Blog
News & EventsAmended Regulations on Optional Practical Training (OPT) for Students with Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Degrees.
On March 11, 2016, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published amended regulations on OPT for International Students with STEM Degrees. The amended regulations will allow F-1 STEM students to be able to extend their OPT for an additional 24 months beyond...
DHS Pilots Know Employer Program
In January 2015, as part of the White House’s 2015 immigration modernization plan, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that it is testing a new Known Employer program, which ultimately aims to streamline the adjudication of some employment-based...
New U.S. Rule Extends Stay for Some Foreign Graduates
The U.S. government will publish the rule on Friday（March 11, 2016), enabling international students earning degrees in STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) in the U.S. be eligible to stay for up to three years of on-the-job training. This...
Revision of the Visa Waiver Program
Although it is probably already well known to everyone, the U.S. government has revised the visa waiver program with changes effective on January 26, 2016. These revision and enforcement of the changes to the Visa Waiver Program were made to under the Visa Waiver...
H-1B Cap Reminder
There are only six (6) weeks before the start of the FY 2017 H-1B Cap filing season and to ensure timely filing, it is recommended that employers start submitting LCAs and gathering the necessary documents AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Last year, USCIS received a record number...
Visa Bulletin for March 2016
The United States Department of State has recently published Visa Bulletin for March 2016 which include availability of family-based and employment-based immigrant numbers for “Application Final Action Dates” and “Dates for Filing Applications.” In the Final Action...
Obama’s Immigration Act Reform Bill DAPA to the Supreme Court
In November 2014, the Executive Order that will protect more than 4 million illegal immigrations from deportation was announced. Should this order be carried out, illegal immigrants, specifically parents of U.S. citizens or permanent residents will be excluded from...
Renewing a Drivers License while on H-1B
In many states, an H-1B employee’s drivers’ license is linked to the validity of their current H-1B expiration date. Often enough an H-1B employee will have an extension filed on his/her behalf without premium processing and realize after a few months while his/her...
Increase in L-1 and H-1B fees
From August 2010 to September 2015, there were additional H-1B and L-1 fees for companies applying for H-1B or L-1 visas if they employ over 50 full-time employees and over 50% of their current employees were in H-1B or L-1 status. On December 18, 2015, due to the...
HAPPY NEW YEAR – IMMIGRATION PREDICTIONS FOR 2016
IMMIGRATION PREDICTIONS FOR 2016 There will undoubtedly be an H-1b Lottery in April 2016, for fiscal year 2017. Although President Obama recently signed a bill to increase fees by 50% for companies with at least 50 employees consisting of 50% or more working under L-1...