A new rule, “Implementation of the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act,” published in the Federal Register on March 30, 2022, will open the popular USCIS “premium processing” service to new categories of immigration filings that are currently subject to extraordinarily long backlogs. USCIS will roll out the expansions in stages.
Continue Reading USCIS To Expand Premium Processing Service Over Next Several Years
In the newest sequel to the Shergill v. Mayorkas settlement, US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has now updated its Policy Manual to address documents that E and L nonimmigrant spouses may show their employers to prove their work eligibility.
Continue Reading USCIS Updates Policy Manual for E/L Spouses’ Work Authorization Documents
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that Ukraine has been designated for “Temporary Protected Status” (TPS) for 18 months due to the invasion by Russia and ongoing conflict.
Continue Reading DHS Announces Temporary Protected Status for Ukraine and Redesignates TPS for South Sudan
Following the settlement of a US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) lawsuit that finally recognizes that dependent L and E spouses are able to work lawfully incident to their status, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) updated its admission system to designate on the I-94 admission records those spouses who are authorized to work without applying for an EAD.
Continue Reading CBP Now Issuing Work-Authorized I-94s for L and E Spouses
On October 15, the White House and State Department announced that, beginning November 8, foreign travelers may board US-bound flights or cross US land borders without first obtaining National Interest Exceptions, as long as they can prove they are fully vaccinated against Covid-19.
Continue Reading US To Admit Fully Vaccinated Travelers Without NIEs Starting November 8
As we explained on May 4 and March 12, the Department of Homeland Security has relaxed normal in-person verification requirements for Form I-9 during the pandemic.
Continue Reading COVID-19 UPDATE: USCIS Extends Relaxed Requirements for Form I-9
After suspending all “premium processing” for more than two months during the COVID-19 pandemic, USCIS today announced it will again accept premium fees (currently, $1,440 per form) and requests for expedited adjudication (currently, 15 calendar days) for Forms I-129 (Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker) and I‑140 (Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker).
Continue Reading COVID-19 UPDATE: USCIS Premium Processing Returns Beginning June 1, 2020
On March 25, we reported that US Citizenship and Immigration Services had closed all local domestic offices, including asylum offices, field offices, and application support centers, due to COVID-19 contagion risks. Those closures, while initially short term, have been extended several times and remain in effect as of today.
Continue Reading COVID-19 UPDATE: USCIS To Reopen Certain Local Offices on June 4
Employers nationwide are implementing work reductions, closures and furloughs in order to reduce costs during the COVID-19 economic slowdown in the United States. When employees are put on reduced hours or furloughed, employers face changing legal obligations in multiple areas of labor and employment law. Companies that employ nonimmigrant workers should not overlook the additional legal obligations they have toward these employees, especially those who are on visas that have prevailing wage requirements.
Continue Reading COVID-19: How Do Furloughs Affect Nonimmigrant Workers?
Employers, already dealing with a chaos of urgent-action items caused by COVID-19, must not overlook the stringent posting requirements under US Department of Labor (DOL) regulations for employees in H‑1B, H-1B1, and E-3 status, and for all employees, regardless of status, who are being sponsored for green cards through labor certification (“PERM”).
Continue Reading COVID-19: How Do Employers Comply with DOL Posting Requirements for Remote Employees?