Headlines: DOL Proposes Rule on Determining Employee/Independent Contractor Status – The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division issued a proposed rule that would rescind the analysis for determining employee or independent contractor status under the Fair Labor Standards Act and replace it with analysis that it published and adopted in a prior final rule. […]
Headlines: DHS Shutdown Not Expected to Affect Most ICE, CBP, USCIS Operations – The Department of Homeland Security is technically in partial shutdown status, although certain operations are expected to continue, including most activities conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services fee-funded activities are […]
Headlines: District Court Grants Stay of DHS Secretary Noem’s Decision to End Haitian TPS; Appeal Likely – A district court granted plaintiffs a stay of Secretary Noem’s decision to end Haitian Temporary Protected Status pending the outcome of litigation. Congress Scraps Visas for Afghans Who Helped the United States – Congress has approved a package […]
Headlines: FY 2027 H-1B Cap Initial Registration Period Opens March 4 – The initial registration period for the Fiscal Year 2027 H-1B cap will open at noon ET on March 4 and run through noon ET on March 19, 2026. DOL-DHS Temporary Rule Will Increase H-2B Visa Limit in FY 2026 – The Departments of […]
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 […]
