NPZ LAW GROUP - Immigration Podcast

NPZ Law Group Immigration and Nationality Lawyers talk about U.S. Visas for Cultural Uniqueness and for Performing Artists (P-3)

Premium processing provides expedited processing for Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, and Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker. Specifically, we guarantee processing within 15 calendar days to those who choose to use this service, or we will refund the premium processing service fee and will continue with expedited processing. The 15 calendar day period will begin when we p...

The EB-5 Regional Center Program (EB-5) will be officially reauthorized 60 days from the passage of the Federal appropriations package for FY 2022. The legislation, named the “EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act of 2022”, is great news not just for new investors interested to immigrate to the United States, but for the thousands of investor families that have been waiting in limbo due to the sunset of t...

Many F-1 visa holders, particularly those who are engaged in OPT change their immigration status to become professional and specialty workers (H-1B workers). The H-1B cap is the Congressionally-mandated limit on the number of individuals who may be granted H-1B status during each fiscal year. Most foreign nationals seeking H-1B nonimmigrant classification are subject to the 58,200 cap. There are a...

To file H-1B petitions subject to the FY2023 cap for an employee, you must first electronically register and pay a $10 fee for each electronic registration. The electronic registration includes basic information about the employer and employee. This year, registrations must be submitted between March 1 and March 18, 2022. Link here: https://visaserve.com/global_pictures/FY2023_H1B_Registration_Fac...

On January 15, 2022, New York City enacted a first-of-its-kind law requiring employers with more than four employees (excluding temporary hiring firms) to include a minimum and maximum salary in all job postings for positions located in New York City. The requirement applies to internal job postings as well as transfers within a company. The new law will go into effect on May 15, 2022. Link here:...

USCIS updated policy guidance to change the maximum validity period that may be granted for Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) issued to certain applicants, as well as to provide general guidance on adjudicating Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. link here: https://visaserve.com/lawyer/2022/02/09/Employment-Authorization-Documents/USCIS-Updates-Guidelines-on-Maximum-Valid...

Hiring international students can be an excellent way to leverage some of the world’s best and most diverse talents for your organization. In this blog, we will be discussing the options for employment authorization that are available for international students studying in the US. Explaining the F-1/J-1 Status: An international student needs a student visa in order to be able to pursue a program o...

The threshold question for an H-1B nonimmigrant work visa is whether the intending H-1B nonimmigrant has the equivalence of a U.S. Bachelor’s Degree in a specific field. Most of the prospective H-1B employees and H-1B employers begin with either of the following two thoughts: “I would like to work in the U.S. using an H-1B visa, but am not sure if I qualify” or “I want to hire a foreign worker but...

USCIS announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year 2023 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 1 and run through noon Eastern on March 18, 2022. During this period, prospective petitioners and representatives will be able to complete and submit their registrations using USCIS online H-1B registration system. USCIS will assign a confirmation number to each registration su...

The White House provided a fact sheet detailing new DHS actions intended to attract and maintain STEM talent in the US. These include DHS policy manual updates on O-1 visas, creation of the Early Career STEM Research Initiative, changes to SEVP, USCIS policy manual updates, and more.  link: https://visaserve.com/lawyer/2022/01/21/F-1-Visa/WHITE-HOUSE-ANNOUNCEMENT-Biden-%E2%81%A0Harris-Adminis...

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. Link here: https://visaserve.com/...

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 ever...

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 pot...

The H-1B nonimmigrant visa category allows employers to sponsor foreign nationals to perform temporary services in a “specialty occupation.” This typically requires an offer of employment in a job requiring at least a U.S. bachelor’s degree, or its equivalent, in a specific area of specialization. There is an annual limit or “cap” on H-1Bs of 65,000 visas, with an additional 20,000 visas allocated...

Employers who seek to hire an H-1B nonimmigrant in a specialty occupation must first make a filing with the Department of Labor (DOL) and obtain a Labor Condition Application (LCA). The LCA, among other things, must specify the number of workers sought, the occupational classification in which the H-1B will be employed, and the wage rate and conditions under which the proposed H-1B nonimmigrant wi...

The Department of Homeland Security has published a final rule that withdraws the Modification of Registration Requirement for Petitioners Seeking to File Cap-Subject H-1B Petitions final rule, also known as the H-1B Selection Final Rule, issued Jan. 8, 2021. That rule was vacated by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. Read more . . .

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on Dec 6, 2019, announced a 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 $10.00 H-1B registration fee before filing a petition. USCIS will open an initial registration period for a minimum of 14 calendar days each fis...

The Facebook settlement (the “settlement”) may alarm employers conducting PERM recruitment. However, one must note that immigration laws, regulations, and statutes have not changed by virtue of the terms of the Settlement. Nevertheless, it’s important to keep some things in mind. Thus, the NPZ Law Group hereby describes generally how the Facebook Settlement may impact the PERM program. Read more ....

現代、技術の進歩によってさまざまな新しいキャリアを生み出しています。 人気のある新しいキャリアとして、ソーシャルメディアインフルエンサーと「プロゲーマー」としても知られるEスポーツアスリートがあります。これらの職業の個人が米国に入国したい場合、彼らはいくつかの移民ビザオプションを利用することができます。 Read more . . .

Under the 2019 published final rule by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, an electronic H-1B registration process has been implemented which requires a $10.00 registration fee for the cases that will have to be filed by the April 1st, 2022 cap season deadline. One of the main goals under this regulation is to conduct the H-1B lottery before accepting petitions so that prospective H-1B emplo...

To prevent the spread of COVID-19, on November 26, 2021, President Biden signed a proclamation suspending the entry of certain noncitizens traveling as immigrants or nonimmigrants who were present in Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe during the 14-day period prior to their entry or attempted entry into the United States Link here: https://visaserv...

-

Effective December 1, 2021, foreign nationals who have been in any of these countries within the previous 14 days will not be permitted entry into Canada: Botswana, Egypt, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe. https://visaserve.com/lawyer/2021/12/01/Canada-Immigration-Blog/CANADA-INTRODUCES-NEW-MEASURES-IN-RESPONSE-TO-OMICRON-VARIANT_bl42604.htm #Canad...

Under the 2019 published final rule by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, an electronic H-1B registration process has been implemented which requires a $10.00 registration fee for the cases that will have to be filed by the April 1st, 2022 cap season deadline. One of the main goals under this regulation is to conduct the H-1B lottery before accepting petitions so that prospective H-1B emplo...