In light of recent reports of proposed changes to the H-1B work visa program by the Trump administration, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) has confirmed several important details about the upcoming H-1B visa filing season, which will commence on April 2, 2018. Most importantly, USCIS intends for the H-1B filing process and procedures to remain the same as it ... Read Full Article
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Potential Changes to Skilled Immigration Programs in 2018
The Trump administration’s future immigration intentions were recently announced in their semi-annual Unified Agenda. The Unified Agenda lists possible regulations under development by federal agencies for the coming year. The announcement indicates the administration’s plans to undo Obama administration immigration benefits and impose tighter restrictions on nonimmigrant visa ... Read Full Article
ICE to Quadruple Workplace Raids in 2018
Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) has ordered the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit to “quadruple to quintuple” the current number of routine workplace investigations of U.S. employers in the coming year. While the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement efforts have thus far mostly focused on undocumented individuals, the goal of ICE’s new strategy ... Read Full Article
U.S. Workplace Immigration Update: Visa Extension Scrutiny
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has annouced updated policy guidance, which now instructs immigration officers to apply the same level of scrutiny to both initial visa petitions and visa extension petitions in certain nonimmigrant categories, including the H-1B visa. This new policy rescinds the current practice which instructs officers to give “deference” to ... Read Full Article
What You Need To Know About the End of DACA
President Trump has announced his plans to terminate the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which provides “temporary relief from deportation” and work authorization for certain undocumented immigrants who arrived in the U.S. when they were minors. There are over 800,000 DACA beneficiaries across the country, the majority of whom are legally employed by U.S. ... Read Full Article
New Immigration Interviews for Employment-Based Green Cards
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that beginning October 1st in-person interviews will be required for individuals seeking to adjust from an employment-based nonimmigrant status (i.e. H-1B, L-1, O-1, etc.) to lawful permanent residence (or “green card”) status in the United States. Interviews will also be required for family members of refugees or ... Read Full Article
Breaking: New Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9 for 2017
U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the release of a new version of the Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9, which is used to verify the identity and employment authorization of individuals hired to work in the United States. Employers and Human Resources staff may begin using this new Form I-9 or continue to use the current version of ... Read Full Article
How the Travel Ban Impacts Employers
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled to partially unblock President Trump’s executive order temporarily banning travel to the U.S. from the following predominantly muslim countries: Iran, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. The ruling will keep in place part of the lower court injunction but will reinstate a travel ban for foreign nationals “who lack any bona fide relationship” ... Read Full Article