Headlines: 1. Expanded DACA Starts February 18, USCIS Updates FAQ – Expanded DACA extends the deferred action period and employment authorization to three years from two years, and allows those to be considered for DACA if they meet certain conditions. 2. H-2B Cap Reached for First Half of FY 2015 – USCIS said that it […]
Headlines: 1. DHS Considers ‘Known Employer’ Program To Aid Business Travel – DHS expects to launch a pilot by late 2015 to test the program. 2. HHS Updates Poverty Guidelines – Among other things, the poverty guidelines are used in determining minimum income requirements for Form I-864, Affidavit of Support, and Form I-912, Fee Waiver […]
Headlines: 1. State Dept. Anticipates Visa Number Movement in Some Employment-Based Categories – Forward movement is possible in some employment-based categories in the coming months. 2. USCIS Revises Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker – Starting on May 1, 2015, USCIS will accept only the October 23, 2014, edition of the I-129. 3. Agencies Launch Awareness […]
Headlines: 1. President Announces Thaw in Relations With Cuba – The measures President Obama announced included, among other things, initiating discussions to re-establish diplomatic relations with Cuba, and facilitating an expansion of travel. 2. U.S. District Court Dismisses Sheriff’s Challenge to Obama’s Executive Action – The judge shot down the three main arguments the plaintiff […]
Headlines: 1. States, Governors File Suit Against President’s Executive Actions on Immigration – The lawsuit singles out a directive on expanding deferred action for childhood arrivals for certain individuals who came to the United States as children and creating a new deferred action program for certain parents of U.S. citizens or permanent residents. 2. USCIS […]
Headlines: 1. Obama Takes Executive Action on Immigration – Shortly after the mid-term elections, President Barack Obama initiated several executive actions on immigration. 2. Labor Dept. To Modernize PERM Recruitment and Application Requirements – DOL will review the PERM program and relevant regulations with a goal of updating them. 3. Labor Dept. Establishes Interagency Working […]
Headlines: 1. Following Midterm Elections, Obama Plans Executive Orders on Immigration – President Obama reportedly plans to order several immigration-related changes by the end of this year. 2. U.S., China Extend Short-Term, Business Visa Validity in Reciprocal Arrangement – On November 12, 2014, the United States began issuing visas in accordance with a new reciprocal […]
Headlines: 1. Labor Cert News: Atlanta NPC No Longer Forwarding to BALCA All PERM Requests for Reconsideration; Statistical Updates for FY 2014 Q4; H-1B Legacy Docs No Longer Available – The Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) recently announced news on several topics. 2. U.S. Court of Appeals for D.C. Circuit Reverses […]
Headlines: 1. SEC Charges Immigration Attorneys With Defrauding Investors Seeking U.S. Residence; SEC-USCIS Issue Joint Alert – SEC and USCIS caution potential EB-5 investors about phony regional centers posing as legitimate investment opportunities. 2. Justice Dept. Settles Lawsuit Against Texas Bus Company for Discrimination – The lawsuit alleged that the company discriminated against U.S. workers […]
Headlines: 1. State Dept. Releases Instructions on Applying for DV-2016 Program – Entries for the DV-2016 DV program must be submitted electronically by noon EST (GMT-5), Monday, November 3, 2014. 2. USCIS Announces New Secure Blue Ink for Many Stamps – USCIS said employers should be aware of this recent change in secure ink color […]