U.S. Alerts

USCIS Announces FY 2020 H-1B Cap Season Start, Updates, and Changes On March 19, 2019, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the start of the fiscal year (FY) 2020 H-1B cap season, start dates for premium processing of cap-subject H-1B petitions, and the launch of its new H-1B data hub, while reminding petitioners of

Board Disregards Form 9089 Section K License Instruction Written By: Joel Stewart In Matter of Huitt-Zollars, Inc. (2015-PER-671, January 24, 2019), the Board of Alien Labor Certification (BALCA) has come down on the side of the Employer by ruling that there is a lack of clarification about licensing on Form 9089 and that a Perm

BALCA Approval of Equivalency Language is a Double Edged Sword Written By Joel Stewart In Matter of NCS Pearson, Inc., (2015 PERM 110, January 24, 2019), BALCA reversed the decision of the CO who denied the PERM labor application because the employer did not specify the exact combination of education, training, and experience equivalent to

According to reports, the Trump administration plans to close international U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) offices by the end of 2019. USCIS Director L. Francis Cissna told senior staff that the agency’s International Operations Division, which operates in more than 20 countries, will be closed down. The duties of those offices will be transferred

USCIS Releases Notes on H-1B Filing Tips and RFEs U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has released the official minutes from its teleconference on “H-1B Filing Tips and Requests for Evidence (RFEs),” held March 7, 2019. Among other things, USCIS discussed five common reasons for RFEs on H-1B petitions: Evidence demonstrating that the offered position

March Visa Bulletin Shows Progress The Department of State (DOS) has released the Visa Bulletin for March 2019, showing modest progress for EB-1 for all chargeability areas as well as EB-2 for China and India; EB-3 and Other Workers China, India, and the Philippines; and EB-5 China and Vietnam, with the remainder of the priority

USCIS To Issue New Version of Form I-539 and New I-539A, Effective March 11 U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on February 11, 2019, that it has revised Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status, and is introducing a new Form I-539A. The revised and new forms will be required for filings on and

USCIS Now Accepting Copies of Negative P Visa Consultations Directly from Labor Unions U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) said that effective February 8, 2019, the agency has begun accepting copies of negative consultation letters directly from labor unions relating to current or future P nonimmigrant visa petitions. USCIS noted that a consultation letter from