The USCIS announced yesterday that it is publishing a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to increase the maximum amount of time a TN visa holder can remain in the U.S. before seeking readmission or extension of stay from one year to three years. The goal behind the proposed rule is to provide TN visa holders similar visa terms as other skilled worker visas, such as H-1B. Please read the full article on details regarding the proposed rule and TN visas.
We wrote earlier today about the improvements to the E-Verify program. In the past weeks we have been approached by some of our corporate clients and asked whether we would provide E-Verify services. In addition to advising employers on immigration, E-Verify, and employment authorization compliance, we are now registered with USCIS as E-Verify Third Party [...]
USCIS just announced a couple of significant enhancements to the E-Verify program which should increase its accuracy and appeal to employers. One of the main concerns of E-Verify is that a fair number of legitimately authorized workers receive a non-confirmation which has consequences, ranging from embarrassment to potentially losing their employment. Please read the full article for details on the E-Verify enhancements.
The U.S. Department of Justice announced May 1, 2008, that it has imposed a civil fine of $45,000 to iGate Mastech, Inc., a Pittsburgh computer consulting company in connection with the company's alleged discrimination against United States citizens in its employment practices and advertisements. Please read the full article for details on this civil fine settlement.
The House Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugess, Border Security and International Law held a hearing yesterday, April 30, 2008, on the topic of "Wasted Visas, Growing Backlogs." Michael Yates from USCIS and Stephen Edson from the State Department testified in front of the Committee. Please read the full article on details of their testimony.
The Department of State has published a final rule which, effectively April 29, 2008, eliminates the paper visa application and requires that all non-immigrant visa applications to be submitted electronically. Please read the full article for details on the new visa application.
In the height of the political season, we have been asked numerous times by foreign citizens, "Can I contribute money to a political candidate's campaign?" The short answer, is 'Yes, you can, but only if you are a legal permanent resident (green card holder).' This comes from the Federal Election Campaign Act and the definition of "foreign person" which excludes green card holders. See this article for more details and on what election-related activities by foreign citizens are permitted.
We are in the peak of the Democratic Party primary season and we are very close to have the general Presidential election campaign under way. Some of the candidates have expressed opinions on immigration, in connection with the campaign, or previously, and it is natural for some foreign citizens, both living in the U.S. and abroad, to be interested in contributing money and/or services to a candidate's campaign. However, there are strict rules that govern what a foreign citizen can do during an election campaign. Please read the full article on analysis on what can foreign nationals do in connection with U.S. election campaigns.
The USCIS has released an updated version of Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. The form now includes additional eligibility codes in connection with the recent interim rule regarding Optional Practical Training (OPT) extension. Please read the full article for more details about this form revision.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released a report about the green cards obtained by foreign nationals during 2007. The report provides breakdown by preference category and sub-category, by type of petition, by country of origin, and by U.S. state of residence. Please open the full article to read the report.