Headlines: Following Historic Midterms, President Trump Appoints Stephen Miller as Chief of Staff – On November 6, President Trump appointed Stephen Miller—widely seen as the architect of mass deportations and responsible for the administration’s hardline immigration crackdowns—as his new chief of staff. Reaction was swift. Advocates Oppose OPT Fee Proposed Rule – The American Immigration […]
Headlines: USCIS Extends L-1 Fee – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued a policy alert announcing the extension of a fee initially imposed only on certain L-1A and L-1B petitions to “all L-1 petitions filed by covered employers postmarked on or before September 30, 2027, unless the petitioner is filing an amended petition that does […]
Headlines: Ukrainian and Sudanese TPS Beneficiaries ‘Retain Protection’ Despite Expiration, For Now – The Department of Homeland Security told media outlets that more than 100,000 Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries from Ukraine and Sudan would be able to stay in the United States and “retain protection,” despite their TPS expiring on October 19, until a […]
Headlines: USCIS Proposes to Eliminate Deference to Prior Approvals Involving Same Facts When Adjudicating Extensions – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services published a proposed rule that would eliminate deference to a prior approval involving the same facts when adjudicating a request to extend a petition for employment or stay. USCIS Publishes Final Rule Ending Automatic […]
Headlines: DHS Proposes $70,000 Fee for Optional Practical Training – The Department of Homeland Security announced a proposed rule that would require U.S. universities to pay a $70,000 fee for each F-1 student’s initial Optional Practical Training (OPT) work authorization and $30,000 for subsequent OPT requests. Trump Admin Suspends Microsoft and Adobe From PERM Labor […]
IMMIGRATION OPPORTUNITIES FOR UKRAINIANS: AN OVERVIEW – This article provides an update on immigration opportunities for Ukrainians in several countries. COUNTRY UPDATES Canada – What do employers need to know about the major redesign of the Ontario Immigrant Nominee Program? Also, Labour Market Impact Assessment thresholds have been updated, and there are changes in work […]
Headlines: Preliminary Injunction Blocks $100,000 Fee Implementation for New H-1B Applications – A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s agency policies implementing a $100,000 fee for new H-1B applications. The decision is not directly related to the separate proposed imposition of a $103,265 fee for H-1B cap-subject petitions. DHS Agencies Announce Changes in Fees […]
Headlines: DOS Cable Acknowledges That DV and IV Pauses Are Lifted – The Department of State sent a cable to all diplomatic and consular posts acknowledging that Diversity Visa and immigrant visa pauses ordered by the Trump administration are no longer in effect following a court order. NFAP Finds That DHS Wildly Overestimated Revenue From […]
Headlines: Federal Court Postpones Effective Date of Final Rule Limiting Duration of Status for F, J, I Nonimmigrants – A federal court in Massachusetts issued a preliminary injunction that postponed the effective date of a Department of Homeland Security final rule that would have ended duration-of-status admissions for F, J, and I nonimmigrants effective September […]
Headlines: DHS Proposes to Eliminate 60-Day Grace Period for Certain Nonimmigrant Workers Upon Cessation of Employment Before Authorized Stay Expires – The Department of Homeland Security has proposed to eliminate the 60-day grace period after cessation of employment before the expiration of a nonimmigrant worker’s authorized period of stay. USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for First […]
