News

The H1-B visa is for professionals – generally bachelor’s (or higher) degree holders and is limited to 65,000 visas worldwide per year, with an additional 20,000 visas for U.S. master’s degree holders, who, in effect, get two bites at the visa lottery cherry (see...

Since our last newsletter less than two weeks ago, the World Health Organization has indicated that the U.S. may be the next epicentre for Covid-19.  Here are some updates on what’s been happening – most recent news is given first – with links to reliable sources for...

In this Washington Post op-ed, former Director of USCIS León Rodríguez writes that, unless USCIS acts now to extend the immigration filing deadlines of individuals who are already in the United States, "foreign nationals and their employers face the awful choice...

The following is a list of developments which have occurred over the last 10 days or so (the most recent are listed first), with links to reliable sources on each topic for further information: March 20: DHS Announces Flexibility in I-9 Verification Requirements:...

Notwithstanding negative media attention, bad odds, and more recently, Trump’s Buy American Hire American (BAHA) executive order ‘putting Americans first’, U.S. employers have continued to apply for H-1B visas in recent years, although numbers have been down: In April...

On January 31st, DHS published a final rule requiring H-1B employers to register online prior to submission of an H-1B filing, but thankfully this will not come into effect until April 2020, as we’re already well into H-1B season and trying to implement by April...

International Entrepreneur Parole (IER) is now in force – for what it’s worth The current administration’s attempts to have the International Entrepreneur Rule (IER) delayed and ultimately scrapped – it was introduced by President Obama in August 2016 –was rejected by...

The H-1B visa has received much media attention in recent years, mostly for all the wrong reasons, real or perceived. Despite well-documented bi-partisan efforts during the Obama era, there was no real reform of the H-1B category (apart from employment authorisation...

The Diversity Visa (DV) or Green Card Lottery 2019 The Diversity Visa (DV) Lottery opened on October 3rd, 2017, at noon, EDT (4 hours behind GMT), and will close on November 7th, 2017 at noon, EST (5 hours behind GMT).  The Diversity Visa program makes 50,000...

Many foreign graduates who qualified for J-1 intern visas to work in the U.S. last year are getting ready to pack their bags. Besides J-1 intern visas, degree holders and those without a degree but with 5 years of relevant experience may qualify for an 18-month J-1...