Category Archive

USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for Second Half of FY 2023, Announces Filing Dates for Supplemental Visas – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has received enough petitions to meet the H-2B cap for the second half of FY 2023. USCIS also announced the filing dates for supplemental H-2B visas for the remainder of FY 2023 made available under the FY …

Supreme Court Extends Temporary Stay of ‘Title 42’ – The Court plans to consider in late February 2023 whether the 19 states objecting to Title 42 have legal standing to do so. Visa Bulletin for January 2023 Reports on Availability in the Employment First Category for China and India, Unavailability of Religious Workers Category – Effective in January, employment first …

USCIS Announces ‘Important’ H-2B Supplemental Cap Petition Filing Updates Before Publication of Temporary Final Rule – In response to a federal court order, the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Foreign Labor Certification plans to rescind H-2B registration requirements and propose conforming edits throughout its H-2B regulations. In the interim, DOL said it will use the Notice of Acceptance, issued …

Under Court Order, OFLC to Propose Rescission of H-2B Registration Requirements and Provide Unique H-2B Temporary Registration Numbers – In response to a federal court order, the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Office of Foreign Labor Certification plans to rescind H-2B registration requirements and propose conforming edits throughout its H-2B regulations. In the interim, DOL said it will use the Notice …

Employer Reminder: E-Verify Operations Resume; Preferred Dates Released for Employee Visits to SSA to Resolve Mismatches – E-Verify reminded employers that operations have resumed, and released preferred dates for employees to visit the Social Security Administration to resolve their Tentative Nonconfirmations (mismatches of Social Security numbers). CBP Is Discontinuing Passport Entry Stamps, Transitioning to Online I-94 Arrival/Departure Records Only; Mistakes …

100,000 Ukrainians Admitted to United States— What About Afghans? The Biden Administration stepped up and created a humanitarian parole program that involved private citizens sponsoring refugees from Ukraine. A program that has worked remarkably well. 100,000 Ukrainians have come to the US so far as part of this process. The bigger question is, why didn’t the Biden Administration do the …

CBP Ends Program Allowing Expired US Passports To Enter The United States During the pandemic, and as a result of the Department of State’s massive backlog in processing US Passports, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) allowed individuals with expired US Passports to enter the US as citizens. Obviously, one does not stop being a US Citizen simply because the passport …

Premium Processing Starts for Pending EB-1 and Eb-2 Cases! In a move designed to increase the ability to modernize its antiquated adjudications system ($$) U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has implemented premium processing for certain petitioners who have a pending Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers, under the EB-1 and EB-2 classifications. This expansion of premium processing applies …

Additional 35,000 H-2B Visas Available! The Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Labor (DOL) announced a temporary final rule making available an additional 35,000 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas during the second half of fiscal year (FY) 2022. The visas are for U.S. employers seeking to employ additional workers on or after April 1, 2022, through September 30, 2022. The …

New Requirements for EB-5 Visa! U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published two new forms for regional center designation under the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program: Form I-956, Application for Regional Center Designation, and Form I-956H, Bona Fides of Persons Involved with Regional Center Program. USCIS said that all entities seeking regional center designation must submit these forms in compliance with …