On November 10, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security reached a settlement agreement that impacts employment authorization for individuals in H-4 or L-2 status. H-4 BENEFICIARIES: Employment Authorization and Those in H-4 Status The settlement agreement applies to an H-4 dependent spouse who: Properly filed an EAD renewal application before expiration of their current EAD;… [Read More]
CLIENT ALERT: Requirements for Those Travelling by Air into the United States
Regional Travel Bans Rescinded As of November 8, 2021, the United States government has rescinded country-specific suspensions and limitations on travel and entry to the United States: Rescinding Proclamation 9984 (January 31, 2020) (Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Nonimmigrants of Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting 2019 Novel Coronavirus and Other Appropriate Measures… [Read More]
Trump Administration Seeks to Change Requirements of H-1B Visa
The Trump Administration issued two rulings Tuesday that could make it harder to qualify for an H-1B visa and would raise wages for H-1B workers. The changes could impact staffing agencies that employ H-1B visa holders at third party sites, but most employers who depend on the H-1B program for highly skilled foreign workers should view… [Read More]
U.S. Dept of State Issues Guidelines for Travel Ban Exemptions
In early June, President Trump issued successive executive orders suspending entry to the U.S. for individuals holding H-1B, L and J-1 visas “who present a risk to the U.S. labor market during economic recovery”. Even though these Proclamations had built-in exceptions for those who were seeking entry for the “national interest” of the United States,… [Read More]
Trump Administration Rescinds Harmful Foreign Students Policy
The Trump Administration has stepped back from a policy that would have denied visas to foreign students in the event colleges and universities moved to virtual instruction for the 2020-2021 school year. The July 6 policy announcement was met with immediate disapproval from higher education institutions and prompted a lawsuit from Harvard and MIT, along… [Read More]
SEVP Backs Away from Temporary Plan Helping F-1/M-1 Students during the Pandemic
During the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, SEVP instituted temporary measures allowing F-1 and M-1 students to take more classes online than normally permitted under the Regulations. Request Your Complimentary Consultation Generally, SEVP Regulations only permit 1 class online per semester with the remaining credit hours to be taken “in person” at the university. In… [Read More]
I-9 Enforcement Could be Next Front in Immigration Battle
The Trump Administration made clear it plans to continue to link record high unemployment with immigration, as seen with President Trump’s recent executive order suspending entry to the U.S. on the H-1B, L and J-1 visas. While business leaders across the United States challenge the legality and efficacy of the Executive Order, it is safe… [Read More]
Client Advisory: Executive Order Restricting Certain Work Visas
Citing economic concerns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, President Trump extended a freeze on green cards issued outside the U.S. to the end of the year, and expanded the order to suspend the entry of foreign nationals on certain employment-based nonimmigrant visas, including H-1B, L-1 and J-1. Please note that the new restrictions do not… [Read More]
USCIS Resumes Premium Processing
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced that it will resume premium processing for Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker and Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, in phases over the next month. Effective June 1, 2020, USCIS will accept Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service for all eligible Form I-140 petitions…. [Read More]
USCIS Releases Guidance on Covid-19 Impacts for Conrad and HHS Waiver Foreign Physicians
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has released guidance for foreign physicians who are subject to Conrad and HHS J-1 waiver provisions and their employers. This guidance provides protections for physicians who are not able to sustain full-time work schedules due to Covid-19 related interruptions and also confirms the ability of foreign physicians to undertake telemedicine… [Read More]
