» H-1b

Executive Order Limiting Temporary Worker Admissions

On June 22, 2020, the Trump Administration issued its long anticipated Executive Order (EO) suspending admission to the U.S. of some foreign workers in the H-1b, L-1, J-1, and H-2B visa categories. Read More
Read More

USCIS Partially Resumes H-1b Premium Processing

USCIS has announced that, effective February 19, 2019, it is partially resuming 15 day premium processing of all categories of H-1b petitions, but only for those filed prior to December 22, 2018. USCIS had suspended most 15 day premium processing in… Read More
Read More
Categories: H-1b, Premium Processing

USCIS Adopts New H-1b Lottery Regulations

USCIS has issued its final rule adopting a pre-registration requirement for the annual H-1b lottery, as well as a new lottery selection procedure so as to maximize the number of Master’s Degree petitions ultimately approved. Because of technical ch… Read More
Read More
Categories: H-1b, Skilled Workers

October 2018 Newsletter

Here’s our October 2018 newsletter, discussing USCIS’ new policy commencing removal proceedings after certain types of immigration benefit denials; the Automatic OPT extension cutoff on October 1; AN update on DHS’ anticipated regul… Read More
Read More

USCIS Extends and Expands Suspension of H-1b Premium Processing; Raises Premium Fee for All Petition Types

USCIS has announced that effective September 11, 2018, it will suspend for five months the 15 day Premium Processing option for most H-1b petitions. USCIS will continue to accept premium processing requests from cap-exempt H-1b employers (such as uni… Read More
Read More
Categories: H-1b, Premium Processing

DHS Seeks to Rescind Employment Authorization for H-4 Spouses of H-1b Workers

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated in a May 2018 court filing that it plans to imminently publish a proposal to rescind its regulation permitting employment authorization for spouses of H-1B workers with approved permanent resident peti… Read More
Read More

Several Small IT Staffing Firms Challenge USCIS H-1b Visa Third-Party Worksite Policy Memorandum

Several IT staffing companies have sued DHS in New Jersey federal court, seeking to block implementation of a February 2018 USCIS H-1b policy memorandum requiring substantially more documentation of need where an employer’s seeks to assign H-1b wor… Read More
Read More
Categories: H-1b

H-1B Cap Random Selection Process Complete for FY 2019

On April 11, 2018, USCIS completed its random selection process of H-1b cap petitions for FY 2019. USCIS received a total of 190,098 petitions, of which 94, 213 were filed for the 65,000 available regular cap visas, and 95,885 petitions were filed fo… Read More
Read More

FY2019 H-1b Visa Petition Filing Window: April 2-6, 2018

As the FY2019 H-1B Cap season approaches (April 2-6, 2018), USCIS headquarters has indicated that it intends to follow existing lottery procedures, the same used for the FY2018 H-1B season. Additionally, USCIS has indicated that it does not anticipat… Read More
Read More
Categories: H-1b, Newsletter

Senators Hatch and Flake Introduce Immigration and Innovation Act Improving H-1b and Skilled Worker Immigration Programs

Senators Orrin Hatch and Jeff Flake introduced the Immigration and Innovation Act on January 25, 2018 in the Senate, which proposes significant changes to the H-1b program and employment-based immigration system. The bill incorporates many common sen… Read More
Read More