U.S. diplomatic posts in 19 cities in the Mideast and North Africa will remain closed until Saturday, August 10, though the closures could be extended beyond this date and to other posts. Per the Department of State, the following U.S. embassies and consulates are affected: Manama, Bahrain Bujumbura, Burundi Djibouti Cairo, Egypt Amman, Jordan Kuwait [...]
USCIS has just released new Reports on the E- Verify Program that focused on the accuracy of the program, employer opinions, employer and employee experiences in Arizona after state legislative mandates went into effect, and E-Verify Employer Agent (EEAs). The overall results from each of the studies show that the E-Verify users have confidence in [...]
As we reported last month, on June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court held that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is unconstitutional. With the end of DOMA, the immigration agencies have begun the task of implementing the Windsor decision and married LGBT couples can now access the marriage-based immigration benefits and other [...]
This FREE webinar will offer strategies and tips for preparing H-1B petitions and responding to RFEs for foreign entrepreneurs and third party placement H-1B visa holders. The panel will discuss types, options and formats of documentary evidence required to support the employer-employee relationship. This session will also provide strategies and scenarios to fulfill the H-1B [...]
Immigration related compliance is an increasing concern for U.S. employers, who are often caught between two federal agencies with opposing interests: ensuring that all workers are authorized for employment in the U.S. and protecting those who are lawfully here from discrimination. The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (“IRCA”) requires all employers to fill [...]
Our office is getting reports from clients, readers and colleagues from other firms that there is an alarming trend in recent PERM Labor Certification application denials due to an overly broad education requirement. Specifically, DOL denies PERM applications, usually after an audit, with the stated reason that the "educational requirements are too broad, and thus, [...]
The U.S. State Department has just released the August 2013 Visa Bulletin which is the eleventh Visa Bulletin for the FY2013 fiscal year. The major headline in the upcoming month’s Visa Bulletin is the significant forward movement in EB-2 India, FB-2A being current for every country and the lack of movement for EB-3. Summary of [...]
Many of our clients and readers are already aware of the June 13, 2013 "RFE blizzard" where U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (“USCIS”) issued thousands of identical requests for evidence (“RFE”) on pending employment-based primary and derivative Form I-485, Application to Adjust Status. Many would remember that in our article from two weeks ago, we [...]
In light of aggressive government enforcement actions, employers and human resources professionals need to have a firm understanding of their roles and responsibilities regarding the employment of H-1B workers, the PERM Labor Certification process, and what do to in the event of a surprise government workplace site-visit. This FREE webinar details the employer’s responsibilities regarding [...]
Earlier this afternoon the U.S. Senate voted 68-32 in favor of final passage of S. 744, the "Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act" which seeks to provide a comprehensive immigration reform. We have provided an overview and analysis of S.744 when it was introduced in the U.S. Senate on April 16, 2013 and [...]