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

On December 2, 2019, the cost to request premium processing of employment-based immigrant and non-immigrant petitions by U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS) will increase from $1,410 to $1,440. In a statement, USCIS noted that the increase “is done in accordance with the Immigration and Nationality Act, reflects the full amount of inflation from the implementation of the premium processing fee in June 2001 through August 2019 READ MORE READ MORE

On Election Day, Sussex County, New Jersey, voters overwhelmingly supported a ballot referendum on whether the county should cooperate with federal immigration officials. The ballot measure was in response to New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal’s December of 2018 Immigrant Trust Directive, which effectively declared New Jersey a “sanctuary state.” Sussex County Immigration Ballot In response to the ballot question, “[s]hould the Board of Chosen Freeholders READ MORE READ MORE

The Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) announced the extension of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras, Nepal, Nicaragua, and Sudan through January 4, 2021. What is TPS? TPS is a form of temporary status allowing individuals from certain countries to lawfully remain in the United States, when conditions in the designated country prevent citizens and nationals from safely returning or when the country is READ MORE READ MORE