USCIS issued a policy memorandum on March 31, 2017, that supersedes and rescinds a December 22, 2000, memorandum with guidance on H-1B computer-related positions issued by the Nebraska Service Center (NSC). The new memo offers clarity on USCIS's approach to determining whether the position of "Computer Programmer" is deemed a "specialty occupation" that would be [...]
DOL announced plans today to protect U.S. workers from H-1B program discrimination by providing greater transparency and oversight. The department will protect American workers against discrimination through the following actions: Rigorously use all of its existing authority to initiate investigations of H-1B program violators. This effort to protect U.S. workers will also involve greater coordination [...]
USCIS has announced multiple measures to further deter and detect H-1B visa fraud and abuse. Beginning today, USCIS will take a more targeted approach when making site visits across the country to H-1B petitioners and the worksites of H-1B employees. USCIS will focus on: Cases where USCIS cannot validate the employer’s basic business information through [...]
Do you know what to do if immigration (ICE) officers come to your worksite? Read and download the pdf to know your rights.
Starting April 3, 2017, USCIS will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B petitions. This suspension may last up to 6 months. https://www.uscis.gov/news/alerts/uscis-will-temporarily-suspend-premium-processing-all-h-1b-petitions
We have been receiving USCIS I-797 Notices of Approval for H-1B that is annotated "1B1". The USCIS California Service Center (CSC) has confirmed that this was a technical error that has now been resolved, and that USCIS will reprint corrected approval notices. Amended notices that reflect the H-1B designation will be mailed this week, and [...]
USCIS has released an updated Handbook for Employers, Guidance for Completing Form I-9 (Employment Eligibility Verification form) rev. 1/22/17
In the backdrop of the Executive Orders and H.R. 670 (H.R.670 - High-Skilled Integrity and Fairness Act of 2017), we have received several questions over the past few weeks regarding the filing of H-1B Petitions for this fiscal year (April 1, 2017). Several of you want to know if salaries are going to spike for [...]
White house press secretary Sean Spicer was just responding to a direct question on whether the President is likely to issue an Executive Order on the H-1B visa. Here's his response: With respect to h1bs and other visas, it is part of a larger immigration reform effort that the President will continue to talk about [...]
USCIS has published a final rule to modernize and improve several aspects of certain employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visa programs. USCIS has also amended regulations to better enable U.S. employers to hire and retain certain foreign workers who are beneficiaries of approved employment-based immigrant visa petitions and are waiting to become lawful permanent residents. This [...]