Catch-22: Potential Nonimmigrant Visa Issues Employers Should Be Aware Because of COVID-19 Related Furloughs and Shut Downs

What employers are going through today is something that hasn’t been seen in more than a century. To stem the tide of a global pandemic, more and more state and local governments are entering “Stay at Home” or “Shelter in Place” orders requiring businesses to shut down and close their doors. Continue reading “Catch-22: Potential Nonimmigrant Visa Issues Employers Should Be Aware Because of COVID-19 Related Furloughs and Shut Downs”

Economic Times: US agency slows H-1B denials as lawsuits mount

bloombergA US agency that administers the visa application process is denying fewer H-1B visas following stepped-up filing of lawsuits, immigration lawyers said. This comes despite the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) seeking more Requests for Evidence (RFEs) from H1-B visa applicants.

Several immigration lawyers told ET that more lawsuits are being filed against the USCIS.

Deepali Khadakban, a member of an industry body representing over 1,250 small and medium staffing and IT firms doing combined business worth over $5 billion, said its member firms have taken the USCIS head-on in the last two years, filing over 133 cases challenging visa denials. The ITServe Alliance works with companies like Google, Ebay and Bank of America.

To read this article in full, please visit the Economic Times Tech website found here.

USCIS Resumes H-1B Premium Processing for Conrad Waiver Program Physicians

Mechelle Zarou

On Monday, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) resumed premium processing for all H-1B petitions filed for physicians under the Conrad Waiver program, as well as interested government interagency waivers. Continue reading “USCIS Resumes H-1B Premium Processing for Conrad Waiver Program Physicians”

Breaking News: USCIS will Temporarily Suspend Premium Processing of H-1B Petitions

Mechelle Zarou
Mechelle Zarou

In an effort to reduce the growing backlog of pending H-1B petitions, including those H-1B extensions nearing the 240 day limit when continued work authorization would end, USCIS announced today that it would temporarily suspend the use of premium processing in ALL H-1B cases, whether filed under the upcoming H-1B cap, or whether the filing is exempt from the H-1B cap, beginning April 3, 2017. Continue reading “Breaking News: USCIS will Temporarily Suspend Premium Processing of H-1B Petitions”

U.S. Manufacturers Need Immigration Certainty to Grow Economy

Maria del Carmen Ramos
Maria del Carmen Ramos

When President Barack Obama unveiled his Immigration Accountability Executive Actions in 2014, a measure supported by the National Association of Manufacturers, the media was focused on how the current administration’s immigration initiatives would affect the millions of undocumented workers. Continue reading “U.S. Manufacturers Need Immigration Certainty to Grow Economy”

USCIS Has Finished Returning Unselected H-1B Cap Subject Petitions

Maria del Carmen Ramos
Maria del Carmen Ramos

On July 8, 2016, U.S. Immigration & Citizenship Services (“USCIS”) announced that it had returned all unselected H-1B cap-subject petitions for fiscal year 2017 not selected by its lottery. Continue reading “USCIS Has Finished Returning Unselected H-1B Cap Subject Petitions”

Our Immigration Policy Shouldn’t be Left to Chance

Maria del Carmen Ramos
Maria del Carmen Ramos

Summer is here, and most business immigration practitioners are breathing a sigh a relief that the H-1B season is over. At the same, however, many are scrambling to find a visa alternative for employers whose H-1B petitions were not chosen. Continue reading “Our Immigration Policy Shouldn’t be Left to Chance”

USCIS Finishes Data Entry of H-1B Cap Subject Petitions

Maria del Carmen Ramos
Maria del Carmen Ramos

On May 2, 2016, U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) notified stakeholders and the public that it completed data entry of all fiscal year 2017 H-1B cap-subject petitions selected by its random computer-generated lottery. Continue reading “USCIS Finishes Data Entry of H-1B Cap Subject Petitions”

Alert: Premium Processing for FY 2017 H-1B Cap Petitions to Begin May 12

Mechelle Zarou
Mechelle Zarou

On May 12, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin premium processing cap-subject H-1B petitions requesting premium processing, including petitions seeking an exemption for individuals with a U.S. master’s degree or higher. Continue reading “Alert: Premium Processing for FY 2017 H-1B Cap Petitions to Begin May 12”

8TH CIRCUIT DENIES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Mechelle Zarou
Mechelle Zarou

Traditionally, the Department of Labor (“DOL”) has used the complaint of a single H-1B employee to investigate a company’s entire H-1B program. Following the latest decision from the 8th Circuit, this approach is likely to cease. Continue reading “8TH CIRCUIT DENIES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR”