Immigration Insider
ABIL Immigration Insider • June 02, 2019
Headlines: 1. State Dept. Notes Continued Heavy Demand, Retrogressions (Visa Unavailability) in Several Employment-Based Immigrant Visa Categories -The Visa Bulletin for June 2019 notes heavy demand in several employment-based visa categories for India and Vietnam. 2. USCIS Requests Info on EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Experience -USCIS wants information from attorneys, accredited representatives, regional center owners, […]
ABIL Immigration Insider • May 26, 2019
Headlines: 1. Regulatory Agenda Includes Stripping Employment Eligibility From H-4 Spouses of H-1B Visa Holders, Other Actions -The agenda also includes a proposal to revise the definition of “specialty occupation” to “increase focus on obtaining the best and the brightest” foreign nationals via the H-1B program, revise the definition of “employment” and “employer-employee relationship” to […]
ABIL Immigration Insider • May 19, 2019
Headlines: Trump Proposes Merit-Based Immigration Plan – President Donald Trump proposed an immigration plan on May 16, 2019, that shifts the emphasis to a merit-based system to admit highly educated, high-skilled immigrants. USCIS Completes Data Entry for FY 2020 H-1B Cap-Subject (Lottery) Petitions – USCIS announced that it has completed data entry for all […]
ABIL Immigration Insider • May 12, 2019
Headlines: 1. USCIS Clarifies Period of Authorized Stay for P-1S Essential Support Personnel of Individual Athletes -USCIS emphasizes that the periods of initial authorized stay are different for individual athletes (P-1A visa) and their essential support personnel (P-1S visa). 2. DHS Increases H-2B Cap for FY 2019 by 30,000 Additional Visas -The purpose of the […]
ABIL Immigration Insider • May 05, 2019
Headlines: 1. SSA Resumes Issuing No-Match Letters -The Social Security Administration has resumed mailing notifications to employers identified as having at least one name and Social Security Number combination submitted on the wage and tax statement (Form W-2) that do not match SSA’s records. A no-match letter is not necessarily an indication that a person […]
ABIL Immigration Insider • April 28, 2019
Headlines: 1. E-2 Investor Visa Program Opens to Israelis May 1 -Effective May 1, 2019, the E-2 investor visa program will open to Israelis under a reciprocal treaty investor agreement signed between the United States and Israel. 2. USCIS Responds to Congressional Letter Asking for Info on Backlog Causes -The letter asked the agency to […]
News from the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers Vol. 15, No. 4D • April 21, 2019
Headlines: 1. Visa Bulletin Shows Slight Forward Progress in Some Backlogged Preference Categories -Regarding EB-1 for China and India, the bulletin notes a continued “extremely high rate of demand” that may require temporary retrogression until October. 2. New USCIS Policy Guidance Clarifies Marijuana-Related Activities Bar on Naturalization -Certain marijuana-related activities generally bar naturalization even if […]
News from the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers Vol. 15, No. 4C • April 14, 2019
Headlines: 1. DHS Secretary Forced Out; Others May Leave in Trump Purge -Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen has been forced to resign, according to reports. Officials told media organizations that other departures may follow. 2. USCIS Completes H-1B Cap Random Selection Process for FY 2020, Reaches Advanced Degree Exemption Cap -On April 10, 2019, […]
News from the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers Vol. 15, No. 4B • April 08, 2019
Headlines: 1. USCIS Reaches FY 2020 H-1B Regular Cap -USCIS has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the 65,000 H-1B visa regular cap for fiscal year 2020. 2. New Study Shows Companies Pay Billions in Job Training, Scholarships for U.S. Students Through H-1B Fees -The study by the National Foundation for American Policy […]
News from the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers Vol. 15, No. 4A • April 01, 2019
Headlines: 1. USCIS Announces FY 2020 H-1B Cap Season Start, Updates, and Changes -USCIS announced the start of the FY 2020 H-1B cap season, start dates for premium processing of cap-subject H-1B petitions, and the launch of its new H-1B data hub, while reminding petitioners of its new H-1B cap selection process. 2. DOL Issues […]
News from the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers Vol. 15, No. 3B • March 15, 2019
Headlines: 1. Trump Administration Plans to Close USCIS International Operations -USCIS Director L. Francis Cissna told senior staff that the agency’s International Operations Division, which operates in more than 20 countries, will be closed down. The duties of those offices will be transferred to U.S. embassies and consulates and to domestic U.S. offices. 2. USCIS […]
News from the Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers Vol. 15, No. 3A • March 01, 2019
Headlines: 1. Trump Administration Moves Ahead on Reversing H-4 EADs -On February 20, 2019, the Trump administration sent a proposed rule to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review that would halt work authorization for H-4 spouses of H-1B visa holders in the United States. 2. Premium Processing Resumes for H-1B Petitions Filed […]