Implementation of the controversial green card and immigrant visa wealth test was limited by a federal appellate court order on August 12, 2020. This allows the Trump administration to continue a wealth test policy in all states except New York, Connecticut, and Vermont. These three states had sued the Trump administration over the public charge rule. Last month, a federal judge in New York ruled that the READ MORE READ MORE

On July 31, 2020, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) was signed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), acting through the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), and the Department of Labor (DOL). Under the MOA, the departments will provide access and share information about immigrant and nonimmigrant petition records and the data contained within the Office of Foreign Labor Certification and Labor Condition Application databases. READ MORE READ MORE

On July 31, 2020, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a final rule with a significant rise in its fee schedule, affecting both individual immigrants and businesses. The new schedule has added new fees, establishing multiple fees for nonimmigrant worker petitions, and limiting the number of beneficiaries for certain forms. Additionally, the new rule removes certain fee exemptions, changes fee waiver requirements, and alters READ MORE READ MORE

Last week, the New Jersey Assembly sent legislation to Governor Phil Murphy’s desk that would prohibit the state’s professional and occupational licensing agencies from requiring applicants to establish lawful presence in the United States as a condition of obtaining a professional or occupational license. Gov. Murphy is expected to sign the bill into law according to his spokesperson, Alyana Alfaro, who said in a statement to NorthJersey.com, that READ MORE READ MORE

The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced an extension of flexibility in complying with the Form I-9 requirements. This was originally extended on March 19, 2020, due to the COVID-19 national emergency. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has decided to extend this policy once again for an additional period of 30 days. The DHS temporarily halted the requirement that employers physically review employee READ MORE READ MORE