Clarification is imperative for all those in International Employment Law: as of November 1, 2023, only the new edition of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, will be accepted by U.S. employers. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) first introduced the updated Form I-9 in July 2023, and it has been available for use from…
Interim Interior Minister of Pakistan, Sarfraz Bugti, has announced a stringent ultimatum for all ‘illegal immigrants’ currently residing in Pakistan, urging them to leave the country by November 1. The warning issued threatens potential arrest and deportation for those who fail to heed this order. According to Bugti, the government has comprehensive data on those…
As legal professionals, staying abreast of changes to immigration policies and procedures is crucial. In July, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced modifications to one of its essential documents – the Form I-9. Employers are required to start using this new version come November 1, 2023. The new Form I-9 is not…
Former British citizen Shamima Begum has initiated another appeal with an aspiration of regaining her British citizenship after the prior appeal was overruled in February. This development comes as a consequence of involvement with the ISIS terrorist organization in Syria. In 2015, the then 15-year-old left the United Kingdom and allied with ISIS, subsequently marrying…
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has forwarded a notice titled “Pilot Program to Resume Renewal of H-1B Nonimmigrant Visas in the United States for Certain Qualified Noncitizens” to the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, signaling impending changes in how H-1B Nonimmigrant visa renewals will be handled for a selection of noncitizens. Expected to…
US federal immigration authorities recently published extensive revisions to the H-1B visa process, aiming both to modernize the nonimmigrant category and add more controls to the annual lottery system. The publication of these proposed changes comes after years of frustration from employers and employees alike, who have been navigating a process seen by many as…
The United States recently made alterations in the method of calculating immigrant numbers. This has resulted in some notable impacts on foreign nationals who are in the US on temporary R-1 religious worker visas. Specifically, those waiting for green cards may have a significantly longer wait before they receive them. A noticeable effect of the…
In an announcement of significant importance to legal practitioners and corporate professionals navigating the murky waters of U.S. immigration policy, the U.S. Department of State has released its visa bulletin for November 2023. As indicated by the information available, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will be using the Dates for Filing Chart in…
On October 23, 2023, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a public notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) aiming to modernize the regulations of the H-1B visa program. H-1B visas are an essential vehicle for professionals in specialized fields, such as science, engineering, and computer programming, to work in the United States. This rulemaking…
In a recent policy update, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) provided more precise guidance for businesses seeking L-1 visas for intracompany transferees. The clarification, issued on October 20, 2023, revolved around two main points. Firstly, USCIS made it clear that a sole proprietor cannot serve as the Petitioning Employer when filing an L-1…
As businesses increasingly venture into cross-continental operations, deciphering the intricate network of immigration procedures becomes a crucial, albeit, challenging task. The complexity of these processes often presents itself as a confounding labyrinth brimming with paperwork, deadlines, and relentlessly evolving regulations. However, the application of effective case management strategies can help to streamline global immigration processes,…
In a developing story of great interest to many immigration professionals and corporate legal teams, the Department of State is reported to be expecting the commencement of the stateside visa renewal pilot in early 2024. The brief yet significant notice appeared on the law firm Seyfarth Shaw LLP’s news section. The early announcement of this…
California Governor Gavin Newsom has recently signed into law AB 947 and AB 1194, two amendments to the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). These amendments provide critical updates to the definition of “sensitive personal information” within the context of the CCPA. Under the existing CCPA framework, “sensitive personal information” already includes several categories, such as…
In a recent development involving US regulatory authorities and issues of fair lending, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Department of Justice (DOJ) have issued a statement providing guidance on immigration status and fair lending. This joint statement was issued on October 12 in response to concerns about credit access for noncitizen borrowers….
The U.S. Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and State (DOS) made a recent declaration about the notable inclusion of Israel in the expanding list of Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries. Initially anticipated to take effect by November 30, 2023, the departments made an unexpected move by bringing this timeline forward. On October 19th, the DHS…
The dynamics of the college sports arena are changing. An emergent solution to the demanding push to transform collegiate student-athletes into employees appears be on the horizon. With the disparity and lack of uniformity in state name, image, and likeness (NIL) laws causing an uneven playing field, sports bodies and universities are being forced to…
As the world continues to grapple with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the United States healthcare industry faces a significant nurse staffing crisis. In response, many American healthcare facilities are exploring options abroad to meet elevated patient care demand. In navigating this uncertainty, concerns arise over visa processing delays and potential impacts on immediate and long-term…
In a recent development, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has introduced an online tool called Enterprise Change of Address (E-COA) aimed at facilitating smoother updates of address details. This piece of information has been reported by JDSupra, providing a breather for both corporations and individual aliens who are involved with the USCIS. The…
In a joint statement by The Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection (CFPB) and Department of Justice (DOJ), financial institutions were reminded they are prohibited from discriminating against credit applicants due to their immigration status. According to the statement released on October 12, all credit applicants are safeguarded against discrimination based on race, national origin, and…
The U.S. Department of State is projected to initiate a pilot program aiming to renew stateside H-1B visas by early 2024. On October 17, 2023, the State Department submitted the plan, officially termed as the Pilot Program to Resume Renewal of H-1B Nonimmigrant Visas in the United States for Certain Qualified Noncitizens, to the Office…
In a significant development, an agreement has been reached pertaining to migrant family separations that occurred under the Trump administration. The settlement, which provides families with a path to asylum, also enforces an eight-year ban on the controversial “zero tolerance” policy, polish that resulted in the separation of thousands of families. As reported by CNN,…
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently made an announcement indicating that the H-2B cap for nonagricultural workers for the first half of fiscal year 2024 has been met as of October 11, 2023. The H-2B visa program allows U.S employers or U.S agents who fulfill specific regulatory requirements to bring foreign nationals to…
In a recent development, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced its plan to introduce a new proposed rule – Modernizing H-1B Requirements and Oversight and Providing Flexibility in the F-1 Program. This proposal is an alteration to the existing H-1B and F-1 visa regulations. As a part of this new rule, the U.S. Immigration…
At the close of September, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) declared the expansion and redesignation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelans. The comprehensive instructions are now accessible in the Federal Register. The DHS, under the TPS program, makes it possible for citizens of specific countries, who are unable to securely return home owing…
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has launched USCIS E-COA (Enterprise Change of Address), a new self-service tool to simplify the process for foreign nationals to update their addresses. The update is particularly notable for all foreign nationals, including those bearing green cards, as they are obliged to report any changes in address to…