On April 2, 2021, the Department of Labor invited interested parties to provide information on the sources of data and methodologies for determining prevailing wage levels covering employment opportunities that U.S. employers seek to fill with foreign workers on a...
Topic: Immigration Updates
State Dept. Issues Update on Suspension of Entry for Certain Nonimmigrants
The Department of State issued an update on Presidential Proclamation 10052, which temporarily suspended the entry of certain H-1B, H-2B, J (for certain categories within the Exchange Visitor Program), and L nonimmigrants. That proclamation expired on March 31, 2021....
ICE Announces New SEVIS Process for Cap-Gap Extensions
On March 26, 2021, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) updated the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) to remove the cap-gap extension link. This link allowed designated school officials (DSOs) to temporarily apply cap-gap relief to the...
“Blank Space” Criteria Eliminated for Rejection of Forms
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has eliminated "blank space" form rejection criteria introduced in 2019 and reverted to the criteria it applied before October 2019. USCIS will no longer reject the following forms based solely on whether an applicant...
DHS Extends I-9 Requirement Flexibility Until May 31, 2021
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced an extension until May 31, 2021, of the flexibility in complying with requirements related to Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, due to ongoing COVID-19 pandemic precautions. The temporary guidance had...
USCIS Completes Initial FY 2022 H-1B Cap Season Selections; Petitions May Be Filed Now
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on March 30, 2021, that it received enough electronic registrations during the initial registration period to reach the fiscal year (FY) 2022 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the advanced...
Bipartisan Bill Introduced in Senate Would Provide Up to 40,000 Unused Immigrant Visas for Doctors, Nurses
New legislation introduced on March 29, 2021, by Democratic and Republican senators would provide unused employment-based immigrant visas for up to 25,000 foreign nurses and 15,000 foreign physicians and their family members. The Healthcare Workforce Resilience Act...
Miller Mayer Wins EB-1A Green Card Approval for Health Policy Expert from China
Miller Mayer recently received an immigrant visa petition approval in the EB-1A extraordinary ability preference category for a health policy and management expert from China. After the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services issued a request for additional...
Miller Mayer’s Steve Yale-Loehr Speaks on Immigration Polarization
Miller Mayer immigration attorney Steve Yale-Loehr presented a webinar on how to overcome immigration polarization on March 19, 2021. Steve discussed how issues of immigration have fractured along party lines and how that trend can be reversed. Topics included how and...
USCIS Issues Guidance on P-1A Internationally Recognized Athletes
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued updated policy guidance on internationally recognized athletes (P-1A nonimmigrants). The update in the USCIS Policy Manual provides more detailed guidance on the required prospective level of performance and...
