Hiring season is fraught with questions and uncertainties; preparing employment applications; interviewing, drafting offer letters….. What questions can be asked? What questions should be asked? These concerns are even more pronounced when it comes to immigration status, and immigration sponsorship. Those tasked with the hiring process often ask, whether it is legal to ask applicants about their immigration status, how to ask that question, and even more important, “Do we have to sponsor for immigration status if the applicant needs it?”
H-1B Lottery Selection Criteria May Change to Salary-Based Process
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a new rule that transforms the random cap H-1B selection process to one that prioritizes registrations and petitions based on the highest Department of Labor (DOL) prevailing wage level met by the offered salary. It is not clear yet whether the incoming Biden administration will implement this rule at all or with modifications. Learn more in our recent client alert.
H-1B Wage Rules Rescinded – Another Win for Employment-Based Immigration
A challenge brought by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to the new H-1B wage levels and the new definition of “Specialty Occupation” was upheld by the United States District Court for the Northern District of California on December 1, 2020. The plaintiff’s Summary Judgement motion was granted when the Court held that the government failed to demonstrate good cause for not following the normal notice and comment procedures required for immigration regulations. The government’s failure to follow the proper rulemaking procedures makes the new rules invalid and requires them to be rescinded by the government. Continue reading “H-1B Wage Rules Rescinded – Another Win for Employment-Based Immigration”
Proposed Student Visa Rules end Duration of Status, Require Extension Applications
On September 25, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the DHS agency with jurisdiction over F-1 foreign student visa holders, published new proposed regulations that would end the long time U.S. practice of issuing “Duration of Status” to F-1 students. Instead, F-1 visa holders would be limited to 2 or 4 year visa terms depending upon their country of origin, and be required to reapply for F-1 Status through USCIS to obtain extensions, or to leave the United States and apply for an extension . The proposed regulations were immediately criticized by the higher education community. The rules were called ill-conceived, misguided, unnecessary, and a burden to an industry that has already seen a steady decline in international student admissions. Read the full blog post here.
USCIS gets flexible on I-9 Process, but Employers must stay Vigilant
The I-9 process continues to be the bane of HR existence. Recent accommodations for remote work environments, closed driver’s license agencies, and USCIS delays in printing work permits and green cards are definitely appreciated and helpful, but they also make the process more confusing. Employers are beginning to worry about how they will catch up on viewing all of the original documents they saw remotely during the pandemic, in the USCIS-designated 3-day time frame once their companies return to the office. Meanwhile, I-9 audits and worksite enforcement actions are continuing apace. While following all of the new guidance, employers must also be sure to stick to the basics. Continue reading “USCIS gets flexible on I-9 Process, but Employers must stay Vigilant”
PERM Gets Rough in an Uncertain Job Market
Employers who may be trying to proceed with PERM applications for foreign national workers are in an uphill battle. With layoffs, furloughs and unemployment at all time highs, the Department of Labor is on high alert for unsuspecting PERM employers who are trying to do the right thing under difficult circumstances.
Employers who have H-1B or other workers with limited time on their nonimmigrant status, don’t have the luxury of waiting until the job market improves to begin PERM applications for their employees. For H-1B or L-1B workers in their final year or two of nonimmigrant visa eligibility, PERM is a necessity or they will have to return to their home countries. Continue reading “PERM Gets Rough in an Uncertain Job Market”
F-1 Student Ban from 100% Remote Education Rescinded
On July 14, 2020, the Trump Administration rescinded SEVP guidance issued last week, which forbid F-1 students from attending universities that were planning to be 100% remote during the fall 2020 semester. With the rescission, schools may now revert to following the SEVP March 9 Broadcast Message: Coronavirus Disease 2019 and the March 13 COVID-19: Guidance for SEVP Stakeholders . Read more about this important development in our education law blog, UpdateED.
Universities Weigh Impact of Latest Travel Ban on Certain Chinese Graduate Students and Post Docs
The White House has issued a new travel ban blocking Chinese nationals associated with entities that are part of China’s “military-civil fusion” strategy from obtaining graduate level Student (F) or Exchange Visitor (J) visas. The ban went into effect on June 1 and has no end date. The ban specifically references those visa applicants who are currently outside the United States, but does not exclude the possibility that the estimated 3000 Chinese nationals, already studying in the U.S. who meet the criteria of the executive order, could have their existing visas revoked. Read Valentine’s full post on the Duane Morris Education Law Blog, UpdateED.
Duane Morris Pro Bono Attorneys Step Up for Citizenship
On Saturday, September 19, 2015 Duane Morris attorneys in Philadelphia and Boca Raton offices assisted Legal Permanent Residents with their U.S. Citizenship applications. The annual event, Pro Bono Citizenship Day, is organized by the American Immigration Lawyers Association. Duane Morris has participated for the last 6 years. It is estimated that there are 8.8 million Legal Permanent Residents who are eligible to naturalize in the United States, with 50,000 of those residing in Philadelphia. To learn more about the Philadelphia event, read Valentine Brown’s article that appeared in the Legal Intelligencer on Friday, September 19, 2015.
USCIS Issues Final Guidance on H-1B Amendments under Matter of Simeio
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released its final guidance on when to file an amended or new H-1B petition after the Matter of Simeio Solutions, LLC decision.
Change in CIS Policy on worksite/location changes: On April 9, 2015, the USCIS’ Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) issued a precedent decision, Matter of Simeio Solutions, LLC, ruling that when an H-1B employee changes work site locations, it is considered a material change that may require the filing of an amended or new H-1B petition with USCIS.
Previous USCIS Guidance: Under the previous USCIS guidance, if a new Labor Condition Application (LCA) was filed with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) prior to the work site location change, no amended or new H-1B petition was required to be filed with USCIS.
New USCIS Guidance: Under the new USCIS Guidance, if an H-1B employee is changing work site locations and the new work site location is not within the same Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) as the current worksite location, then an amended or new H-1B petition must be filed with USCIS.
If the worksite change is within the same MSA, no amended or new H-1B petition is required; however, copies of the original certified LCA listing the current work site location will need to be posted at the new work site location prior to the H-1B employee beginning employment at the new location. After the requisite posting period, the posted original certified LCA copies must be placed in the Public Access File notated with the dates and places of posting.
Compliance: If an employer complied with the pre-Simeio decision USCIS Guidance, by completing a new LCA before the worksite change, and the H-1B employee work site changed occurred on or before April 9, 2015, USCIS will not pursue any new adverse actions against the employer after July 21, 2015 that are based solely upon a failure to file an amended or new H-1B petition to address the work site location change. USCIS will however, preserve the right to pursue any adverse actions (related to work site location changes) which have commenced or been completed prior to July 21, 2015, and will also still continue to pursue adverse actions for other violations.
However, USCIS provides a safe harbor, if an employer files amended or new H-1B petitions on or before January 15, 2016 to address prior work site changes for H-1B employees (including cases that followed the pre-Simeio decision USCIS Guidance for work site location changes prior to April 9, 2015, with the filing of new LCAs listing the new work site location). USCIS will consider those filings timely, and not subject to adverse action by USCIS for failure to file an amended or new H-1B petition to address the work site location change.