USCIS Issues Final Rule to Adjust Certain Immigration and Naturalization Fees

Posted on by Belina Nernberg

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a final rule to adjust certain immigration and naturalization benefit request fees for the first time since 2016. The final rule will allow USCIS to recover a greater share of its operating costs and support more timely processing of new applications.

The final rule is the result of a comprehensive fee review, as required by law, and follows the January 2023 publication of a notice of proposed rulemaking. The review concluded that the current fee schedule falls far short in recovering the full cost of agency operations, including the necessary expansion of humanitarian programs, federally mandated pay raises, additional staffing … Read more “USCIS Issues Final Rule to Adjust Certain Immigration and Naturalization Fees”

DHS Issues Proposed Rule to Modernize the H-1B Specialty Occupation Worker Program

Posted on by Belina Nernberg

USCIS seeks to update regulations with proposed rulemaking to improve program efficiency and integrity

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that would modernize the H-1B specialty occupation worker program by streamlining eligibility requirements, improving program efficiency, providing greater benefits and flexibilities for employers and workers, and strengthening integrity measures. The H-1B program helps U.S. employers hire the employees they need to meet their business needs and remain competitive in the global marketplace, while adhering to all U.S. worker protections under the law.

“DHS continues to develop and implement regulations that increase efficiency and … Read more “DHS Issues Proposed Rule to Modernize the H-1B Specialty Occupation Worker Program”

FY 2024 H-1B Registration Update

Posted on by Belina Nernberg

In March 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) conducted an initial random selection on properly submitted electronic registrations for the fiscal year (FY) 2024 H-1B cap, including for beneficiaries eligible for the advanced degree exemption. The initial filing period for those with selected registrations for FY 2024 was from April 1, 2023, through June 30, 2023.

USCIS recently announced the need to select additional registrations to reach the FY 2024 H-1B numerical allocations. We now have randomly selected, from the remaining FY 2024 registrations properly submitted, a sufficient number of registrations projected as needed to reach the cap. We have notified all prospective petitioners with selected registrations from … Read more “FY 2024 H-1B Registration Update”

H-1B cap season is quickly approaching!

Posted on by Belina Nernberg

US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) stated on January 28, 2022, that the registration period for Fiscal Year 2023 will begin on March 1, 2022, 12nn EST and end on March 18, 2022, 12nn EST. Employers can register prospective employees via the USCIS online H-1B registration system during this 18-day period, either directly or through their representatives.

The H-1B visa program allows US employers to hire foreign workers for a limited time in occupations that require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge as well as a bachelor’s degree or higher in the specified specialty or its equivalent. Congress has set aside 65,000 visas for … Read more “H-1B cap season is quickly approaching!”

USCIS Will Accept H-1B Petitions for Fiscal Year 2018 Beginning April 3

Posted on by LA Jobs

USCIS Will Accept H-1B Petitions for Fiscal Year 2018 Beginning April 3

Release Date: March 15, 2017
WASHINGTON — U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the fiscal year 2018 cap on April 3, 2017. All cap-subject H-1B petitions filed before April 3, 2017, for the FY 2018 cap will be rejected.

The H-1B program allows companies in the United States to temporarily employ foreign workers in occupations that require the application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and a bachelor’s degree or higher in the specific specialty, or its equivalent. H-1B specialty occupations may include fields such as science, engineering and information technology.

… Read more “USCIS Will Accept H-1B Petitions for Fiscal Year 2018 Beginning April 3”

Investor’s Visa Through Franchise Ownership

Posted on by LA Jobs

Investor’s Visa Through Franchise Ownership

Foreign citizens that are entrepreneurs or future business owners who wish to live and own a franchise business here in the U.S. have an opportunity to do so through an E2 Visa.

This program allows individuals from treaty countries to enter the USA through business ownership. Benefits of the E-2 include the ability to renew the visa every 2-5 years (depending on country of origin) for an indefinite period of time. They are also able to maintain US residency as long as the business is operating profitably. While there is no set minimum investment to qualify for this program investors should be prepared to provide

… Read more “Investor’s Visa Through Franchise Ownership”

USCIS Completes Data Entry of Fiscal Year 2017 H-1B Cap-Subject Petitions

Posted on by LA Jobs

USCIS Completes Data Entry of Fiscal Year 2017 H-1B Cap-Subject Petitions

USCIS announced on May 2, 2016, that it has completed data entry of all fiscal year 2017 H-1B cap-subject petitions selected in our computer-generated random process. USCIS will now begin returning all H-1B cap-subject petitions that were not selected.

Due to the high volume of filings, USCIS is unable to provide a definite time frame for returning these petitions. USCIS asks petitioners not to inquire about the status of submitted cap-subject petitions until they receive a receipt notice or an unselected petition is returned. USCIS will issue an announcement once all the unselected petitions have been returned.

Additionally, USCIS

… Read more “USCIS Completes Data Entry of Fiscal Year 2017 H-1B Cap-Subject Petitions”

Fiscal Year 2017 H-1B Cap Premium Processing to Begin May 12

Posted on by LA Jobs

Fiscal Year 2017 H-1B Cap Premium Processing to Begin May 12

On May 12, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin premium processing for cap-subject H-1B petitions requesting premium processing, including petitions seeking an exemption for individuals with a U.S. master’s degree or higher.

USCIS first announced in a news releasethat it would temporarily adjust its premium processing practice due to the historic premium processing receipt levels, combined with the possibility that the H-1B cap will be met in the first 5 business days of the filing season.

USCIS provides premium processing service for certain employment-based petitions and guarantees a 15-calendar-day processing time.

For H-1B petitions that

… Read more “Fiscal Year 2017 H-1B Cap Premium Processing to Begin May 12”

USCIS Will Accept H-1B Petitions for Fiscal Year 2017 Beginning April 1, 2016

Posted on by LA Jobs

USCIS Will Accept H-1B Petitions for Fiscal Year 2017 Beginning April 1, 2016

Release Date: March 16, 2016

WASHINGTON – On April 1, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the fiscal year (FY) 2017 cap. U.S. businesses use the H-1B program to employ foreign workers in occupations that require highly specialized knowledge in fields such as science, engineering and computer programming.

The congressionally mandated cap on H-1B visas for FY 2017 is 65,000. The first 20,000 H-1B petitions filed for individuals with a U.S. master’s degree or higher are exempt from the 65,000 cap.

USCIS expects to receive more than 65,000 petitions during

… Read more “USCIS Will Accept H-1B Petitions for Fiscal Year 2017 Beginning April 1, 2016”

H-1B Filing Season is Approaching – It’s Time to Get Ready

Posted on by LA Jobs

H-1B Filing Season is Approaching – It’s Time to Get Ready

USCIS will begin accepting H-1B petitions on April 1, 2016.  Be aware that there is an annual numerical cap of 65,000 for the regular cap and 20,000 for advanced degree holders in the US.

On the first week of April 2015, the USCIS already received 233,000 H-1B petitions. It’s possible that the H-1B petition count could also be the same for this year so the earlier you get your documents ready and filed the better your chances of having your petition processed. Anyone who gets approved for this petition will be able to begin his/her employment on October 1,

… Read more “H-1B Filing Season is Approaching – It’s Time to Get Ready”