H-1B Temporary Workers

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** As of March 25, 2020, USCIS has updated its temporary closures described below and has extended the suspension of in-person services to April 7, 2020. **

In an effort to slow the spread of COVID-19, USCIS announced temporary office closures effective March 18, 2020.  USCIS is suspending all in-person services at its field offices,…

United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the temporary suspension of premium processing for all FY 2021 cap-subject petitions. USCIS expects this suspension to last until no later than May 27, 2020 for FY 2021 cap-subject petitions requesting a change of status from F-1 nonimmigrant status.

USCIS predicts that the earliest date the agency…

By Catherine V. Wadhwani and Robert S. Whitehill

Without fanfare, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently updated its website with an Alert https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/public-charge relating to its Public Charge requirements in the context of the Novel Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic.  As concerns about the spread of COVID-19 in the U.S. increase, USCIS recognized that …

From the Public Engagement Division of USCIS:  U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced on 12/6/19 the requirement for employers seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption, to first electronically register and pay the associated $10 H-1B registration fee before filing a petition for the fiscal year 2021 H-1B…

To update my September 5, 2019 post, USCIS has announced a final rule that requires a $10 non-refundable registration fee for each cap-subject H-1B submitted by petitioning employers.  USCIS announced that this registration fee will modernize operations and allow the agency to more efficiently process H-1B applications.  The rule goes into effect on December 9,…

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published a notice in the Federal Register of a proposed rule to amend its regulations to allow for USCIS to require a $10 registration fee for each petitioner seeking to file H-1B cap-subject petitions.   Written comments are due by October 4, 2019.     As a reminder, April 1, 2020…

USCIS’ previous practice of adjudicating the I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, filed with a qualifying I-129 petition under Premium Processing has ended.  USCIS now requires every I-539 applicant pay a biometrics fee and an Application Support Center appointment take place to capture the applicant’s biometrics.  This has led to I-539 applications taking substantially longer …

Yesterday, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the agency has completed data entry for all fiscal year 2020 H-1B cap-subject petitions selected in the lottery. USCIS is still issuing receipt notices as a result of the computer-generated selection process.  We received a notice yesterday, so please note that others may be forthcoming. …