By Yasmin Blackburn, Esq. As a first-generation immigrant from Panama, Black History Month was hard to understand. Why was it relegated to the shortest and coldest month of the year? For instance, at home, we “celebrated” black history all the time! Every day, every month, every year! My parents and grandparents were active in [...]
Be it a Republican administration, or one led by Democrats, a common theme appears to be the raw deal handed to non immigrant professionals. While the Biden administration halted midnight regulations including scrapping a wage-based lottery for the H-1B CAP, it has refrained from revoking the ban on the entry of professionals. This ban, imposed [...]
The registration process for the H-1B FY2022 lottery begins shortly and we have some tips and general guidelines for those looking to file this year. Our office is happy to assist you with these filings at no charge (except the $10 registration fee charged by USCIS). Registration Period is from March 09th to March [...]
USCIS today announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year (FY) 2022 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 9 and run through noon Eastern on March 25. During this period, prospective petitioners and representatives will be able to fill out petitioner and beneficiary information and submit their registrations. A confirmation number will be assigned to each registration submitted for the FY 2022 H-1B cap. This number is used solely to track registrations; you cannot use this number to track your [...]
The Biden Administration through White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain, issued a memorandum on January 20th that specifically instructs Agencies that a “Regulatory Freeze Pending Review” is effective as of noon on January 20, 2021 in order to ensure that the President’s appointees or designees have the opportunity to review any new or [...]
The DOL published a final rule adopting, with changes, the interim final rule published at 85 FR 63872. The Rule is amending the regulations governing permanent labor certifications and Labor Condition Applications to incorporate changes to the computation of prevailing wage levels. The rule is effective 3/15/21. (86 FR 3608, 1/14/21). Read the final rule.
USCIS announced that starting in January 2021, it will replace the sticker that is currently issued to lawful permanent residents (LPRs) to extend the validity of their Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card (PRC or “Green Card”) with a revised Form I-797, Notice of Action for Form I-90, Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card. The revised [...]
On January 8, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule which will replace the current random selection process by which USCIS selects H-1B registrations for filing of H-1B cap-subject petitions with a wage-based selection process. The new system will select registrations based on the highest Occupational Employment Statistics (OES) prevailing wage [...]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, USCIS is experiencing delays in issuing receipt notices for some applications and petitions filed at a USCIS lockbox facility. As a result of COVID-19 restrictions, an increase in filings, current postal service volume and other external factors, you may experience a delay of four to six weeks in [...]
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has announced a final rule that will modify the H-1B cap selection process, amend current lottery procedures, and prioritize wages to protect the economic interests of U.S. workers and better ensure the most highly skilled foreign workers benefit from the temporary employment program. According to the USCIS, modifying the H-1B [...]