By: Marcus Hobson and Mahsa Aliaskari
October 1 marks the start of the government’s fiscal year, signaling the release of at least 140,000 new employment-based immigrant visa numbers to be allocated across categories and nationalities in the new fiscal year. With the exception of one particular subsection, the October 2024
Continue Reading October 2024 Visa Bulletin: Key Highlights and ImplicationsBy: Rania Abboud
On July 18th, 2024, the Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada (IRCC), introduced new updates for intra-company transfers using exemption codes C61, C62, and C63 related to Canada’s Intra-Company Transfer (ICT). The ICT program allows multinational companies to transfer key employees to their Canadian branches. This program
Continue Reading Canadian Immigration – Updates Intra-Company Transfer Rules: What You Need to KnowBy: Jacob Campbell & Mahsa Aliaskari
Recent processing time trends at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) are raising concerns for both Employers and F-1 visa holders relying on automatic extensions of work authorization while awaiting the processing of their F-1 STEM Employment Authorization Document (EAD) extension applications.
While
Continue Reading Navigating Delays: The F-1 STEM EAD Waiting Game Considerations for Employees and EmployersBy: Rania Abboud
For many highly skilled international workers, securing an H-1B visa in the United States can be elusive. With this year’s lottery results announced, employers find themselves exploring alternative strategies to retain invaluable talent. Among these strategies is the consideration of relocating talent to Canada, where a range
Continue Reading Not Selected in the H-1B CAP? Discover Opportunities in Canada: Exploring Alternatives for Talent RetentionBy: Rachel V. See and Annette Tyman
Seyfarth Synopsis: On April 29, 2024, the Department of Labor published extensive guidance on the use of artificial intelligence in hiring and employment. While the guidance is addressed to federal contractors, all private-sector employers using or considering using artificial intelligence should pay
Continue Reading Department of Labor Issues Comprehensive Artificial Intelligence “Promising Practices” Designed to Avoid Bias: All Employers Should Take NoteBy: Mahsa Aliaskari and Daniela Mayer
As noted in our post in February 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a final rule updating the H-1B cap registration process and creating a beneficiary-centric selection process. The rule took effect this year with the FY25 H-1B cap registration period
Continue Reading H-1B Cap Rule – Did it Work?
By: Daniela Mayer and Mahsa Aliaskari
In light of prolonged Department of Labor (DOL) processing times and recent regulatory settlements involving the DOL and Department of Justice, employers are reevaluating their approaches to securing permanent residence (“green card”) sponsorship for essential talent. While the Program Electronic Review Management (PERM) process
Continue Reading Beyond PERM: Unlocking New Pathways to Green Card Sponsorship for Key TalentBy: Jason Burritt, Steven Brouillard, Valerie Salcido, and Victoria Ma
Seyfarth Synopsis: Effective April 1, USCIS will implement significant filing fee increases, in particular for petition and applications related to employment-based benefits.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a final rule, which will take effect on
Continue Reading USCIS Announces Significant Fee Increases Effective on April 1, 2024Seyfarth Synopsis: Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule to increase premium processing fees. The new fees will start on February 26, 2024.
On December 27, 2023, USCIS announced an inflation adjustment to premium processing fees effective February 26, 2024.
Pursuant to the USCIS
Continue Reading U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Increases Premium Processing FeesBy: Jake Campbell, Weija (Victoria) Ma, and Jason Burritt
Seyfarth Synopsis: The below summarizes recent legal updates that impact U.S. immigration:
1. Government Shutdown Avoided – For Now
On September 30, 2023, Congress passed a stopgap bill to keep the government running for another 45 days. For more information on potential impacts if the government were to shutdown, please see our legal alert–Potential Government Shutdown: Immigration Consequences for Employers and their Foreign Employees—here.Continue Reading October 2023 U.S. Immigration Alert