The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a news alert this afternoon, noting that the agency has "…completed data entry of all fiscal year 2016 H1B cap-subject petitions selected…" in the lottery. The USCIS "…will now begin returning all H1B cap-subject petitions that were not...
Many questions have arisen regarding the new regulation that will allow certain H-4 spouses to apply for employment authorization documents (EADs). Some of these questions still do not have clear answers, even as the May 26, 2015 start date for H-4 EAD filings rapidly approaches....
Regular readers of the MurthyBulletin are aware that Charles Oppenheim, Chief of the Visa Control and Reporting Division for the U.S. Department of State (DOS), provides monthly explanations of visa bulletin developments, as well as predictions for cutoff date movement. This latest information was provided...
On March 24, 2015, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a long-awaited L1B draft guidance memorandum that outlines the elements of the L1B category and primarily focuses on a discussion of the "specialized knowledge" requirement. The L1B category has been plagued by very...
A group of former employees of Southern California Edison have filed suit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to try to block the new regulation that is scheduled to allow qualifying H-4 spouses to apply for employment authorization documents (EADs). While news of...
Beginning May 1, 2015, stakeholders must begin using a revised version of the H classification supplement (form I-129), which specifically asks whether the beneficiary of the H1B petition has an ownership interest in the petitioning employer. This disclosure requirement is related to U.S. Citizenship and...
The administrative appeals office (AAO) issued a precedent decision on April 9, 2015, that addresses a key requirement for the employment-based, first preference (EB1) immigrant visa (i.e. green card) category designed for multinational managers and executives. This favorable decision should make it easier for some companies...
The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has released the May 2015 Visa Bulletin. The cutoff date for the employment-based, second preference (EB2) category for India advances yet again, to April 15, 2008. Meanwhile, the cutoff date for the employment-based, third preference (EB3) category for the Philippines...
On April 9, 2015, the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) issued a precedent decision that is expected to prompt many H1B employers to change some long-held practices. The case, Matter of Simeio Solutions, LLC, addresses the issue of relocating an H1B worker to a worksite not listed...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) has issued a notice requesting amicus curiae (friend of the court) briefs on a topic that is of tremendous importance to many foreign nationals who are being sponsored for permanent residency (commonly, "green card") by...
