
E-3 ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Immigration Reform ,
L-1 Visas ,
Non-Immigrant Visas ,
Required Forms ,
TN-Visas ,
USCIS ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: On January 31, 2019 DHS published the final rule for the electronic pre-registration of H-1B cap petitions and changed the order of selection of filings. ...more
2/1/2019
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Final Rules ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Registration Requirement ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
USCIS ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: Effective September 11, 2018, USCIS will suspend Premium Processing for all H-1B petitions filed at the Vermont and California Service Centers until February 19, 2019 (excluding filings by cap-exempt...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: USCIS recently announced that the agency will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B petitions subject to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2019 cap beginning on April 2, 2018. ...more
3/22/2018
/ Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Lottery ,
USCIS ,
Visa Caps ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published its regulatory plan for 2018, which aligns with President Trump’s Executive Order, Buy American Hire American.
...more
12/20/2017
/ Buy America ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Employment Eligibility Verification ,
Executive Orders ,
F-1 Visa ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
H-4 Spouses ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Trump Administration ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: Federal judges in Hawaii and Maryland have issued orders blocking major portions of President Trump’s September 24, 2017 Presidential Proclamation....more
10/20/2017
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Executive Orders ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Workers ,
Green Cards ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
National Security ,
Refugees ,
Terrorist Threats ,
Travel Ban ,
Trump Administration ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: On October 3, 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that effective immediately it would resume premium processing for all H-1B petitions....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Country-specific travel restrictions will impact nationals of Iran, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Chad, North Korea, and Venezuela....more
9/26/2017
/ B-1 ,
B-2 ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Executive Orders ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Workers ,
Green Cards ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
National Security ,
Refugees ,
Terrorist Threats ,
Travel Ban ,
Trump Administration ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: The United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) has reversed its longstanding practice and will begin to deny Advance Parole (AP) applications if a green card applicant travels internationally...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: On July 24, 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it would resume premium processing for H-1B petitions for certain cap-exempt employers effective immediately....more
Seyfarth Synopsis: U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the Travel Ban in their next term.
Shortly before its summer recess, the United States Supreme Court agreed to hear oral arguments on the Trump...more
6/27/2017
/ Bona Fide Relationship Test ,
Executive Orders ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Workers ,
Green Cards ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
National Security ,
Refugees ,
Terrorist Threats ,
Travel Ban ,
Trump Administration ,
Trump v International Refugee Assistance Project ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: On May 25, 2017, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit ruled that President Trump’s travel ban should remain on hold, upholding a preliminary injunction issued in March 2017 by a lower court....more
6/8/2017
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Executive Orders ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Workers ,
Green Cards ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
Refugees ,
Terrorist Threats ,
Travel Ban ,
Trump Administration ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: If Congress fails to pass a funding bill by midnight on Friday, April 28, resulting in a federal government shutdown, it would trigger numerous immigration-related ripple effects on employers, both large...more
4/25/2017
/ Customs and Border Protection ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
E-Verify ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Workers ,
Form I-9 ,
Government Shutdown ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Labor Condition Applications ,
Popular ,
USCIS ,
Visas
Seyfarth Synopsis: USCIS announced today that it has reached the FY 2018 H-1B Cap.
On April 7, 2017, United States Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it received sufficient H-1B petitions to meet...more
Seyfarth Synopsis: Federal judges from Hawaii and Maryland have issued nationwide Temporary Restraining Orders (TROs) effectively blocking the implementation of the Trump administration’s revised travel ban, which was...more
3/17/2017
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Executive Orders ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Green Cards ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Immigration Reform ,
International Travel ,
Refugees ,
Terrorist Threats ,
Travel Ban ,
TRO ,
Trump Administration ,
Vetting ,
Visa Interview Waiver Program (VIWP) ,
Visas