Today, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced a 30 day extension to its temporary policy allowing flexibility in the rules related to Form I-9 for employers operating 100% remotely in light of COVID-19. The...more
Petitioners with registrations selected in the FY 2021 H-1B cap lottery may begin filing as of April 1, 2020. The period for filing H-1B cap-subject petitions will be at least 90 days and the submission must include a printed...more
March 27 the USCIS announced it has received enough electronic registrations during the initial period to reach the FY2021 H-1B cap. USCIS conducted a lottery by randomly selecting from the registrations properly submitted. ...more
In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, USCIS announced temporary office closures effective March 18, 2020. USCIS is suspending all in-person services at its field offices, asylum offices, and Application Support...more
Due to concerns relating to the spread of the coronavirus, President Trump announced today the upcoming suspension of travel from Europe to the United States, with the exception of the United Kingdom. The travel suspension...more
USCIS’s new online portal for H-1B cap registration officially opened today. Employers and their Representatives may submit H-1B cap registrations starting today, March 1, 2020, through noon Eastern on March 20, 2020. All FY...more
On Wednesday, July 24th 2019, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security published a new EB-5 regulation which will go into effect November 21, 2019. The new EB-5 regulations will effectuate a number of changes, including...more
In March 2019, the Social Security Administration resumed issuance of Employer Correction Request Notices, commonly referred to as “Social Security No-Match Letters.”
The No-Match Letters are being sent to businesses...more
Israelis will finally be eligible to receive an E-2 Treaty Investor Visa. The U.S. Embassy in Israel has confirmed it will begin processing E-2 visas for Israeli citizens effective May 1, 2019. This announcement follows...more
Yesterday, USCIS announced it will resume Premium Processing effective Tuesday, March 12, 2019 for all H-1B petitions. Petitions processed with Premium Processing result in USCIS review within 15-calendar days. If USCIS...more
On February 15, President Trump signed the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2019 thereby averting another government shutdown. The spending bill funds the federal government and extends the EB-5 Regional Center Program...more
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has resumed processing of EB-5 Regional Center applications/petitions. The EB-5 Regional Center Program has been authorized and extended for three weeks in connection with the...more
E-Verify has resumed operations following the government shutdown. This federal government system used by many employers to confirm eligibility of employees to work in the United States had been closed during the 35-day...more
President Trump signed a spending bill thereby averting a government shutdown. The continuing resolution (CR) provides for a short-term extension of the EB-5 Regional Center Program through December 21, 2018. The CR also...more
Governmental workplace inspections are on the rise.
That means Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) inspections (audits) and raids on employers are likely to continue, especially in target industries such as...more
President Trump signed a bill today, H.R. 6157, with a short-term continuing resolution (CR) preventing a government shutdown and extending certain programs, including the EB-5 Regional Center Program, through December 7,...more
ICE workplace audits are on the rise. And if you didn’t know, the federal government and California are not harmonious in their views on immigration issues. That means that ICE raids on California employers are likely to...more
The highly desirable E-1 and E-2 visas are now available for nationals of New Zealand. Earlier this week, the President signed into law S. 2245, the Knowledgeable Innovators and Worthy Investors Act (‘KIWI Act’), thereby...more
The Israeli Knesset Internal Affairs Committee recently approved the new E-2 visa regulations thereby allowing Israeli entrepreneurs to file for and obtain E-2 visas in the United States. Until now, Israeli citizens were not...more
The EB-5 Program has been extended for six months, through September 30, 2018, as part of the omnibus spending bill funding the federal government. Congress passed the spending bill early Friday morning and President Trump...more
Congress has passed a stopgap spending bill which will extend the EB-5 Regional Center Program through January 19, 2018 without change. It is expected President Trump will sign the bill today, thereby averting a government...more
The EB-5 Program has been extended through December 22, 2017. The Program was extended as part of a continuing resolution (CR) funding the federal government through December 22, 2017, thus preventing a government shutdown....more
Today, Congress extended the EB-5 Program for 1 week through May 5, 2017. The Program was extended as part of a continuing resolution (CR) funding the federal government through May 5, 2017, thus preventing a government...more
On April 17, 2017, USCIS alerted stakeholders concerning a glitch on the Form I-9. The glitch specifically relates to any Form I-9 downloaded between November 14, 2016 and November 17, 2016 and the employee’s Social...more
Yesterday, USCIS announced it has completed the H-1B cap FY 2018 random selection process (also known as the H-1B lottery). This means USCIS has completed the lottery and has selected enough petitions to meet the 65,000...more