The U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division recently announced a suspension in enforcing the 2024 rule from the Biden Administration that is designed to enhance protections for H-2A workers....more
This Holland & Knight alert details new U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) rules amending a preexisting but rarely enforced registration requirement for foreign nationals, including Canadians and child visa holders on...more
On January 20, 2025, President Trump issued Executive Order 14159 ”Protecting the American People Against Invasion,” directing the Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) to ensure that foreign nationals comply with their...more
On April 11, 2025, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin enforcing the newly created requirement....more
On March 12, 2025, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an Interim Final Regulation (IFR) designating a new registration form to comply with statutory alien registration requirements. The rule takes effect on...more
Federal immigration officials are about to significantly expand foreign national registration enforcement by requiring certain noncitizens to register with the government, provide biometric data, and carry proof of...more
The initial months of President Donald Trump’s second term have seen the administration enact several significant new immigration policies that have immediate implications for employers across the United States. Understanding...more
In a significant move to attract wealthy investors, President Donald Trump has floated a new immigration initiative known as the “Gold Card.” The initial announcement indicates that the Gold Card will make the EB-5 investment...more
USCIS has announced that it is establishing a new form and process by which undocumented immigrants may register pursuant to section 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) (8 U.S.C. § 1302) and a Jan. 20, 2025,...more
Date Issued: Jan. 20, 2025 This executive order suspends entry into the U.S. through the southern border by individuals who fail to provide federal officials with sufficient medical information, criminal history and...more
On December 9, 2024, The Department of State issued two major revisions to its Exchange Visitor Skills list resulting in reducing the number of countries on the Exchange Visitor Skills List by almost half. Countries such as...more
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the designation of Lebanon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for a period of 18 months, and also established procedures for eligible Lebanese nationals granted Deferred...more
The U.S. Department of State has announced that annual visa limits for fiscal year (FY) 2024 have been reached for the following employment-based categories: EB-1, EB-2, EB-3, EW (other workers), EB-4, and EB-5 unreserved....more
On Monday, September 9, 2024, the U.S. Department of State (DOS), working in close collaboration with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), announced publicly that all available immigrant visas in the...more
On August 2, 2024, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit upheld a rule allowing the spouses of H-1B visa holders to work in the United States. In doing so, the Court rejected a longstanding challenge...more
On June 18, 2024, the White House unveiled two new initiatives to provide a faster path to work authorization for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients—also called Dreamers—and other undocumented...more
Looking back at 2023, many of the employment-based immigration changes proposed and implemented by various U.S. government agencies focused on increasing efficiency and alleviating strain on our immigration system. ...more
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Department of State have significant volumes of adjustment of status and immigrant visa applications in their inventories, limiting the supply of available...more
The U.S. State Department and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) have announced several significant updates relating to the 2025 Diversity Lottery Program and the Temporary Protected Status extension...more
At the beginning of each federal fiscal year (October), the Department of State conducts a lottery called the Diversity Immigrant Visa Program. If a person is selected, they are eligible to submit an application for permanent...more
If you’re an employer or HR professional, you’ve likely heard about this important aspect of hiring and onboarding. But what exactly is I-9 compliance? And why is it crucial for your business?...more
Last week, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued new guidance on the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER), which was first published by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on January 17, 2017. Full...more
On December 12, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it would automatically extend the validity of permanent resident cards (green cards) for lawful permanent residents (LPRs) who have...more
In 1986, the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”) was amended to require all employers to verify the employment eligibility of all newly hired workers. The regulations interpreting the INA require employers to physically...more
On September 8, 2022, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced its long waited public charge rule. As outlined in our previous alert, in March 2021, USCIS rescinded its public charge rule, which...more