On January 5, 2024, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released updated policy guidance describing how the agency analyzes an employer’s ability to pay the offered wage to prospective employees with employment-based immigrant petitions requiring a job offer, filed with USCIS under the first, second, and third preference categories,…
As the new year approaches, we have some unfortunate news to report for certain employment-based applicants who may wish to file their petitions with premium processing service in 2024, including those filing: Form I-129 Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker Form I-140 Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker, as well as Certain…
The January 2024 Visa Bulletin is finally here, and with it some big advancements for the employment-based preference categories in the New Year, specifically for India and China, and some promising forward movement in the Final Action Dates for EB-2 Worldwide and EB-3 Professional/Skilled Workers Worldwide. For family-sponsored categories, the…
It’s a brand-new week full of important updates from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). This time for employment authorization documents (EADs). Recently, USCIS announced that certain applicants who have filed to renew their employment authorization cards (EADs) on Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, may qualify for an…
Did you know that the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has launched a new online change of address self-service tool? This new tool known as “Enterprise Change of Address” (E-COA) is a one-stop shop where most individuals with a USCIS online account can update their mailing and physical address…
In this blog post, we summarize the movement of the family-sponsored and employment-based preference categories of the September Visa Bulletin. This information will be helpful to those applying for an immigrant visa at a U.S. Consulate overseas, and those applying for adjustment of status to permanent residence in the United…
Did you recently file an L-1 petition as an Intracompany Transferee under a previously approved blanket petition? Then you may want to hear about this important new update. On Thursday August 3, 2023, the U.S. Citizenship, and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced new changes to the way that the agency will…
The news we have all been waiting for is finally here. Today, July 31, 2023, the U.S. Citizenship, and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that they have conducted a second lottery to select from previously submitted electronic registrations to reach the FY 2024 numerical cap. At this time, USCIS has notified…
Did you participate in the H-1B electronic registration for Fiscal Year 2024? If so, we have some exciting news for you. On Thursday, July 27, 2023, USCIS issued a news alert informing the public that they will conduct a second H-1B lottery to select additional H-1B registrations to reach the fiscal year…
Readers of the July Visa Bulletin may have been surprised to learn that the final action date for the employment-based third preference category for nationals of India retrogressed by more than 3 years and 5 months from June 15, 2012 (in the June Visa Bulletin) to January 1, 2009 (in…