Headlines: 1. House Passes STEM Bill; ‘Achieve Act’ Introduced in Senate, Congressional Hispanic Caucus Reacts; Obama, Dems Advocate Comprehensive Immigration Reform – The STEM bill would allocate visas to STEM graduates without increasing overall immigration, by eliminating the diversity visa program. Neither the STEM bill nor the Achieve Act are likely to survive in the Senate. 2. U.S. […]
Category Archives: Immigration Insider
Headlines: 1. OFLC, USCIS Issue Guidance on Hurricane Sandy Relief; USCIS Extends RFE Deadlines – The Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification issued a FAQ on Hurricane Sandy-related extensions and accommodations. Also, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued a reminder on immigration benefits or relief that may be available to those affected. 2. State Dept. Projects […]
Headlines: 1. E-Verify Mandated in Four States in 2013 – Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee have all passed mandatory work authorization verification laws, the final provisions of which take effect in 2013. 2. EB-2 Priority Dates Become ‘Current’ in November, Except for China and India – For China in November, the EB-2 priority date cut-off is September 1, […]
Headlines: 1. USCIS Launches Online I-9 Resources for Employers and Employees in Spanish – The website provides employers and employees one-click access at no charge to Spanish-language resources, tips, and guidance on properly completing the I-9 and understanding the I-9 process. 2. Taiwan Joins Visa Waiver Program – In FY 2011, 243,186 visitors from Taiwan traveled to the United […]
Headlines: 1. Details Released on DV-2014 Lottery Program; DV-2013 Entrants Should Keep Confirmation Numbers – Online registration for the DV-2014 Program begins on October 2, 2012, at noon EDT, and concludes on November 3, 2012, at noon EDT. The Department of State also said it may select more DV-2013 entries on October 1, 2012, so DV-2013 entrants […]
Headlines: 1. USCIS Updates FAQs on Deferred Action – The latest FAQ was updated on September 7, 2012. 2. Congress Extends Four Immigration Programs for Three Years – The extended programs include the EB-5 regional center program, the E-Verify program, the special immigrant religious worker program, and the Conrad State 30 J-1 visa waiver program for certain foreign doctors […]
Headlines: 1. USCIS Submits Emergency Requests to OMB for Deferred Action-Related Forms; ICE Agents File Lawsuit – USCIS has submitted information collection requests to the OMB for “emergency” consideration related to the new deferred action program. 2. USCIS Allows 30 Additional Days for Public Comment on Revised I-9 – USCIS received over 6,200 comments in response to its earlier […]
Headlines: 1. USCIS Begins Accepting Deferred Action Requests – USCIS has released forms, instructions, and additional information relevant to the deferred action for childhood arrivals process. 2. Use Current I-9 Even After August 31 OMB Expiration Passes, USCIS Says – Employers should continue to use the current I-9 employment eligibility verification form even after the August 31, 2012, OMB […]
Headlines: 1. EB-5 Immigrant Investor Update: New Office; Stats, Summary Released – USCIS has announced formation of a new EB-5 program office. Also, USCIS released FY 2012 third-quarter statistics at its stakeholder call in July, and released a summary of questions and answers from the previous stakeholder meeting in May. USCIS also announced that it plans to […]
Headlines: 1. U.S., Canada Issue Joint Statement on ‘Beyond the Border’ Initiative – The action plan includes 32 initiatives and calls for enhancements to programs that help trusted businesses and travelers move efficiently across the border; introduces new measures to facilitate movement and trade; and invests in improvements to shared infrastructure and technology. 2. DOL Requests Comments on […]