U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on July 27 that it will conduct a second round of random selections from the previously submitted FY 2024 H-1B pre-registrations. These pre-registration requests...more
On July 16, 2023, the Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) enacted a new immigration program aimed exclusively at U.S. H-1B visa holders. The program announced that the annual cap of 10,000 applications had...more
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of Homeland Security have all announced several significant updates, relating to the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) Program and STEM Optional...more
On June 28, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) introduced a new online Biometrics Appointment Rescheduling tool, which allows immigration benefits applicants and their attorneys to reschedule biometrics...more
Now that summer has begun, the Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and ICE have all issued several significant updates, relating to the expansion of premium processing...more
On May 10, 2023, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed Senate Bill 1718, which significantly impacts employers with operations in Florida. All U.S. employers, public and private, with over 25 employees in Florida must properly...more
Over the past few weeks, there have been several immigration-related updates from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, USCIS, and other immigration-related agencies relevant to our clients. Below is a summary of these...more
On March 27, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had selected sufficient H-1B visa preregistrations to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 regular H-1B cap (bachelor’s degree cap)...more
On March 27, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has selected sufficient H-1B Visa Petitions to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 regular cap (bachelor’s degree cap) and 20,000...more
Over the past week, the State Department and USCIS have issued several significant updates, including the return of U.S. stateside visa processing and the expansion of premium processing for F-1 students....more
On January 27, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the dates for this year’s H-1B pre-registration filing period.
The H-1B Cap Season: March 2023-
The H-1B nonimmigrant visa is one of the...more
Over the past week, USCIS has issued several updates including the expansion of premium processing services and bundling of H-1B and L-1 Visa spouses requests.
USCIS Announces the Expansion of Premium Processing Services...more
Happy New Year! As we begin 2023, we would like to share the following recent U.S. immigration-related updates:
Nonimmigrant Visa Interview Waivers Extended Until December 31, 2023 On December 23, 2022, the U.S....more
Although the economic expectations for 2023 seem uncertain, demand for H-1B visas for skilled workers in the next year will likely remain high. As a result, we urge employers to start assessing their current and prospective...more
The Real ID Act requires U.S. states to issue driver’s licenses and non-driver identification cards that meet enhanced security standards for purposes of travel and admission to federal facilities....more
Recent massive layoffs and hiring freezes announced by major technology companies, coupled with fears of an imminent recession in the U.S. have significantly impacted workers and raised concerns among many currently employed...more
For the many planning international travel this holiday season, it’s essential to consider COVID-19 policies worldwide, including U.S. entry policies, consular post availability for purposes of scheduling visa appointments,...more
Due to continued health and safety precautions related to Covid-19, on October 11, 2022, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), announced its extension of...more
Starting on November 1, 2022, employers verifying their employees’ identity and employment authorization eligibility must use the new I-9 Form version....more
This week, the U.S. State Department has announced that the dates for this year’s Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery filings will officially open on Wednesday, October 5, 2022 at 12:00 p.m. EDT, with the entry period closing on...more
On September 8, 2022, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced its long waited public charge rule. As outlined in our previous alert, in March 2021, USCIS rescinded its public charge rule, which...more
On August 24, 2022, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published its long-awaited Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) Final Rule, which allows USCIS to grant DACA renewal requests after...more
On August 23, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has selected sufficient H-1B Visa Petitions to reach the congressionally mandated 65,000 regular cap and 20,000 U.S. advanced degree...more
Consistent with its goal of removing barriers to legal immigration, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently issued guidance and launched initiatives related to individuals in the science, technology,...more
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) instituted temporary accommodations governing the renewal of documents for Form I-9 purposes relating to employment authorization in all work...more