On June 28, 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule imposing increased fines on employers for failure to comply with I-9 regulations. In addition to higher fines, employers should expect an...more
Starting April 1, 2024, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will implement a meaningful fee increase, the first increase since 2016. Numerous case types and specific forms will receive significant fee...more
2/1/2024
/ EB-5 ,
Filing Fees ,
Form I-129 ,
H-1B ,
I-140 ,
Immigration Procedures ,
L-1 Visas ,
Lottery ,
USCIS ,
Visa Caps ,
Visas
UPDATE-
•In an August 2023 Client Alert, we previously reported on the 2024 ETIAS launch and its requirement that travelers obtain approval prior to traveling to Europe.
•It was recently announced that due to a variety of...more
October 2023 not only provided amazing Halloween costumes but big updates to the United States and global immigration. The Cozen O’Connor catch-up this month highlights these changes and provides the details you need to...more
11/7/2023
/ Corporate Counsel ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
ESTA ,
Foreign Workers ,
Form I-9 ,
Green Cards ,
H-1B ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Israel ,
L-1 Visas ,
Non-Immigrant Visas ,
Residency Requirements ,
Sole Proprietorship ,
US Department of State ,
USCIS ,
Visa Waiver Program ,
Visas
September 2023 saw major changes and updates in the United States and around the world. The Cozen O’Connor Immigration Catch-Up this month highlights these changes and provides the details you need to determine how or if...more
10/5/2023
/ Asylum ,
Biometric Information ,
Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) ,
ESTA ,
Foreign Workers ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Israel ,
Refugees ,
Temporary Protected Status ,
USCIS ,
Visa Waiver Program ,
Visas
On August 3, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed a new Pilot Program for virtual Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification inspections that would apply to employers not currently enrolled in E-Verify....more
OVERVIEW-
• All US citizens (and non-European travelers) will need to plan ahead and obtain ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) approval before traveling to Europe.
• ETIAS will launch in 2024,...more
On Tuesday, July 25, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be issuing a new version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Form I-9 with a version date of (Rev. 08/01/23) will be available...more
7/25/2023
/ Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
E-Verify ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Eligibility Verification ,
Foreign Workers ,
Form I-9 ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Remote Working ,
Required Forms ,
USCIS
OVERVIEW-
•On May 10, 2023, Senate Bill 1718 was signed into law by Governor Ron DeSantis.
•The bill aims to target the influx of illegal immigration into the state with tougher employment requirements, including adding...more
5/16/2023
/ Civil Monetary Penalty ,
E-Verify ,
Employment Authorization Documents (EAD) ,
Florida ,
Foreign Workers ,
Form I-9 ,
Governor DeSantis ,
Immigrants ,
Labor Law Violations ,
New Legislation ,
Popular
OVERVIEW-
•On January 3, 2023, USCIS published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to adjust certain benefit request fees that haven’t changed since 2016.
•Fee changes could dramatically increase both L-1 and H-1B...more
Recently, the USCIS has experienced increased processing times, forcing applicants for citizenship (filed Form N-400) to also have to file Form I-90 as well to extend their Green Cards and maintain proper, lawful status while...more
OVERVIEW-
•All nonimmigrant foreign nationals are required to present proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 prior to boarding a flight to the United States from a foreign country
•Applies only to nonimmigrant...more
Florida has passed a new law effective January 1, 2021, that will make use of E-Verify mandatory for all government employers and certain private employers. ...more
On June 22, 2020, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation continuing Proclamation 10014 of April 22, 2020, and suspending and limiting the entry of any individual seeking entry into the U.S. in any of the following...more
6/24/2020
/ Foreign Nationals ,
Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
H-2B ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
J-1 Visas ,
L-1 Visas ,
Non-Immigrant Visas ,
Trump Administration ,
Visas
As reported back in January, in the days prior to the numerous policy changes in both immigration and employment law, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) introduced a new version of Form I-9, Employment...more
President Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation temporarily suspending entry into the United States of certain categories of immigrants (i.e. those seeking permanent residence)....more
On Friday, January 31, 2020, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) introduced a new version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, for all new hires. The new form is available on the USCIS website and...more
On December 6, 2019, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it successfully completed the pilot testing for its online registration system that will be implemented in the 2020 H-1B lottery. This will...more
After a long wait, the U.S. Department of State has announced that a treaty investor agreement has finally been executed between Israel and the United States. Effective today, May 1, 2019, Israeli citizens may now apply for...more
Canadian professionals employed in the cannabis industry should be prepared to encounter significant difficulties when attempting to enter the United States at land ports-of-entry. Though cannabis was legalized in Canada...more
On January 5, 2018, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) kicked off two new “traveler compliance initiatives” aimed at assisting those travelers to the US on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)....more
The beginning of the calendar year is the perfect time for employers to begin planning for the FY2019 H-1B cap filing season, which will begin on Monday, April 2, 2018....more
1/25/2018
/ Foreign Workers ,
H-1B ,
Highly-Skilled Workers Visa ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Labor Condition Applications ,
Lottery ,
OPT ,
STEM ,
USCIS ,
Visa Caps ,
Visas
The federal government shutdown came to an end as the House and the Senate passed a Continuing Resolution (the “CR”) which extended the Federal budget until February 8, 2018. The President signed the bill late Monday night. ...more
1/24/2018
/ EB-5 ,
EB-5 Regional Centers ,
Federal Budget ,
Foreign Investment ,
Government Shutdown ,
Green Cards ,
I-526 Petition ,
Immigrant Investor Program ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Investors ,
Job Creation ,
Trump Administration ,
USCIS ,
Visas
As announced in our Immigration Alert posted September 18, 2017, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) announced the opening of the registration period for the 2019 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. Registration was set to begin...more
The following are some of the key immigration-related implications of President Trump’s March 6 executive order (Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States), with a particular focus on the...more