USCIS Completes Initial Lottery Selection for FY2022 H-1B Cap
On March 30, 2021, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it had completed the initial lottery selection from among the electronic H-1B cap registrations received earlier in the month for the upcoming fiscal...
Lottery Selection Begins for FY2022 H-1B Cap Cases
From March 9-25, 2021, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) allowed prospective H-1B petitioners (employers) to register H-1B beneficiaries for the H-1B cap in fiscal year (FY) 2022. The H-1B...
USCIS Extends Due Date Flexibility for Responding to Agency Requests
Shortly after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic and a national emergency, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it would offer “flexibility” to assist customers responding to certain requests...
Nonessential Travel Restrictions Extended for Canada–United States–Mexico Borders
In March 2020, U.S. officials reached mutual agreements with the governments of Mexico and Canada that nonessential travel across the land borders would lead to increased risk of COVID-19 transmission. Therefore, the countries agreed to limit travel through land ports...
U.S. Re-designates Syria for Temporary Protected Status
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an 18-month extension of Syria’s designation for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). This allows approximately 6,700 beneficiaries to retain TPS for 18 months, through...
U.S. Department of Labor Proposes 18 Month Delay to Rule Increasing Prevailing Wage Levels
The Employment and Training Administration at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has released a notice that will be published in the Federal Register on Monday, March 22, 2021. DOL proposes to delay—by 18 months—the changes to...
Burma Designated for Temporary Protected Status in the U.S.
On March 12, 2021, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas designated the country of Burma (also known as Myanmar) for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months. The TPS program provides temporary protections in the U.S. to...
Expanded Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Visa Interview Waiver
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has announced that consular officers may waive the in-person interview requirement for applicants seeking nonimmigrant visas in the same category as a previously held visa that expired within the preceding 48...
Public Charge Rule Permanently Vacated
On March 9, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) confirmed that it would no longer defend the previous administration’s controversial Public Charge Rule. This reversal was the result of an internal review by the U.S. Department...
United States Offers Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelans
On March 8, 2021, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security designated Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under the Immigration and Nationality Act. The TPS program provides temporary protections in the...