Headlines: 1. USCIS Seeks Comments on Proposed Rule to Change Certain Employment-Based Visa Programs -USCIS seeks public comments on a proposed rule published on December 31, 2015, “Retention of EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 Immigrant Workers and Program Improvements Affecting High-Skilled Nonimmigrant Workers,” that would change certain aspects of employment-based visa programs. 2. Omnibus Bill Includes […]
Headlines: 1. House Votes for Stricter Visa Waiver Program Following Terror Concerns; Obama Announces Changes -Following recent terror attacks in Paris, France, and San Bernardino, California, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to tighten restrictions on travelers under the VWP. Also, President Barack Obama announced new security measures for the VWP, including gathering more information […]
Headlines: 1. USCIS Adds 16 Countries to H-2A/H-2B Visa Programs -The countries being added in January are Andorra, Belgium, Brunei, Colombia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Lichtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, San Marino, Singapore, Taiwan, and Timor-Leste. Moldova will no longer be designated as an eligible country to participate in the H-2B program because Moldova is not […]
Headlines: 1. Fifth Circuit Upholds Injunction Against Obama Administration’s DACA/DAPA Programs -The court found, among other things, that the states have shown that the threatened injury if the injunction were denied outweighed any harm that would result if the injunction were granted. 2. State Dept. Projects Employment-Based Visa Number Availability in Coming Months -The Department […]
Headlines: 1. DHS Proposes Rule on Expanding F-1 STEM OPT -Among other things, the proposal would allow F-1 STEM students who have elected to pursue 12 months of OPT in the United States to extend the OPT period by 24 months. 2. Labor Dept. Publishes Final Rule on Temporary Employment of H-2A Workers in Herding […]
Headlines: 1. Update on ‘Visagate’ Filing Date Fiasco: Temporary Restraining Order Denied -On October 7, 2015, a judge rejected a petition for a temporary restraining order (TRO) in a class action challenging a new change to the October Visa Bulletin. 2. Congress Extends Four Immigration Programs Until December 11 -Congress has extended the EB-5, E-Verify, […]
Headlines: 1. State Dept. Moves Many Filing Dates Back From Previously Released October Visa Bulletin; Lawsuit Filed -On September 24, 2015, the Department of State issued an update that supersedes the previously released October Visa Bulletin. By moving many filing dates back, the update radically changed the recently announced benefit offered by a revised procedure […]
Headlines: 1. USCIS, State Dept. Revise Procedures for Determining Visa Availability for Adjustment of Status Applicants -Applicants will be able to file adjustment applications before their priority dates become current, based on a new second chart in the Visa Bulletin listing when applications can be filed. 2. CBP Redesigns ESTA Website for Visa Waiver Program […]
Headlines: 1. New L-1B Memo Addresses Some Issues, But Concerns Remain -Some practitioners expressed concerns that the memo still gives adjudicators broad discretion to issue RFEs and denials. 2. USCIS Discontinues Legacy E-Filing System -After the legacy system is decommissioned and before the new system is fully operational, applicants must use paper forms for several […]
Headlines: 1. District Court Strikes Down DHS Rule Extending STEM OPT, But Stays Action Until 2016 -The court struck down a 2008 interim rule extending the duration of STEM OPT by 17 months but stayed that action until February 12, 2016, to avoid disruption and allow DHS to submit the rule for notice and comment. […]