The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has expanded its Information Services Modernization Program to more field offices. The Detroit and Los Angeles field offices recently were added to the program, which aims to end self-scheduled InfoPass appointments and steer applicants towards online information. The...
Congress has passed a short-term bill to fund the federal government for two weeks. The federal budget is now extended through December 21, 2018. This bill also extends various immigration programs for the same time period, including the employment-based, fifth preference (EB5) regional center program.Congress...
Answer The 240-day rule relates ONLY to employment authorization. One with a timely-filed extension can remain in the U.S. until a decision is made on the petition.Note also that this rule ONLY applies to extensions with the same employer, not to amendments or change-of-employer petitions. (03.Dec.2018)In...
Answer The H1B and the PERM/I-140 do not necessarily need to have the same job requirements. The I-140 is (technically) always for "future" employment (i.e. the job that one will perform upon receiving the green card). It does not need to be the same job. (03.Dec.2018)In...
Answer Yes, one generally can have multiple H1B petitions pending simultaneously with no issues. (03.Dec.2018)In frequent sessions of our Chat, Sheela Murthy and other senior attorneys provide guidance that clarifies the law in real time. For details on chat participation, click here.Access more FAQs here. Copyright ©...
Answer In general, if one's I-94 has not expired, one could file another H1B petition, assuming that one is still employed pursuant to the approved H1B. If the individual is not, then a consultation with a qualified attorney is advisable. (03.Dec.2018)In frequent sessions of our Chat,...
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has made several changes to the ETA form 9035 labor condition application (LCA). The changes primarily impact employers who place workers at offsite locations and employers that are H1B-dependent. Background on LCAs An approved LCA from the DOL is necessary in...
On Monday, December 3, 2018, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is scheduled to publish a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register that, if enacted, would require employers filing cap-subject H1B petitions (i.e., petitions filed in the H1B lottery) to pre-register. The...
Answer Yes, one could file an I-130 petition for a sibling under these circumstances. However, due to backlogs in this category, it will likely take 20+ years to get a green card as the sibling of a U.S. citizen. (26.Nov.2018)In frequent sessions of our Chat, Sheela...
Answer The USCIS has no involvement is setting wages. H1B petitioners are required to pay the prevailing wage for a position, which can be ascertained using a variety of different wage surveys. Most employers utilize the U.S. Department of Labor wage data, which is available at...
