Many inquiries regarding the projected timeline for fiscal year (FY) 2017 H1B cap case milestones continue to reach the Murthy Law Firm. While most applicants are aware that they can begin filing H1B cap-subject cases on the first business day in April each year, there...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has acknowledged noticeable delays in processing H1B petitions. The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) raised concerns over these delays in a call with USCIS Service Center Operations (SCOPS) on February 3, 2016. A prime cause of the delays...
The rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on December 30, 2015, entitled Retention of EB1, EB2, and EB3 Immigrant Workers and Program Improvements Affecting High-Skilled Nonimmigrant Workers, includes a number of different provisions. While parts of the proposed rule are disappointing,...
As many MurthyDotCom readers are aware, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued a proposed regulation, on December 30, 2015, aimed at improving the employment-based immigration process. While many have focused on the portion of this proposal covering I-140 based employment authorization documents (EADs) -...
As previously discussed on MurthyDotCom, the omnibus spending bill passed by Congress in December 2015 included provisions that increase an already hefty filing fee for H1B and L-1 petitions filed by companies that meet certain requirements. As of December 18, 2015 - the date the bill...
On Friday, April 1, 2016, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting H1B cap-subject case filings for fiscal year 2017 (FY17). April 1st may seem a long time from today, but employers and potential H1B workers would be wise to begin the...
In recent years, employers filing H1B petitions have experienced tougher adjudication standards. The restrictive interpretation of critical H1B elements requires the submission of extensive evidence in many cases. At the Murthy Law Firm, we receive calls on a daily basis from employers struggling to answer...
As previously reported, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a final guidance memorandum on July 21, 2015 that details the requirements for filing an amended H1B petition based on an H1B employee being moved to a different worksite location. This memo implements the decision...
Earlier today, both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate passed an omnibus spending bill that serves to prevent a government shutdown. President Obama has indicated that he will sign the bill into law once it reaches his desk. Included within the massive...
Congress is expected to vote on an omnibus bill by Friday that would fund the federal government through September 2016. Included in the 2,009-page bill is a provision that would add a fee of $4,000 per H1B petition and $4,500 per L-1 petition filed by companies...
