Category Archive

FY 2023 H-1B Cap Initial Registration Period Opens March 1 The initial registration period for the fiscal year (FY) 2023 H-1B cap will open at noon ET on March 1, 2022, and run through noon ET on March 18, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced. During this period, prospective petitioners and representatives will be able to complete and …

FY 2023 H-1B Cap Initial Registration Period Opens March 1 The initial registration period for the fiscal year (FY) 2023 H-1B cap will open at noon ET on March 1, 2022, and run through noon ET on March 18, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced. During this period, prospective petitioners and representatives will be able to complete and …

Biden Increases Opportunities for STEM Students and Professionals The Biden administration announced new actions to increase opportunities in the United States for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students and professionals, among others. A White House statement said the new actions are intended to “advance predictability and clarity for pathways for international STEM scholars, students, researchers, and experts to contribute …

Biden Administration Implements New Actions to Increase Opportunities for STEM Students, Professionals, Others The Biden administration announced new actions to increase opportunities in the United States for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students and professionals, among others. A White House statement said the new actions are intended to “advance predictability and clarity for pathways for international STEM scholars, students, …

USCIS Clarifies Guidance on O-1 Nonimmigrants in Arts vs. Motion Pictures and Television U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) clarified guidance on how the agency determines whether an O-1B beneficiary will be evaluated as a person of extraordinary ability in the arts or as a person of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry when a case has …

2022 Diversity Visa Applicants for Kabul and Baghdad Can Now Request Embassy Reassignment The Department of State announced on January 5, 2022, that those who are Diversity Visa (DV) selectees for the 2022 DV program year with a case assigned to the U.S. embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, or Baghdad, Iraq, should request reassignment of their DV cases to another embassy …

DHS OIG Finds That Manual Processing Slowed USCIS Benefits Delivery During Pandemic The Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) released a report on December 28, 2021, finding that continued reliance on manual processing slowed U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ benefits delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic. OIG found that USCIS had limited capability to electronically process more than …

Certain Healthcare Workers Can Request Expedited Work Permits U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that qualified healthcare workers who have pending employment authorization document (EAD) renewal applications and EADs that will expire in 30 days or less, or that have already expired, can request expedited processing of the EAD application. Workers should check the related DHS advisory memorandum to …

Certain Healthcare Workers Can Request Expedited Work Permits USCIS Extends Flexibilities for Responding to Certain Agency Requests U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is extending the flexibilities it originally announced on March 30, 2020, to assist applicants, petitioners, and requestors who are responding to certain requests. The flexibilities apply if the issuance date listed on the request, notice, or decision …

Consular officers now authorized to waive interviews for certain applicants State Dept. Expands Waivers of In-Person Interviews for Certain Temporary Nonimmigrant Visa Applicants The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security, has authorized consular officers to waive the in-person interview requirement for certain temporary employment nonimmigrant visa applicants who have a petition approved by U.S. Citizenship …