U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a policy alert on March 15, 2023, on employers’ ability to pay the proffered wage to prospective beneficiaries of certain I-140 immigrant petitions. This is important in many employment-related green card petitions. USCIS said it is updating its guidance to discuss in more detail various types of evidence and explain how it reviews all evidence relevant to the employer’s financial strength and the significance of its business activities. Among other things, the new guidance explains that an employer must submit one of three forms of initial required evidence, but may also include other types of relevant evidence.
USCIS explained that employers must submit annual reports, federal tax returns, or audited financial statements for each available year from the case’s priority date. If the employer has 100 or more workers, it may instead include a financial officer statement attesting to the petitioner’s ability to pay the proffered wage. An employer may also submit additional evidence, the agency said, such as profit and loss statements, bank account records, or personnel records. USCIS noted that many employers satisfy the ability to pay requirement by also submitting payroll records demonstrating that, during the relevant time period, they have been paying the employee at least the proffered wage indicated on the Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers (Form I-140).
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