H-1B Work Visa
Employee Benefits: H-1B Wage Requirements
Companies offer benefits, or perks and compensations for services, as a means to attract highly skilled employees. As some of the most highly skilled professionals in the American workforce, H-1B employees are often recipients of attractive benefits packages, including paid vacation, health care, stock options, etc. For employers, whether the value of benefit services provided…
Read MoreSilicon Valley University Withdraws from SEVP
On April 30th, Silicon Valley University in San Jose, California withdrew its SEVP certification, or the Student and Exchange Visitor Program. The certification, which is accredited at the federal level, allows non-immigrant students to obtain eligible status while studying at a college or university in the United States. Effective June 30th, the school’s Student and…
Read MoreUSCIS Cracks Down on H-1B Fraud & Abuse (Site Visits)
USCIS recently announced new measures to protect American jobs and comply with initiatives coming from the Trump Administration. The announcement serves as the first step for a new direction focused on greater oversight of both H-1B employees and employers. Specifically, for employers, worksite visits will now become more strenuous for those companies identified by USICIS as being…
Read MoreH-1B Dependent Employer (LCA)
When there is not a sufficient supply of highly skilled workers in the United States, companies can fulfill demand through sponsoring foreign nationals through the H-1B program. For companies in high tech industries, which require years of advanced training and understanding of complex computers systems, the H-1B program is a vital tool in maintaining a…
Read MoreHope for H-4 EAD: Notice & Comment Period (USCIS)
As previously reported, the Trump Administration continues to consider a proposal to terminate the H-4 Employment Authorization Document (EAD) program following a lawsuit from an anti-immigration interest group, SAVE Jobs USA. Early this month, the director of the United States Customs and Immigration Service (USCIS), Lee Cissna responded to protests from members of Congress urging the Trump…
Read MoreUSCIS Announces New Security Measures for Green Card Delivery
Beginning April 30th, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will begin implementing the Signature Confirmation Restricted Delivery Service provided by the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) for all mailed Green Cards and other secure documents. To receive a secure document or Green Card, recipients must provide the mail courier with a photo ID to sign…
Read MoreNavigating LCA: Working From Home (Telecommuting)
Over the last few years, the internet has changed the very structure of today’s companies. With a computer and a strong internet connection, associates from across the U.S. and around the globe can now hold strategic meetings and negotiate international deals without having to leave the comfort of the domestic office. For many, the internet…
Read MoreUSCIS Director Responds to Concerns Regarding H-4 EAD Program (DHS to End H-4 EAD)
In early March, 15 members of Congress sent a letter to the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), urging Secretary Nielsen to reconsider the proposal to end the H-4 EAD program. Following an appeals court decision, DHS announced that it would delay its announcement to officially end the program, which allows the spouses of H-1B workers…
Read MoreSTEM OPT Workers: USCIS Website Changes Worksite Guidelines (F-1)
A change to the USCIS website may present a big problem for employers providing training to F-1 students on a visa extension through the STEM OPT work program. Updated early this year, the website provides stricter worksite guidelines for employers of STEM OPT workers. Although there is no explicit legal change to worksite regulations for the…
Read MoreH-1B Visa Applications Fall Again
On April 6th, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) announced that the service had received enough petitions to reach the general H-1B and advanced degree cap for FY 2019. Five days later, on April 11th, USCIS announced the completion of the random computer generated selection for the congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 H-1B petitions and…
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