What Happens to President Trump's Immigration Proclamations During President Biden's First 100 Days?
Update from Washington: Employer's Preview of Immigration Restrictions from the Administration
You may be disappointed if your candidate was not selected for an H-1B visa in the recent cap lottery – but not all hope is lost. If you employ foreign nationals, the good news is that you can explore certain short-term,...more
International students and recent graduates across the county are facing the possibility of the government revoking their F-1 Student status or J-1 Exchange Visitor status, exposing them to the possibility of deportation –...more
The H-1B visa is among the most popular working visas in the U.S. for individuals filling professional positions. Most H-1B visas are subject to an annual quota or “cap.” Because demand exceeds the number of available visas,...more
In recent weeks the Department of State (DOS) has taken steps to revoke visas and terminate the status of international students who have criminal infractions and/or who have engaged in activism. In light of this intense...more
Across the Mountain West—Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico, Utah, and Wyoming—physician shortages are straining healthcare systems, particularly in rural and frontier communities. In response, state legislatures in the...more
By Samantha Wolfe The United States faces a critical shortage of healthcare professionals, particularly in rural areas. Hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics struggle to find qualified workers, leading to increased patient...more
The Department of State (DOS) revised the J-1 Skills List, which lists home countries to which foreign nationals are subject to a two-year foreign home residency requirement. •The 37 countries that have been removed from...more
The H-1B cap registration and lottery for Fiscal Year 2026 is expected to begin in early March – only two months from now. Although the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has not yet announced the exact registration...more
There are typically four key documents relating to nonimmigrant (i.e., temporary) travel to and authorized stay in the United States. It is important to understand what these documents are, what purpose they serve, and how...more
On December 9, 2024, The Department of State issued two major revisions to its Exchange Visitor Skills list resulting in reducing the number of countries on the Exchange Visitor Skills List by almost half. Countries such as...more
On December 9, 2024, through publication in the Federal Register, the U.S. Department of State announced a major shift in the policy governing the Exchange Visitor Skills List. This shift removes the two-year home residency...more
The U.S. Department of State announced a significant update to the Exchange Visitor Skills List, effective as of December 9, 2024. This action is in response to an Executive Order issued last year, in which the Biden...more
On December 9, 2024, the U.S. Department of State updated the J-1 Exchange Visitor Skills List, revising the countries subject to the two-year foreign residence requirement. The updated Exchange Visitor Skills List is...more
Published in the Federal Register on December 9, 2024, and effective immediately, the US State Department has updated the J-1 Skills List for the first time since 2009. This update substantially reduces the list of countries...more
For the first time since 2009, the U.S. Department of State has proposed updates to the “Skills List” that applies to J-1 visa holders and determines, in some cases, whether the J-1 visa holder is subject to the two-year home...more
The U.S. Department of State has announced a major update to the Exchange Visitor Skills List, effective December 9, 2024. This is the first significant revision in 15 years and removes the two-year home-residency requirement...more
The Maryland Department of Health (MDH) released an updated policy manual at the end of September for the 2025 Conrad 30 Waiver Program application cycle, which opened October 1st. Changes include an online-only submission...more
Unlike casual gaming, esports involves professional players, structured tournaments, and often large audiences, both online and in-person, akin to traditional sports events. With its own ecosystem of leagues, sponsors, and...more
The U.S. Embassy in Havana has expanded visa services to include some temporary non-immigrant visas. Cuban nationals with the following approved petitions will be able to schedule visa interviews at the Embassy:...more
The U.S. has long had a shortage of physicians in various practice areas. The shortage is even more pronounced in rural areas. International medical graduates (IMG’s) who come to the U.S. to complete a residency in a...more
Missing out on the H-1B visa lottery can be disheartening, but it’s not necessarily the end of the road. If you employ foreign nationals, the good news is that you can explore certain short-term, long-term, and even some...more
On April 19, 2024, the U.S. Department of State announced the United States and Japan have agreed to extend the maximum period of stay for Japanese exchange specialists to 36 months on a J-1 visa. Under the previous...more
The Department of State announced that the United States and Japan have established a new J-1 Exchange Program – the Japanese Specialist Program. The new program specifically facilitates the exchange of Japanese language and...more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it has completed its annual H-1B cap lottery selection process for fiscal year 2025. Given the high number of lottery registrations and the fixed number of...more
The H-1B Electronic Registration Selection Process debuted in March 2020 for fiscal year 2021 H-1B cap-subject petitions. The barrier to entry dropped significantly with the introduction of the electronic registration...more