Mid-June 2010 Immigration Update

Kuck Immigration Partners LLC

USCIS Proposes Changes in Fees, Large New Fee for EB-5 Regional Center Applications - A new proposed fee rule would increase the average application and petition fees by a "weighted average" of approximately 10 percent, and would establish a hefty new fee of $6,230 for an application for regional center designation under the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Pilot Program.
USCIS Redesigns E-Verify Online Interface; Employers Required To Complete Tutorial- Users are required to complete a free 20-minute tutorial the next time they login before using the new interface.
Lawsuit Challenges H-1B Memo on Employer-Employee Relationship - The group filing the lawsuit argues that denials are being issued under the memo's guidance for beneficiaries whose visa applications were approved previously under the regulatory criteria.
ICE Proposes New IMAGE Application - Upon enrollment and commitment to the Department of Homeland Security's "best hiring practices" program, participants are deemed "IMAGE Certified."
DHS Outlines Best Hiring Practices - Among other things, DHS recommends that employers make a good-faith effort to correct and verify