The US government has significantly ramped up its enforcement efforts in the recent years. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2018, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) initiated 6,848 worksite investigations which reflects a more than 300% increase from FY 2017. The number of I-9 employment eligibility verification compliance audits has also increased: nearly 6,000 audits were conducted in
The March visa bulletin continues to reflect very minimal progress from the prior month. EB-1 Priority Workers for All Chargeability areas, El Salvador/Guatemala/Honduras, Mexico, Philippines, and Vietnam advance just 1 month to a cut-off date of January 1, 2018. EB-1 China and India advance only 2 weeks to February 22, 2017. EB-2 “Members of the Professions Holding
H-1B Season is Nearing! April 1, 2019 marks the beginning of the new H-1B petition filing season with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently published a final rule amending H-1B regulations governing H-1B cap-subject petitions which will go into effect April 1, 2019. The rule reverses the order
The February visa bulletin continues to reflect minimal movement from the prior month. EB-1 Priority Workers for All Chargeability areas, El Salvador/Guatemala/Honduras, Mexico, Philippines, and Vietnam advance 2 months to a cut-off date of December 1, 2017. EB-1 China and India also advance approximately 7 weeks to February 8, 2017. EB-2 “Members of the Professions Holding Advanced
We are wishing you a Wonderful Holiday Season and a Happy and Prosperous New Year! A few safety tips for your upcoming holiday travel: Check your passport and visa validity before a trip. Hint: if you are traveling abroad, make sure that you have proper documentation to enter the country of your destination and return to
Entering the fourth month of the 2019 fiscal year, the January visa bulletin continues to reflect minimal movement from the prior month. EB-1 Priority Workers for All Chargeability areas, El Salvador/Guatemala/Honduras, Mexico, Philippines, and Vietnam advance 3 months to a cut-off date of October 1, 2017. EB-1 China and India advance 3 ½ months to December
DHS has announced its notice of proposed rulemaking pertaining to the H-1B visa program which would affect U.S. businesses submitting H-1B petitions under the annual cap. Chances are high that the new rule will be adopted prior to the start of the new H-1B cap season on April 1, 2019. Under the proposed rule, the government will
Entering the third month of the 2019 fiscal year, the December visa bulletin continues to reflect minimal movement from the prior month. EB-1 Priority Workers for All Chargeability areas, El Salvador/Guatemala/Honduras, Mexico, Philippines, and Vietnam advance 3 months to a cut-off date of July 1, 2017. EB-1 China and India also advance 3 months to
The U.S. has reached a trade deal that will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) with the new United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). The immigration provisions contained in NAFTA are largely intact in the new USMCA so the effect on transnational worker mobility should be minimal. Congress is expected to review the new trade
Entering the second month of the 2019 fiscal year, the November 2018 Visa Bulletin reflects minimal movement from the prior month. EB-2 “Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability” for China advances six weeks to May 15, 2015. EB-3 “Professionals/Skilled Workers” for the Philippines moves forward only seven days to