ImmigrationBlog Posts
Fleeing Ukrainians to Get More Help From United StatesThe United States has joined many European countries that are opening their doors and offering humanitarian assistance to fleeing Ukrainians. Ireland, Great Britain and Canada have all started private sponsorship programs for Ukrainians. That assistance is not necessarily a one-way street. Easing the way for incoming Ukrainians may help those nations deal with their own... Continue ReadingMarch 25, 2022 |
Policy Changes Aim to Expand Opportunities for Foreign STEM Graduates, OthersRecognizing the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) graduates to the U.S. economy, the Biden Administration has made three policy changes that expand eligibility. The changes are as follows: Adding 22 new degree fields to the STEM list so that more F-1 graduates can qualify for three years, instead of one year, of... Continue ReadingMarch 24, 2022 |
Temporary Policy for Expired List B Identity Documents to EndAs of May 1, 2022, employers can no longer accept expired List B documents for Form I-9 Employment Eligibility Verification purposes, and any expired List B documents that were previously accepted must be updated by July 31, 2022. Allowing employees to present these expired documents was a temporary policy instituted by the Department of Homeland... Continue ReadingMarch 23, 2022 |
FY 2023 Cap H-1B Registration Process and New AttestationAs the cap H-1B registration process for fiscal year (FY) 2023 closes, and the lottery is about to begin, this might be a good time to look back at the results of the cap registrations from past fiscal years. In FY 2020, 274,237 H-1B registrations were filed and 124,415 were selected to fill the 85,000... Continue ReadingMarch 17, 2022 |
Afghanistan Designated for Temporary Protected StatusAfghans who are already residing in the United States will be eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), according to an announcement from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). This designation will protect more than 74,000 Afghans from returning to unsafe conditions in their homeland. DHS Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas stated that this would protect Afghan... Continue ReadingMarch 16, 2022 |
Five U.S. Immigration Law Trends to Watch in 2022A series of significant developments in U.S. immigration law has already marked the beginning of 2022 and more can be expected. Please see our Legal Update for what to anticipate as the year progresses. Continue ReadingMarch 14, 2022 |
EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program ReturningCongress is set to pass Omnibus spending legislation that includes reauthorization of the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Regional Center Program, which has been suspended since June 2021. The Regional Center Program allows eligible investors to apply for green cards if they make the necessary monetary investment and create or preserve at least 10 permanent full-time jobs... Continue ReadingMarch 10, 2022 |
O-1 and EB-1 Visa Adjudication Following USCIS ChangeUSCIS has increased the evidentiary burden for petitions for the O-1 Extraordinary Ability visa to mirror that for the EB-1 Extraordinary Ability visa. Both the O-1 nonimmigrant and EB-1 immigrant visa classifications remain important and flexible methods of sponsoring outstanding talent in the United States. Unfortunately, USCIS backlogs and processing delays persist, and availability of... Continue ReadingMarch 10, 2022 |
Massachusetts Poised to Grant Driver’s Licenses to Undocumented ImmigrantsMassachusetts is on its way to joining 16 other states that grant driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants. On February 16, 2022, the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed The Work and Family Mobility Act by an overwhelming majority vote of 120 to 36. The bill is expected to pass the Massachusetts Senate. It is not clear... Continue ReadingMarch 8, 2022 |
Sudan and South Sudan Temporary Protected Status Extended for 18 MonthsConsistent with the Biden Administration’s extensions for other countries, the Department of Homeland Security announced an 18-month extension and redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for both Sudan and South Sudan due to conditions in those countries that temporarily prevent their nationals from returning safely. The specifics for South Sudan are published in the Federal... Continue ReadingMarch 4, 2022 |