Immigration Blog
Our blog is a source of latest immigration news, policy updates and trends for thousands of readers every month.
How to Change Jobs With a National Interest Waiver
When you’re approved for a National Interest Waiver, you sponsor yourself and don’t need a job offer to get your document. The NIW, as it’s referred to, is a fast track to a green card. But to keep your place in the green card waiting line, you must continue to prove that you’re working toward the terms stipulated with your NIW, which usually means having a specific job. So, when you change employers under an NIW, it could technically affect your green card status. Here are the details you should know if you’re considering changing (or have already changed) jobs as a National Interest Waiver holder.
Paper Documentation Elimination: Good or Bad for Foreign Workers?
Since the pandemic, it has become expected, and even customary, for businesses to include virtual options as part of their service. But this switch remains unwanted for those who prefer in-person interactions or who aren’t tech-savvy. The move to electronic documentation is spreading as an eco-friendly and pandemic-proof change, and it has reached USCIC via Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Is this change well-founded and for the better, or does it negatively impact foreign workers? We’ll explain here.
2023's Long-Term USCIS Goals
Immigration news is full of optimistic changes on the horizon as US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) continues to revamp its systems and processes. The latest regulations involved requests for rate increases. Should those requests go through, USCIS has big plans for the funds. Regardless of the budget, though, the agency released its goals for FY 2023-2026 in its Strategic Plan. This plan is essentially a roadmap of milestones and targets that will take USCIS to its ultimate goals to strengthen its workforce and aid the country overall. A summary of the plan is found here.
First Round Lottery Results FY 2024 Are In
The H-1B for skilled workers is always in more demand than there are available visas. Fiscal Year 2024 is no different, and the world has waited for the registration window’s end and the announcement of the final count from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services agency. That number is in, and the first-round lottery results for FY 2024 have been selected.
National Interest Waivers for Scientists
Obtaining approval for a National Interest Waiver is an exciting step in your journey to permanent United States residency. Understandably, this is a challenging endeavor to undertake, as you must prove to the government that your skills and knowledge are essential to the overall national interest of the country. One such field that tends to fall under this category is that of scientists, and if your studies lead you into the biological science realm, you may qualify for this coveted waiver, as we’ll discuss here.
E-Verify Employers Can Now Use Remote Verification Options
Early in 2023, E-Verify made headlines as Florida added legislation to enforce E-Verify as a required part of the employment process for every employee. Although this announcement was met with substantial backlash, the reality is that many other states already have this system in place, including Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Utah. Although it’s voluntary elsewhere, most employers prefer the simplicity and efficiency of the system, and USCIS has made the program even more accessible with its newly released remote verification options. Read on to learn more about what this involves.
Clearing Up the Confusion Regarding NIW Visas for Commercial Pilots
In early 2022, news hit the aviation world that foreign pilots could qualify for the United States National Interest Waivers. That information prompted hundreds of thousands of commercial pilots to petition for waivers, spending large amounts of money on legal fees and hoping their time and financial expenses would pay off. But many of these cases were rejected. What’s the truth behind NIW visas and commercial pilots? We explain the difference between successful and rejected petitions here.
What's the Difference Between an H-1B and an H-2B Visa?
For decades, the United States government has understood the importance of foreign workers as part of a growing economy. Since the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 was enacted, temporary nonimmigrants have come to the country to perform employment under various categories. The most commonly used visas for foreign workers are the H-1B and H-2B, but while there are many similarities between the two documents, at their core, they are distinctly different. What do each of these visas allow the holder, and which one is right for you? Read on to find out.
What Foreign Athletes Should Know About National Interest Waivers
Back in 2020, an executive order was enacted to exempt professional athletes and any essential support staff from the COVID-19 restriction of entry into the US. With that order, foreign-national athletes and coaches of the NBA, NHL, USTA, PGA, and certain other sports bypassed the restriction. Since then, that vaguely worded document was used to successfully make business traveler arguments helping others get through COVID restrictions. Now, changes to the initial exemption have affected foreign athletes, particularly in the form of National Interest Waivers. What should you know if you’re attempting to travel under this category? Read on to find out.
Filing for Concurrent H-1B Visas
There are many benefits that make the H-1B visa one of the most coveted work visas available. One of these advantages is that one visa holder can work for multiple employers simultaneously, provided that any additional companies file the H-1B petition. Although the beneficiary already holds the H-1B visa, the new employer must receive authorization to hire them through USCIS via a process called the Concurrent H-1B. We’ll explain what that means and how to file yours here.
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An O-1 visa is designed to allow foreigners at the very top of the arts, sciences, sports, education, business, motion picture or television industries entry into the United States.
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