By: Mia Batista, Steven R. Brouillard, and Victoria Ma
Seyfarth Synopsis: H-1B Registration is approaching! Employers should identify any current employees and employment candidates who may require H-1B visa sponsorship.
This Legal Update is intended to assist employers with understanding the general process of the H-1B electronic registration program and identifying any current
The trend of recent months to curtail employment-based immigration, purportedly prompted by the coronavirus pandemic, continues unabated. On August 3, 2020 President Trump issued yet another executive order, this one entitled, “Executive Order on Aligning Federal Contracting and Hiring Practices With the Interests of American Workers” (“EO” or “Executive Order”). The new EO focuses on federal contractors (and their subcontractors) who employ H-1B and other nonimmigrant foreign workers. While the Executive Order itself imposes no new entry or other immigration restrictions, it instructs the Department of Labor (“DOL”), Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), and other agencies and departments to take steps that undoubtedly will lay the groundwork to limit H-1B employment in the near future.
Continue Reading Another Day, Another Immigration Executive Order: Now Federal Contractors are Targeted
Seyfarth Blog Synopsis: In today’s posting we discuss the impact that COVID-19 related changes in working conditions, furloughs and layoffs have on businesses with employees currently working on H-1B, H-1B1 or E-3 work visas.
As we continue complying with shelter-in-place and safer-at-home orders implemented in response to COVID-19, organizations nationwide are also starting to assess the impact of these measures on their businesses and operations. For some employers and industries the sudden transition to a work-from-home model may have been seamless, but overall, the sheer force of the economic impact of these changes is now being felt as company after company considers possible furloughs, salary reductions, and layoffs to help them revamp operations and survive the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. For employers who also sponsor non-citizens for temporary work visas like the H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 (specialty occupation) categories, opting for work-from-home models, furloughs, changes in employment terms, or layoffs as cost-saving measures will require additional analysis.
Continue Reading Visa Obligations & COVID-19 Changes in Working Conditions
Seyfarth Synopsis: On March 20, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (“DOL”) Office of Foreign Labor Certification (“OFLC”) issued Frequently Asked Questions in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic, providing guidance and extending certain filing, notice, and response deadlines for employers of foreign nationals.
Highlights
USCIS recently announced that the agency will temporarily suspend premium processing for all H-1B petitions beginning on April 3, 2017. USCIS indicates the purpose of the suspension is to process H-1B petitions that have been pending for many months, including in particular those approaching the 240-day automatic extension limitation, which would thereby reduce overall H-1B processing times. Please find below a list of frequently asked questions with our insights.
1. What is the effective date of the suspension?
The premium processing suspension is effective on April 3, 2017. The last day that USCIS will accept H-1B petitions filed with premium processing is Friday, March 31, 2017.
2. How long will the suspension last?
USCIS states that the suspension may last up to six months. USCIS imposed a similar suspension in the past and lifted the suspension early.
3. Does the suspension apply only to H-1Bs or other visa categories?
The suspension is limited to H-1B petitions only. This includes H-1B petitions seeking to extend status, amend status, change status, consular process, or change employers.
4. Can H-1B petitions be filed with premium processing in the month of March? If so, will USCIS continue to honor premium processing cases if they are still pending beyond April 3rd?
Yes, USCIS will accept an H-1B petition filed with premium processing on or before Friday, March 31, 2017. We anticipate that any H-1B petition filed with premium processing that is receipted on or before March 31st will receive the full benefit of premium processing, even if the adjudication continues beyond April 3rd. However, based on the posted USCIS announcement, the agency has discretion to refund premium processing fees if the agency has not taken adjudicative action on the case within the 15-calendar-day premium processing period.
Continue Reading USCIS Suspends H-1B Premium Processing Beginning April 3, 2017
Seyfarth Synopsis: This BIG Blog post addresses fourteen Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) from employers and foreign nationals regarding President Trump’s recent Executive Order on immigration.
1. I’m not from one of the listed countries but have international travel planned. Is there anything I should know or do?
If you are not from one of the listed countries and you have an unexpired visa stamp (or if you are Canadian and do not require a visa stamp), the Executive Order will not affect your ability to travel. If you do not have an unexpired visa stamp and plan to apply at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad, you should anticipate visa appointment backlogs when scheduling your appointment. In addition, we expect that Consular officers will screen visa applicants more thoroughly and will not hesitate to place visa applications under administrative processing, particularly if the applicant possesses a degree in an academic field that is on the government’s Technology Alert List, including degrees in Nuclear Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Biomolecular Engineering, and Cybersecurity.
2. I’m currently traveling internationally but I am not from one of the listed countries. Is there anything I need to be aware of about returning to the U.S.?
Similar to the above, despite your country of birth and/or your current citizenship, you must be prepared for delays when entering into the U.S. Please make sure you are carrying and presenting all of the necessary documents for admission in your visa category. In addition, we are hearing reports of Customs and Border Protection officers asking to search phone contacts and social media information. Please keep this in mind as you plan your travel and enter the U.S. Specifically, if you have a connecting flight after your initial entry into the U.S., allow additional time between those flights to get through the Customs and Border control screening process.
3. I already have a “Drop-Box” confirmation; can I still use the Drop-Box?
Although we have heard reports from various U.S. Embassies and Consulates (specifically, those in the UK, Canada, and India) that the “Drop-Box” visa applications are still being honored, you should not rely on using the Drop-Box option and should make an appointment with a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, as the Drop-Box program can be suspended without notice.