What Happens to President Trump's Immigration Proclamations During President Biden's First 100 Days?
Update from Washington: Employer's Preview of Immigration Restrictions from the Administration
Effective June 26, the U.S. Department of State (DOS) has required U.S. consulates to expand social media vetting for all F, M, and J visa applicants (students and exchange visitors) before issuing visas allowing them to...more
The U.S. Department of State has announced resumption of student and exchange visitor visa processing, along with expanded digital vetting procedures. The June 18, 2025, press release, “Announcement of Expanded Screening and...more
On June 4, 2025, the White House issued two presidential proclamations that impose new constraints on visa issuance and travel to the United States. These actions are expected to impact multinational employers, academic...more
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio recently announced a sweeping new directive: the United States will begin “aggressively” revoking visas of Chinese students, alleged to be in any way affiliated with the Chinese Communist...more
On May 27, 2025, the Department of State issued a cable instructing U.S. Embassies and Consulates to pause scheduling new visa appointments for foreign nationals seeking to obtain student and exchange visitor visas (F, M, and...more
You may be disappointed if your candidate was not selected for an H-1B visa in the recent cap lottery – but not all hope is lost. If you employ foreign nationals, the good news is that you can explore certain short-term,...more
The H-1B visa is among the most popular working visas in the U.S. for individuals filling professional positions. Most H-1B visas are subject to an annual quota or “cap.” Because demand exceeds the number of available visas,...more
In recent weeks the Department of State (DOS) has taken steps to revoke visas and terminate the status of international students who have criminal infractions and/or who have engaged in activism. In light of this intense...more
The Department of State (DOS) revised the J-1 Skills List, which lists home countries to which foreign nationals are subject to a two-year foreign home residency requirement. •The 37 countries that have been removed from...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
On December 9, 2024, through publication in the Federal Register, the U.S. Department of State announced a major shift in the policy governing the Exchange Visitor Skills List. This shift removes the two-year home residency...more
The U.S. Department of State announced a significant update to the Exchange Visitor Skills List, effective as of December 9, 2024. This action is in response to an Executive Order issued last year, in which the Biden...more
On December 9, 2024, the U.S. Department of State updated the J-1 Exchange Visitor Skills List, revising the countries subject to the two-year foreign residence requirement. The updated Exchange Visitor Skills List is...more
The U.S. Embassy in Havana has expanded visa services to include some temporary non-immigrant visas. Cuban nationals with the following approved petitions will be able to schedule visa interviews at the Embassy:...more
Missing out on the H-1B visa lottery can be disheartening, but it’s not necessarily the end of the road. If you employ foreign nationals, the good news is that you can explore certain short-term, long-term, and even some...more
The H-1B Electronic Registration Selection Process debuted in March 2020 for fiscal year 2021 H-1B cap-subject petitions. The barrier to entry dropped significantly with the introduction of the electronic registration...more
The American Medical Association (AMA) recently addressed the national physician shortage in the U.S. and the alarming gaps in access to medical care caused by this shortage across the country. According to the AMA, it's...more
Federal immigration officials announced on December 13 that the H-1B cap has been reached for FY 2024. Although you most likely expected the announcement, the finality inevitably leaves many employers and foreign national...more
On October 30, 2023, President Biden issued a comprehensive Executive Order directing several federal agencies to undertake numerous initiatives related to artificial intelligence (AI). The Executive Order includes several...more
Immigration compliance remains a critical requirement for K-12 schools across the country. Not only do all schools need to ensure they comply with new I-9 rules and procedures, but many also have grown to rely on foreign...more
Employers throughout the healthcare industry often experience difficulty hiring physicians due to a shortage of healthcare professionals in the United States. Physicians who hold J-1 visa status often require approval of a...more
As part of the Biden Administration’s initiative to retain high-skilled foreign nationals in the United States, the Department of Homeland Security announced that it is adding eight new fields as qualifying fields of study...more
Companies sponsoring certain foreign national workers may now be able to take advantage of an additional way to receive premium processing of petitions to support their immigration goals. Last month, U.S. Citizenship and...more
J-1 status is a favorite for foreign nationals attending medical resident training programs in the United States. While there are many advantages to the J-1 visa category, one major obstacle remains for J-1 physicians who...more
On March 17, medical students in Michigan and across the United States experienced an important milestone and discovered the next phase of their journeys in becoming future physicians on Match Day 2023. While the excitement...more