A decision issued by the U.S. Department of Labor earlier this year illustrates the importance of systematizing the selection of the wage levels when filing H1B petitions. In Quintanilla v. Myriad RBM Inc. the DOL considered whether the employer had paid the correct wage to...
In response to the unjust changes made to the October 2015 Visa Bulletin, sixteen members of Congress have signed on to a letter sent to Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Secretary of State John Kerry, urging the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to "…implement...
There has been a great deal of confusion surrounding recent changes to the U.S. Department of State (DOS) visa bulletin system. There are now two cutoff charts each for the family-based (FB) and employment-based (EB) preference categories. As previously discussed, however, those seeking to file an...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released guidance on how to pay the application for naturalization (N-400) filing fees by credit card. The N-400 is the only form that allows for fee payment by credit card. This change is part of President Obama's efforts...
The rule proposed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to revise and reauthorize the STEM optional practical training (OPT) program was published in the federal register on October 19, 2015. The proposed rule would increase the duration of STEM OPT extensions to 24...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that, effective October 19, 2015, there will be a change in the filing location for a limited group of form I-140 employer petitions. This change is simply an effort to balance workloads between the Texas Service Center...
On Monday, October 19, 2015, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is expected to publish the new STEM optional practical training (OPT) rule in the federal register. This rule, if enacted, would allow for STEM OPT extensions of up to 24 months, which is seven...
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has completed its review of the proposed rule on STEM optional practical training (OPT). In the near future, it is very likely that the rule will be published in the federal register and stakeholders will be given at least...
As previously reported (02.Oct.2015), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) submitted a new proposed rule on STEM optional practical training (OPT) for review by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Notice of the submission is available online, but, at present, no specifics regarding the...
A new self-check function has been added to the U. S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Systematic Alien Verification Entitlements (SAVE) program. The SAVE system is used by federal, state, and local agencies to check a person's immigration status when s/he is applying for a...
