Headlines:
1. FY 2013 H-1B Petitions Coming In Fast – Over 25,000 cap-subject H-1B petitions have been filed as of April 20, 2012.
2. India, China EB-2 Category Retrogresses Dramatically – As predicted for May, the India and China EB-2 priority dates have retrogressed dramatically, from May 1, 2010, to August 15, 2007.
3. DOL Changes Effective Date of 2012 H-2B Final Rule; Preliminary Injunction Granted – On April 26, 2012, a federal judge granted a preliminary injunction, applicable nationwide, against implementing the new H-2B program rule for 60 days.
4. DOL Revises H-2A and H-2B Forms – All H-2A and H-2B applications must be submitted using the revised form; Appendix A.2 remains unaffected.
5. DOS Beefs Up Consular Services in Brazil, Plans Two New Consulates – To address immediate growth in demand, the Department of State is sending dozens of consular officers to Brazilian posts to adjudicate visa applications.
6. ABIL Global: Mexico – A new Mexican immigration law will enter into force this year, after 40 years under the current law.
7. New Publications and Items of Interest – New Publications and Items of Interest
8. Member News – Member News
9. Government Agency Links – Government Agency Links
Details:
1. FY 2013 H-1B Petitions Coming In Fast
According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, over 25,000 cap-subject H-1B petitions have been filed as of April 20, 2012. If this keeps up, the H-1B cap could be reached quickly.
The Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers (ABIL) recommends that employers file early and allow time for the labor condition application process. Contact your ABIL attorney now for guidance and help with the process.
2. India, China EB-2 Category Retrogresses Dramatically
As predicted for May, the India and China EB-2 priority dates have retrogressed dramatically, from May 1, 2010, to August 15, 2007. Priority dates for those countries are not expected to advance again until October 1, 2012, at the earliest, when the new federal fiscal year begins.
If an I-485 Application for Adjustment of Status was filed while the person’s priority date was current, it will remain pending until the priority date is current again. Because the I-485 will remain pending, the applicant can continue to apply for interim benefits, such as work authorization and advance parole, while the priority date is retrogressed.
The May bulletin from the Department of State’s Visa Office. Contact your ABIL attorney for assistance.
3. DOL Changes Effective Date of 2012 H-2B Final Rule; Preliminary Injunction Granted
On February 21, 2012, the Department of Labor published a final rule amending the H-2B program regulations and providing for an effective date of April 23, 2012, which is 60 days after the date of publication of the final rule. The Department clarified that the final rule would not be operative until April 27, 2012, which is 60 days after February 27, 2012, the date on which the rule was reported to Congress, and the earliest date on which the rule can become operative by law. An injunction has temporarily blocked implementation, however.
The Department said that applications postmarked on or after April 27, 2012, would be adjudicated in accordance with the requirements described in the final rule. Any application filed under the current regulation that is postmarked on or after April 27, 2012, will be returned, and the employer (and its agent or attorney) informed of the need to file a new application in accordance with the provisions of the new H-2B final rule.
The Department also noted that employers who file H-2B applications with a start date of need before October 1, 2013, do not need to obtain the pre-approved H-2B registration under 20 CFR 655.15, and the Department will continue to adjudicate temporary need by reviewing the employer’s statement of temporary need in Section B of the ETA Form 9142. Employers with H-2B applications postmarked on or after April 27, 2012, with a start date of need on or after October 1, 2013, must comply with all the requirements contained in the registration process unless the Office of Foreign Labor Certification publishes additional guidance in the Federal Register.
Meanwhile, on April 26, 2012, Judge M. Casey Rogers of the Northern District of Florida granted a preliminary injunction, applicable nationwide, against implementing the new program rule for 60 days. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and others had filed suit on behalf of landscaping and forestry businesses in the U.S. District Court in Pensacola, Florida, arguing that the Department of Labor overstepped its authority by requiring companies to provide immigrant workers hired for low-skilled jobs wage guarantees and travel reimbursements. The Chamber said that such policies will drive up costs for landscape companies and should be issued by the Department of Homeland Security rather than Labor. Congress has blocked implementation of the related wage rule until September 30, 2012.
The Louisiana Department of Agriculture & Forestry released a statement from Commissioner Mike Strain noting that “[t]hese jobs are seasonal. Americans workers aren’t willing to take a seasonal job peeling crawfish or shrimp or picking crab meat for four or five months. Consequently, employers cannot fill vacancies for temporary jobs in their peeling plants, sugar mills, forests and packing factories so they have to advertise for guest workers who are willing to do those jobs.” Mr. Strain also said, “This injunction is a step in the right direction and I applaud the decision of Judge Rogers, who clearly recognized the economic harm to small business caused by the Department of Labor’s H-2B rules. However, I know employers need more than a 60-day reprieve from the detrimental effects of these H-2B rules and the H-2B changes should be permanently withdrawn or legislatively removed by Congress.” He said that many agricultural industries could be adversely affected otherwise.
A group of business advocacy associations has filed a similar suit in federal court in Philadelphia against the Department’s H-2B wage rule. The issues are whether the Department must consider employer hardship and economic concerns during regulatory formulation, and whether the Department has jurisdiction to issue H-2B regulations.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has postponed a stakeholder engagement scheduled for May 2, 2012, on “Temporary Need in the H-2B Context.” A new date has not yet been set.
Employers with questions about the H-2B process may e-mail them to H-2B.Regulation@dol.gov. The Department said it will provide responses in the form of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on its website. The new guidance, issued before the preliminary injunction, is available here.
4. DOL Revises H-2A and H-2B Forms
The Department of Labor has revised the ETA Form 9142, Appendix B.1 and associated instructions, in connection with the H-2B 2012 final rule.
Employers filing H-2B applications under the 2012 final rule are supposed to use the revised ETA Form 9142 and Appendix B.1 starting with applications postmarked on or after April 27, 2012, the Department said in an announcement. Given the federal court injunction mentioned in the prior article, however, it is unclear whether the new forms should be used after April 27.
The current ETA 9142 expired at the end of April. Therefore, all H-2A applications postmarked after April 30, 2012, must be submitted using the revised form. Appendix A.2 (H-2A only) remains unaffected and employers may continue to use it.
5. DOS Beefs Up Consular Services in Brazil, Plans Two New Consulates
The Department of State plans to open two new consulates in Belo Horizante and Porto Alegre, Brazil, which the White House said are important economic and cultural centers for the states of Minas Gerais and Rio Grande do Sul.
In remarks to the U.S.-Brazil Partnership for the 21st Century, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said the openings are intended to “make it easier to get those visas, easier to travel, knock down some of the barriers that have been put up, and continue to promote people-to-people contact.” It was not clear from the official statements when the consulates would open, but reports suggested they may not begin operations until 2014.
To address immediate growth in demand, the Department of State is sending dozens of consular officers to Brazilian posts to adjudicate visa applications. Between August and December 2011, the Department sent 82 temporary duty officers to Brazil, who issued more than 135,000 visas to Brazilian travelers. The Department of State is doubling the number of diplomats performing consular work in Brazil over the next year.
The Department is also implementing a pilot program in which consular officers may waive in-person interviews for certain qualified individuals, such as those renewing their visas within 48 months of the expiration of their previous visas, and Brazilians below the age of 16 and those age 66 and older. Because security is paramount, consular officers may interview any visa applicant in any category. Nonetheless, the Department said that this program “will benefit thousands of Brazilians who want to visit the United States.”
According to a White House statement released on April 9, 2012, Brazil now ranks as the fourth largest source of overseas visitors, with 1.5 million visits to the United States in 2011, representing a 26 percent increase from 2010. Visa issuances to Brazilians tripled between 2006 and 2011, and are on pace for significant gains in 2012, the White House noted. As of February, visa processing was up 57 percent in 2012 from the same time frame in 2011. The Department of Commerce forecasted that 2.8 million Brazilians will travel to the United States in 2016, an increase of 87 percent from 2011. Visa interview wait times have dropped dramatically in Brazil, and now average just two weeks or less in Brasilia, Recife, and Rio de Janeiro, and 35 days or fewer in Sao Paulo.
6. ABIL Global: Mexico
On May 24, 2011, President Felipe Calderon of Mexico signed a new Immigration Law, which abolished and superseded the General Population Law that had been in existence for 40 years. The new law involves significant changes to the current immigration regime, although these will not become evident until implementing regulations are published.
Publication of the regulations has been considerably delayed mainly due to the pressure of several nongovernmental organizations advocating for immigrants’ human rights, along with bureaucratic delays in government offices. Regulations are expected to be published later this year.
The regulations are expected to pave the way to protect the human rights of immigrants; develop immigration processes focused mainly on demographic and immigration control issues; promote national security and economic development; and simplify immigration processes to attract foreign investors.
7. New Publications and Items of Interest
H-1B, H-1B1, E-3 resources. The Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification has posted a contact list for the H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 programs to assist employers with their applications. Helpful Resources. New FAQ on these programs.
Entrepreneurs in Residence executive summary. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released an executive summary of its information summit held in February 2012 on the “Entrepreneurs in Residence” initiative. The summary discusses the panel discussion and breakout sessions held, and emerging themes, including demonstrating the legitimacy of startups through investments, understanding the organizational structure of a startup, defining specialty occupations, training and culture, and requests for evidence. Stakeholders interested in sharing additional feedback and concrete suggestions with the USCIS Tactical Team can e-mail public.engagement@dhs.gov with the subject line “Entrepreneurs in Residence.” Executive Summary.
EB-5 stakeholder engagement meeting. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will hold a stakeholder engagement meeting on the EB-5 immigrant investor program on July 26, 2012 (teleconference only; focus: regional centers) and October 23, 2012 (in-person and teleconference). For more information or to register, see here.
Several ABIL members co-authored and edited the new publication, Global Business Immigration Practice Guide, to be released on May 31, 2012, by LexisNexis. The Practice Guide is a one-stop resource for dealing with questions related to business immigration issues in immigration hotspots around the world.
This comprehensive guide is designed to be used by:
- Human resources professionals and in-house attorneys who need to instruct, understand, and liaise with immigration lawyers licensed in other countries;
- Business immigration attorneys who regularly work with multinational corporations and their employees and HR professionals; and
- Attorneys interested in expanding their practice to include global business immigration services.
This publication provides:
- An overview of the immigration law requirements and procedures for over 20 countries;
- Practical information and tips for obtaining visas, work permits, resident status, naturalization, and other nonimmigrant and immigrant pathways to conducting business, investing, and working in those countries;
- A general overview of the appropriate options for a particular employee; and
- Information on how an employee can obtain and maintain authorization to work in a target country.
Each chapter follows a similar format, making it easy to compare practices and procedures from country to country. Useful links to additional resources and forms are included. Collected in this Practice Guide, the expertise of ABIL’s attorney members across the globe will serve as an ideal starting point in your research into global business immigration issues.
The book will be discounted 20% for pre-orders through May 31. ORDER HERE. The discount code is ABIL20 (enter this code at checkout). International customers who do not want to order through the bookstore can order through Nicole Hahn at (518) 487-3004 or Nicole.hahn@lexisnexis.com.
Green Card Stories. The immigration debate is boiling over. Americans are losing the ability to understand and talk to one another about immigration. We must find a way to connect on a human level. Green Card Stories does just that. The book depicts 50 recent immigrants with permanent residence or citizenship in dramatic narratives, accompanied by artistic photos. If the book’s profilees share a common trait, it’s a mixture of talent and steely determination. Each of them overcame great challenges to come and stay in America. Green Card Stories reminds Americans of who we are: a nation of immigrants, from all walks of life and all corners of the earth, who have fueled America’s success. It tells the true story of our nation: E pluribus unum–out of many, one.
For more information or to order, visit Green Card Stories.
ABIL on Twitter. The Alliance of Business Immigration Lawyers is now available on Twitter: @ABILImmigration. Recent ABIL member blogs are available HERE.
8. Member News
Laura Danielson and Cyrus Mehta were quoted in an article published on April 17, 2012, by Knowledge@Wharton Today, “For High-Skilled Workers, the Visa Race is On.” Ms. Danielson noted that U.S. employers “are more confident about hiring again,” and said that studies have repeatedly confirmed that an increase in high-skilled professionals leads to net job growth for the U.S. economy. H-1B demand is surging among her clientele in the medical devices, automotive, biotechnology, and IT industries. She noted that employers looking for skills in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) often find them among Chinese professionals. Mr. Mehta said that if the current increased pace of H-1B applications continues, the annual cap could be reached within the next few months. He attributed the rising demand primarily to increased startup activity in the New York City area, especially in mobile applications and IT security. He also noted that some of the current demand could represent spillover from recent denials of L-1B specialized knowledge visas by the consulate in Chennai, India.
Mr. Mehta has published a new blog entry. “From Madison to Morton: Will Prosecutorial Discretion Trump State Action in Arizona v. USA?”
Mr. Mehta was a guest speaker on “H-1B and L-1B Denials and Preserving Permanent Residence” at the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s Philadelphia Chapter Dinner Meeting held on April 19, 2012.
Angelo Paparelli has published several new blog entries. “When Possible, Treat Immigrants As Criminal Defendants, Not Criminals” and “Immigration-Agency Lawbreaking Revealed: USCIS’s EB-5 ‘Tenant-Occupancy’ Scandal”
The Wolfsdorf Immigration Law Group will present several free webinars. Upcoming topics include Investors/Traders (E Visas) and Company Transferee (L Visas) and Green Cards (E-13), to be held Thursday, May 10, 2012; Religious Worker Visas – Ordained and Non-Ordained, to be held Thursday, May 17, 2012; Artist and Entertainer Work Visas (O and P) and Green Cards (E-11), to be held June 7, 2012; Work Visas and Green Cards for Athletes (O/P and E-11), to be held Thursday, June 21, 2012; and Visa Options for International Scholars, Faculty and Staff, to be held Thursday, July 12, 2012. For more information or to register, see HERE.
9. Government Agency Links
Follow these links to access current processing times of the USCIS Service Centers and the Department of Labor, or the Department of State’s latest Visa Bulletin with the most recent cut-off dates for visa numbers:USCIS Service Center processing times online
Department of Labor processing times and information on backlogs
Department of State Visa Bulletin
Visa application wait times for any post
