Last week, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) proposed a Rule in the Federal Register that could drastically change the premium processing program and cause delays in the otherwise timely adjudication of employer-based immigrant and non-immigrant worker petitions. What Is Premium Processing? Premium processing provides expedited servicing of application for certain employment-based petitions and applications. By expedited processing, USCIS guarantees a 15-calendar day processing to those petitioners READ MORE READ MORE

With the Trump Administration’s increase in employer immigration enforcement, businesses of all sizes and in all types of industries must be prepared. Ensuring a compliant Form I-9 processing system demands that all employers stay current on the changing Form I-9 regulations and increased enforcement. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers are focusing on Pennsylvania and New Jersey employers through collaboration with the Social Security Administration (SSA) in READ MORE READ MORE

After New York passed a bill on June 19, 2019, to allow undocumented immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses, New Jersey is up next to vote. The New Jersey Senate is scheduled to vote on December 16, 2019. If New Jersey passes this bill, it will become the 14th U.S. state to issue driver’s licenses to undocumented immigrants. Introduction The bill was introduced in November 2018. Advocates of READ MORE READ MORE

On November 15, 2019, the United States Department of Labor (DOL) and the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) amended the regulations that govern the H-2B temporary non-agricultural worker certifications. Changes have been made to the DOL’s labor market test that is conducted to assess the availability of the American workers for the required job position. What changed? Prior to this new regulation, the employers seeking READ MORE READ MORE

An analysis of U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) data between 2015 and 2019 related to H-1B, Specialty Occupation non-immigrant visa petitions shows denials of H-1B initial employment petitions have quadrupled for both initial H-1B petitions and those seeking the continuation of employment with the same employer. About the USCIS Analysis Data In a recently released report, the National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) concluded that “as READ MORE READ MORE