The Biden Administration has proposed raising application fees for employment-based visas and other immigration programs. As a result of the proposed rule, employers would be required to pay significantly higher fees for petitioning for and sponsoring workers for permanent residence. The new fee schedule proposes a significant increase in fees for using the electronic registration… [Read More]
Client Advisory: October Visa Bulletin Announces Considerable Retrogression for EB-2 India
The State Department released its October Visa Bulletin revealing a significant retrogression in certain employment-based immigrant visa (green card) categories. The EB-2 Category for India was the most impacted. On September 6th 2022, USCIS reported that the visa cap had been reached for EB-1 and EB-2 visas for applicants in countries of chargeability. With the release of… [Read More]
Client Advisory: H-1B cap for fiscal year 2023 has been reached
USCIS announced Tuesday that they have received enough petitions to satisfy the congressionally mandated H-1B visa regular cap of 65,000 and the master’s cap of 20,000 for fiscal year 2023. There will be no further opportunities for cap-subject institutions to apply for new H-1B visas in FY 2023 but those that were not selected may… [Read More]
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]
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]
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]
Cricketers in Maine Show the Positive Impacts of Immigration
We love this article in the Portland Press Herald about the Maine Cricket League – a group that has been playing competitive cricket in Maine for nearly a decade and has its championship game Saturday at 3 p.m. As immigration attorneys, we help businesses and individuals obtain visas and green cards to live and work… [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]
