USCIS today announced a redesign to the Green Card and EAD. The new cards will be issued on May 1, 2017. The redesigned cards will be more secure and tamper-resistant and deter counterfeiting and fraud than the ones currently in use. The new Green Cards and EADs will: Display the individual’s photos on both [...]
USCIS published a Fee Increase schedule in the Federal Register today. Applications and petitions mailed, postmarked, or otherwise filed on or after 12/23/16 must include new fee. (81 FR 73292, 10/24/16) USCIS Fee Schedule (pdf) A few important Forms and the corresponding fee increases are listed below: Form From To I-129 $325.00 $460.00 I-539 [...]
BALCA upheld denial where the employer submitted a recruitment report signed by its agent, as opposed to itself, in direct violation of 20 C.F.R. §656.17(g)(1) which requires either the employer or its representative to sign the recruitment report. (Matter of DMPRO, Inc., 3/24/16). Read Balca decision(pdf)
BALCA overturned the denial, holding that a minor typo in the employer name on the SWA job order did little to confuse potential applicants about the employer's identity or undermine the employer's §656.10(c)(8) attestation. (Matter of SWDWII LLC, 1/29/16). Read Balca decision(pdf)
BALCA ordered certification to be granted despite a divergence of duties between Form ETA 9089 and the SWA job order, finding that 656.17(f) only applies to the required newspaper or professional journal. (Matter of Pinnacle Technical Resources, Inc., 1/21/2016). Read the Balca case here.
After denial solely for failing to list non-experience based qualifications in Section K, BALCA ordered the matter remanded for certification, which the CO supported. See three factually similar cases: 2014-PER-00224, 2014-PER-00260, and 2014-PER-00262. (Matter of The Cadmus Group, 1/15/16). Read Balca decision(PDF)
Kidambi & Associates would like to congratulate and recognize Attorney Joseph Hohenstein for his excellent work on this case, MANTENA v. Johnson, Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit 2015. The court held that USCIS is required by the portability provisions to give pre-revocation notice to the beneficiary or to the successor employer that it is revoking [...]
After employer failed to provide dated website postings and the text of the radio ad, BALCA held that screenshots are "dated copies" and that an audio recording and contract from the radio station confirming when the ad ran was sufficient. (Matter of Waldorf School of Orange County, 11/6/15). Read the BALCA decision.
BALCA determined that employer verified sponsorship upon signing the statement certifying the conditions of employment on the mailed-in application. The application was remanded to CO for further processing on the merits of the application. (Matter of La Hacienda Meat Market, Inc., 11/4/15). Read the Balca decision here.
Denial affirmed where prevailing wage validity period on 9089 was less than 90 days. Validity was actually "90 days from date of determination" but dates were entered incorrectly on 9089. (Matter of Guilbert Tex, Inc., 10/14/15). Read the Balca decision here.