Client Advisory: USCIS Updates Form I-693: Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record

USCIS recently announced updates made to form I-693, Report of Medical Examination and Vaccination Record. Beginning October 5, 2022 USCIS will only accept Form I-693 edition 7/19/2022.  The last day USCIS will accept the earlier edition of Form I-693 will be October 4, 2022. This date is based on when the Civil Surgeon signs the… [Read More]

Client Advisory: USCIS Announces Phase Two of Premium Processing Upgrade Expansion

On July 15th, 2022, USCIS announced that they will begin implementing phase two of the premium processing upgrade expansion plan for certain pending EB-1 and EB-2 I-140 Petitions. Beginning August 1st, 2022, USCIS will accept premium processing upgrades for the following categories: E21 National Interest Waiver Petitions received on or before July 1st, 2021 E13 Multinational… [Read More]

Client Advisory: Premium Processing Upgrades Expanded for Certain Pending EB-1 and EB-2 I-140 Petitions

On May 24th, 2022, USCIS announced that they have further expanded premium processing for certain pending EB-1 and EB-2 I-140 petitions. The included categories and implementation dates are as follows: June 1st, 2022 E13 Multinational Executive and Manager Petitions received before January 1, 2021 July 1st, 2022 E21 National Interest Waiver Petitions received on or… [Read More]

Client Advisory: USCIS Announces Temporary Final Rule Extending the Automatic Extension Period of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for Certain Applicants

On May 4th, 2022, USCIS announced a new rule from DHS temporarily increasing the automatic extension period for EAD eligible renewal applicants. The automatic extension period begins the date of expiration on the EAD (Employment Authorization Document) for a new total of 540 days.  The previous rule provided 180 days from the expiration of EAD;… [Read More]

Client Advisory: Possible Future Availability of Expedited Premium Processing for Certain Applications

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that they have issued a final rule to expand premium processing for the following forms: I-140, I-539, I-765. While premium processing does exist for some of these categories now, this new rule will include additional case types and categories. What Does This Mean? Nothing, yet…. [Read More]

Strategic Use of the E Visa with Blanket L Petitions

Multinational companies rely on being able to move important team members at the speed of business. To do this effectively, corporate leadership must employ immigration strategies that consider a variety of scenarios – from temporary visas for training and short-term projects to longer-term solutions that allow foreign executives, managers, and those with critical skillsets to… [Read More]

What to do if your Business Receives a “No-Match” Notification

A recent New York Times article reported that tens of thousands of employers are expected to receive “no-match” notifications from the Social Security Administration, a move that could cause massive disruptions in hospitality, construction and agriculture workforces. The notifications are the first to be sent since 2012. The practice received increased scrutiny in 2007, when… [Read More]

The Strong Argument for H-2B Relief

A recent editorial in the Portland Press Herald lays out compelling reasons to increase the availability of H-2B visas. The H-2B visa program is especially useful to hospitality and agriculture employers who depend on seasonal workers. As the only viable option for seasonal workers and “non-professional” positions, employers that are shut out from the H-2B… [Read More]