As part of the Administration’s continuing commitment to attract and retain highly skilled immigrants, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) today announced the publication of two proposed rules, including a rule to extend employment authorization to spouses of certain H-1B workers, and a proposal to enhance opportunities for certain groups of highly-skilled workers by removing [...]
BALCA found that the employee's letter affirming her knowledge of programming and other skills was sufficient where the audit asked the employer to "provide documentation" without specifying the type of documentation or indicating that the letter must be notarized. (Matter of PARC, 4/2/14). Read the BALCA case here.
Our latest blog article on The P-1 Visa for Tennis Professionals – Game, Set, Match!
USCIS released a revised Form N-400, Application for Naturalization. The revised form is now available at www.uscis.gov/n-400. On Monday, May 5, 2014, USCIS will no longer accept older versions of Form N-400. USCIS will reject and return previous versions of Form N-400 submitted after May 5, 2014.
Read our blog post on California Service Center issues RFE on Every Other L-1B Petition!
DOL FAQ addressing how an employer is to demonstrate that it notified and considered laid-off U.S. workers for the job opportunity listed on the ETA Form 9089. (updated Feb 21, 2014). The DOL FAQ can be found at: http://www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/faqsanswers.cfm How detailed does the recruitment report have to be with respect to the lawful, job-related reasons [...]
A Memo from ICE confirming SEVP's guidance on unpaid employment and noting some OPT STEM extension applications were erroneously denied by USCIS because applicants had or intended to work in volunteer or unpaid intern positions is attached. The ICE Memo confirms: A student may work as a volunteer or unpaid intern, where this practice does [...]
In January 2012, the Department of State introduced a two-year visa interview waiver pilot program. This pilot program was one of the cornerstones of President Obama’s initiative to improve and speed up the visa process for certain categories of travelers to the U.S. This pilot program has now been made permanent. According to new 9 [...]
If you were previously in ACTIVE F-1 nonimmigrant status at University of Northern Virginia, school code WAS214F01186000, please be aware that the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) has withdrawn the school's approval for attendance of nonimmigrant students as of October 1, 2013. If you failed to transfer or depart the United States by November [...]
Noting that the list of factors set forth in the decision were not exhaustive, BALCA found that Dice.com is a job search website for IT professionals, not a "professional organization" for purposes of recruitment under 20 CFR §656.17(e)(1)(ii)(E). (Matter of Privthi Info. Solutions, 11/1/13). Read the BALCA case here.