U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting “registration” entries for the H-1B Lottery in March. The US employers who want to bring international talent to their organization using the H-1B professional and specialty occupation visa now they can do so. Now, is the time to start learning how the H-1B process can be used to your organization’s advantage. The Immigration & Nationality Lawyers at the NPZ Law Group said in a press release and are available to assist you and/or your HR staff to navigate the H-1B visa process. “ Taking a much needed (but very short) break from the “good fight”, NPZ Lawyers, Snehal Batra, Esq. and David Nachman, Esq., hosted a talk-back following the Teaneck International Film Festival (TIFF) screening of the documentary film “Missing in Brooks County”. The film is a portrait of a small town in rural South Texas where migrants disappear (more than anywhere else in the U.S.) after crossing the border from Mexico. The movie raises many humanitarian, social, and political concerns and questions that were addressed in the talk-back. As the US and Canadian immigration law landscapes continue to shift (and deal up very frustrating delays), as a Firm, we remain steadfast in our resolve to get the best possible results that we can for our clients under these most trying of times and circumstances. Please feel free to contact us by e-mailing anytime at [email protected]or by contacting us by phone at 201-670-0006 (x104). VISASERVE – NPZ Law Group – US and Canadian Immigration & Nationality Lawyers – invite the opportunity to assist you, your friends, your colleagues, and/or your family members with even the most complex US and Canadian immigration and nationality law matters. We pride ourselves on our personal service to our clients.
PREPARING FOR H-1B SEASON: NOW IS THE TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE H-1B CAP SEASON.
The H-1B nonimmigrant professional and specialty occupation work visas allow foreign nationals to acquire temporary work visas in the US based on a bachelor’s or equivalent degree from a US institution. These are among the most in-demand visas for non-immigrants because they are only limited to individuals in specialized fields. The H-1B employment visa process has a start date of October 1st every year, in which 85,000 visas are rolled out; however, the applications far exceed the limited quota.
ABCs OF H-1Bs (THIS IS PART III OF AN VIII PART SERIES): WHAT H-1B EMPLOYERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE LCA TO AVOID POTENTIAL DOL COMPLIANCE PITFALLS.
The H-1B visa program permits a United States employer (“employer”) to temporarily employ nonimmigrants to fill specialized jobs in the United States. The Immigration and Nationality Act (the “INA” or the “Act”) requires that an employer pay an H-1B worker the higher of the actual wage or the local prevailing wage, in order to protect U.S. workers and their wages. Under the Act, an employer seeking to hire a foreign national in a specialty occupation on an H-1B visa must receive permission from the Department of Labor (“DOL”) before the foreign national may obtain an H-1B visa. The Act defines a “specialty occupation” as an occupation requiring the application of highly-specialized knowledge and the attainment of a bachelor’s degree or higher. The Act requires an employer seeking permission to employ an H-1B worker to submit and receive an approved Labor Condition Application (“LCA”) from the DOL.
O-1 VISA UPDATE: USCIS PROVIDES CLARIFYING GUIDANCE ON O-1 NONIMMIGRANTS IN THE ARTS VS. MOTION PICTURE AND TELEVISION SECTORS.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services recently announced clarifying guidance on how we determine whether an O-1B beneficiary will be evaluated as a person of extraordinary ability in the arts or as a person of extraordinary achievement in the motion picture or television industry when a case has elements of both. Individuals of extraordinary ability in the arts or extraordinary achievement in motion picture or television industry may be eligible for O-1B classification. The updated guidance will help officers and petitioners determine whether a beneficiary falls into the arts category or the motion picture and television category. TO READ MORE, PLEASE CLICK HERE . . .
COVID-19 BLUES AND US IMMIGRATION: IMMIGRATION UPDATES IN COVID-19 TIMES.
Two years into dealing with Covid-19, the world is still trying to cope with the ever-changing numbers of the pandemic. A large group of people heavily impacted by the constant changes in regulations is the immigrants and those who look forward to it. The travel restrictions such as vaccination, PCR tests, and quarantine are only the basic requirements to enter a new border. The authorities constantly update US immigration regulations to provide maximum facilitation to the immigrants while prioritizing health measures to keep the virus cases from rising. TO READ MORE, PLEASE CLICK HERE . . .
HEALTHCARE WORKERS UPDATE: CURRENT HEALTH CARE IMMIGRATION OPTIONS FOR THE UNITED STATES.
As the current health care workforce shortage in the United States continues to grow and many healthcare workers are exploring their immigration options to the United States. There are several ways to obtain lawful permanent residence status in the United States, including the most common way for healthcare workers – through employment-based visas. This article will provide an overview of each potential visa option. So if you are a healthcare worker interested in coming to the United States, keep reading. TO READ MORE, PLEASE CLICK HERE . . .
On April 1st, 2022, USCIS will dispose of E-Verify records that are more than 10 years old, which are those dated on or before December 31st, 2011. E-Verify employers have until March 31st, 2022, to download case information from the Historic Records Report if they want to retain information about these E-Verify cases.
