Headlines: WHD Releases Info on ‘Project Firewall’ Enforcement Initiative to Maximize Compliance with H-1B Visa Program – The announcement notes that the Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division prioritizes investigations where employers may be displacing U.S. workers, failing to recruit U.S. workers in good faith, giving preference to H-1B workers when qualified U.S. workers […]
Headlines: DOS Announces Temporary Pause on Certain Visas for Nationals of 75 Countries – The Department of State announced a temporary pause on the issuance of immigrant visas (green cards from overseas) for nationals of 75 countries, effective January 21, 2026. DHS Terminates TPS Designation for Somalia – The Department of Homeland Security is terminating […]
Headlines: DHS to Raise Premium Processing Fees – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is raising premium processing fees effective March 1, 2026. DOL, DHS Announce Additional 35,000 Visas to Supplement FY 2026 H-2B Cap – The agencies said they will focus these additional H-2B visas on U.S. businesses with seasonal or temporary workforce needs in […]
Headlines: OFLC Reminds Stakeholders of H-2B Filing Timeline for 2026 Peak Filing Season – The Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification reminded employers and other interested stakeholders that the filing window to submit an H-2B application requesting work start dates of April 1, 2026, or later, opened on January 1, 2026. DOS Issues […]
Headlines: DHS Finalizes H-1B ‘Weighted Selection’ Rule Without Changes – Under the new process, instead of a random lottery, registrations for unique beneficiaries or petitions will be assigned to the relevant Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics wage level and entered into the selection pool on a weighted basis according to those levels. Multiple States Support […]
Headlines: President Expands Full and Partial Travel Ban List – President Trump issued a Presidential Proclamation expanding travel restrictions. The new proclamation applies to individuals who are outside of the United States as of January 1, 2026, and do not have a valid visa. President Suspends Diversity Visa Program After Shootings –President Trump suspended the […]
Headlines: Holiday Travel Alert: Visa Appointments Disrupted; Revocation Trends – Recent developments affecting H-1B and H-4 travelers and visa holders, and others, this winter include visa appointment disruptions tied to expanded screening and an increase in visa revocation notices reportedly linked to prior arrest history. USCIS Limits Age and Type of Photos for Many Applications […]
Headlines: DOS Expands Social Media Vetting to H-1B and H-4 Visa Applicants – This newest expansion of the government’s online presence screening practices for foreign nationals applies to both new visa applications and renewals. USCIS Reduces Maximum Validity Period for Some Work Permits – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has reduced the maximum validity period […]
Headlines: Trump Vows Crackdown After National Guard Shootings – After an Afghan asylum recipient shot two National Guardsmen in the District of Columbia, President Trump called for a halt to asylum decisions, a “permanent pause” on “migration from all Third World Countries,” and an indefinite pause on visas for Afghan nationals, along with reviewing those […]
Headlines: USCIS, CBP, ICE Announce New ‘Inflationary Adjustments’ for Certain Fees – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced increases in fees for certain benefits for Fiscal Year 2026. USCIS Now Accepting Only Electronic Payments for Benefit Requests, With Exceptions – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration […]
