Data assessment from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Data Hub shows denial rates for new H-1B petition and H-1B extensions at unprecedented levels in the two fiscal years since President Trump took office. The USCIS launched the H-1B Employer Data Hub in early April. The Hub is part of an ongoing initiative… [Read More]
FordMurray releases 2019 H-1B Guides
FordMurray is pleased to release two new H-1B Guides for 2019: the H-1B Employers Guide and H-1B Guide for Individuals. While both guides are filled with up-to-date information on the upcoming H-1B Cap Lottery process, they are designed to answer the specific questions we receive from employers and individuals about the H-1B petition process. H-1B… [Read More]
7 Tips for the 2020 H-1B Cap Season
While immigration – or more specifically, President Trump’s “wall” – dominates the first full week for the newly elected Congress, the next few months should see immigration in the forefront of national discourse. Immediately, we can expect debate to continue as the majority Democrat House of Representatives spar with President Trump over funding for his… [Read More]
How the Government Shutdown is Impacting Immigration Law
As the government shutdown enters its third week, many employers are beginning to wonder what impacts the shutdown will have on their international workforces. The good news – most services provided by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) are fee-funded, and do not depend on government fund appropriation. With that being said, some USCIS… [Read More]
2018 Year in Review – the Top 5 Changes to Business Immigration this Year
2018 saw many changes in the immigration landscape and the implementation of President Donald Trump’s “Buy American, Hire American” initiative, which has and will continue to reshape the way the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) enforces federal immigration law. While news headlines were dominated by anti-immigrant policy and rhetoric, talk of building a… [Read More]
The Impacts of Premium Processing for H-1B Extensions and Portability
On August 28, 2018, the USCIS announced that an April suspension of premium processing for Cap-subject H-1B petitions would continue and would be expanded as of September 11, 2018, to other H-1B petitions, most notably, H-1B extensions and H-1B “change of employer”. The suspension of H-1B premium processing for these types of H-1B petitions is expected to last until… [Read More]
EB Visa Availability Update
Retrogression of visa category priority dates impact EB petition applications According to recent information that the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) gained from the U.S. Department of State, the EB-1 Worldwide category is likely to remain retrogressed through December 2018. When visa categories are retrogressed, applicants can still file I-140 petitions; however once the I-140… [Read More]
Rule By Memorandum: What You Need to Know about USCIS Updates to NTA Policy
A memo published July 5 by the United States Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) outlines a policy change that could have far reaching implications for those in the United States on work or student visas. Change in Notice to Appear Policy The July memo, which, among other decrees, instructs USCIS to issue a Notice to… [Read More]
Why President Trump Doesn’t Need to Change Laws to Rewrite Immigration Policy
The “zero-tolerance” policy on illegal immigration instituted by Attorney General Jeff Sessions in April and discontinued Wednesday via executive order by President Trump has resulted in the separation of children from their parents and placed a human face on one of the hallmarks of President Trump’s approach to immigration reform – using unyielding interpretation of existing… [Read More]
Not Just Dreamers – Here Are Three Real Immigration Problems Congress Should Address (And How to Fix Them)
House Speaker Paul Ryan on Tuesday announced two votes on immigration legislation in the United States House of Representatives, derailing efforts by bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives to secure the signatures necessary to vote on competing immigration reform bills using a discharge petition. The upcoming votes on two separate immigration bills – one proposed by… [Read More]
