Initial H-1B registration period for the fiscal year 2024 H-1B cap will open at noon Eastern on March 1 and run through noon Eastern on March 17, 2023. During this period, prospective petitioners and representatives will be able to complete and submit their registrations using our online H-1B registration system.

For more on the process refer here

Now is the time for employers to prepare for a successful 2020 H-1B filing season. You’re probably wondering how best to go about this, given the complexities that arose relative to specialty occupations, degrees and wage issues last year. Please note that USCIS has complete discretion whether to deny a case outright or issue a Request for Evidence (RFE). We cannot stress strongly enough the importance of planning and developing strong documentation in support of your case. In so doing, we recommend that you carefully consider and document the below points, as follows:

• If employee has a US master’s degree from a public or non-profit nationally accredited university, apply under the Master’s cap. You can do so whether or not the offered position requires a master’s or bachelor’s degree. The degree, transcript and evidence that the University is public, non-profit and accredited must now be submitted to the Department of Labor with the Labor Condition Application
• It is critical to show the nexus between the offered position’s job duties and the degree requirement
• Select the O*NET code and OFLC Wage level carefully so that the actual wage is reflective of a specialty occupation requiring a degreed professional. Be cautious about Level 1 entry-level wages. We advise paying a higher wage, or be prepared to explain why the position is both entry level and qualifies as a specialty occupation. You may wish to obtain an expert opinion for the latter
• Consider whether the prospective employee will consular process outside the US or do they qualify for a change of status? It’s best to consular processing to preserve OPT if valid beyond October 1st, and to file a change of status case if OPT expires prior to October 1st to protect work authorization under the “cap gap” policy (travel should be avoided in this scenario during case processing)
• To establish that a job qualifies as a specialty occupation under USCIS regulations, one or more of the following criteria must be met with supporting documentation: (1) A bachelor’s or higher degree or its equivalent that is normally the minimum entry requirement for the position; the required degree must be related to the position to be filled.; or (2) The degree requirement is common to the industry, or in the alternative, the position is so complex or unique that it can be performed only by an individual with a degree; or (3) The employer normally requires a degree or its equivalent for the position; or (4) The nature of the specific duties is so specialized and complex that the knowledge required to perform the duties is usually associated with the attainment of a bachelor’s or higher degree.

We are uncertain at this time if USCIS will implement a designated H-1B Cap Pre-Registration lottery process for employers in time for this filing season. USCIS stated that this would reverse the order by which the agency selects H-1B petitions under the cap and the advanced degree exemption with the end goal being to increase the number of beneficiaries with master’s or higher degrees from US universities. We will continue to provide updates on this as more information is released.

We would suggest that another strategy for securing the talent that you need in your organization is to consider processing a PERM Labor Certification case with the Department of Labor that is not subject to lottery selection. This can be done for a prospective employee inside or outside the USA or for your F-1 OPT employee as a backup to your H-1B filing, creating a direct path to permanent residency.

Our office is available to assist you with your case filing strategy and case submissions. We are already in planning mode. We can be contacted at info@immigrationcompliancegroup.com

Government enforcement activities at businesses significantly increased in 2018 and are anticipated to continue in 2019.  The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) conducted close to 6,000 audits last year compared to 1,360 audits in 2017. This is consistent with the Trump administration’s focus on immigration enforcement, and it will continue this year.

The whole purpose of the I-9 form is to ensure that you are hiring a legal workforce.  In this article we will unpack Section 3 of the I-9 form, and offer some guidelines that will help you navigate when you must use this part of the form.

Employers must complete Section 3 of the I-9 Form when:

• Your employee’s employment authorization or documentation of employment authorization has expired.
• Your employee is rehired within 3 years of the date that Form I-9 was originally completed.
• Your employee has a legal name change.

When completing Section 3, you must also complete the last name, first name and middle initial fields in the Employee Info from Section 1 area at the top of Section 2.

When your employee’s employment authorization or, in most cases, employment authorization documentation (see below for more information) expires, you must reverify to ensure your employee is still authorized to work. To find out if your employee’s employment authorization expires, look in Section 1 for the date that employment authorization expires and in Section 2 for the date that the employment authorization document expires.

The employment authorization expiration date provided by your employee in Section 1 may not match the document expiration date recorded under List A or List C in Section 2. The earlier date must be used to determine when reverification is necessary.

We suggest that you remind employees, at least 90 days before the date reverification is required, that they will be required to present a List A or List C document (or acceptable receipt) showing continued employment authorization on the date that their employment authorization or documentation whichever is sooner, expires. If your employee has a Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, pending with USCIS, and the application has been pending for 75 days, your employee may call the USCIS Contact Center or schedule an InfoPass appointment at a local office to request expedited processing.

Employers should not reverify:

• U.S. citizens and non-citizen nationals
• Lawful permanent residents who presented a Form I-551, Permanent Resident or Alien Registration Receipt card for Section 2. This includes conditional residents.
• List B documents

Unless reverification does not apply (for the situations stated above), then when your employee’s employment authorization or employment authorization documentation expires your employee must present unexpired documents from either List A or List C showing authorization to work. Receipts for a lost, stolen or damaged document are acceptable for reverification.TEmployers should not reverify:

To complete Section 3, you must:

• Examine the unexpired documents to determine if they appear to be genuine and to relate to your employee. If you feel the document does not reasonably appear to be genuine and relate to your employee, allow your employee to present other documentation from the List of Acceptable Documents.
• Record the document title, document number and expiration date, if any.
• Sign and date Section 3.

If you previously completed Section 3, or if the version of the form you used for a previous verification is no longer valid, you must complete Section 3 of a new Form I-9 using the most current version and attach it to the previously completed Form I-9.

Rehires

If you rehire your employee within 3 years of the date that a previous Form I-9 was completed, you may either complete a new Form I-9 for your employee or complete Section 3 of the previously completed Form I-9.

To complete Section 3 for rehires, you must:

• Confirm that the original Form I-9 relates to your employee.
• Review the original Form I-9 to determine if your employee is still authorized to work, including whether employment authorization documentation presented in Section 2 (List A or List C) has since expired (or have been auto-extended). Use the guidelines to determine if reverification applies.
• If your employee is still authorized to work and his or her employment authorization documentation is still valid, enter the date of the rehire in the space provided in Section 3.
• If your employee is no longer authorized to work or the employment authorization documentation has since expired and requires reverification, request that the employee present an unexpired List A or List C document. Do not reverify an employee’s List B (identity) document. Enter the document information and the date of rehire in the spaces provided in Section 3. If the current version of Form I-9 is different from the previously completed Form I-9, you must complete Section 3 on the current version.
• Sign and date Section 3.

Entering Dates in Section 3

     Section 3 includes three spaces to enter dates:

• If you rehire a former employee: enter the rehire date that your employee begins employment for wages or other remuneration, which can be a future date, if necessary, in Block B.
• If you reverify your employee: enter the date the employee’s new work authorization document expires in Block C.
• When completing Section 3 for any reason: enter the date you complete and sign the attestation.

Recording Changes of Name and Other Identity Information for Current Employees

You are not required to update Form I-9 when your em­ployee has a legal change of name. However, it is recom­mended that you maintain correct information on Forms I-9 and note any name changes in Section 3. Although Form I-9 regulations do not require employees to present documentation to show that they have changed their name, you should take steps to be reasonably assured of your employee’s identity if there has been a legal name change. Such a change may call into question your continued ability to rely on the documents your employee previously presented, as they reasonably relate to the employee. These steps may include asking the employee to provide documentation of a legal change of name to keep with his or her Form I-9, so that your actions are well-documented if the government asks to inspect this employee’s Forms I-9.

You may encounter situations other than a legal change of name where an employee informs you that his or her identity is different from the time Form I-9 was previously completed. If your employee informs you that the name, date of birth, or Social Security number is substantially different from what he or she previously provided on Form I-9, and is unable to provide evidence linking the new information to the identity previously used you should:

• Complete a new Form I-9
• Write the original hire date in “The employee’s first day of employment (MM/DD/YYYY)” space in Section 2; and
• Attach the new Form I-9 to the previously completed Form I-9
• If the Section 1 information has not substantially changed but the employee has offered different evidence of work authorization, then you should examine the documentation to determine if it appears to be genuine and to relate to your employee presenting it. If so, complete Section 3 of the previous Form I-9. If the current version of Form I-9 is different from the previously completed Form I-9, you must complete Section 3 on the current version

For more information:  Handbook for Employers

Online Learning Resources

Contact our office; we are experts in I-9 Consulting and Audits or call 562 612.3996.

The long-awaited final rule to modernize and improve several aspects of employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visa programs, in order to retain EB-1, EB-2 and EB-3 immigrant workers and high-skilled nonimmigrant workers, is moving forward and has made it through the OMB review process.  It was published in the Federal Register on November 18, 2016 and will be effective in 60 days.   USCIS has also amended regulations to better enable U.S. employers to hire and retain certain foreign workers who are beneficiaries of approved employment-based immigrant visa petitions and are waiting to become lawful permanent residents. This rule goes into effect on Jan. 17, 2017, just before President Obama leaves office.

Among other things, DHS is amending its regulations to:

• Clarifies and improves longstanding DHS policies and practices implementing sections of the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act and the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act related to certain foreign workers, which will enhance USCIS’ consistency in adjudication.

• Better enables U.S. employers to employ and retain high-skilled workers who are beneficiaries of approved employment-based immigrant visa petitions (Form I-140 petitions) while also providing stability and job flexibility to these workers. The rule increases the ability of these workers to further their careers by accepting promotions, changing positions with current employers, changing employers and pursuing other employment opportunities.   This means that you can use the previous employer’s I-140 petition to extend your H-1B with a new employer even if it is withdrawn (as long as it was withdrawn more than 180 days after approval), or in the event of the termination of the employer’s business.  So, there is no I-140 portability; you will still need a new labor certification and I-140 petition to file your adjustment of status application.

• The final rule provides two grace periods of up to 10 days, consistent with those already available to individuals in 13 some nonimmigrant classifications, to individuals in the E-1, E-2, E-3, L-1, and TN classifications. The rule allows an initial grace period of up to 10 days prior to the start of an authorized validity period, allowing nonimmigrants in the above classifications a reasonable amount of time to enter the US and prepare to begin employment. The rule also allows a second grace period of up to 10 days after the end of an authorized validity period, which provides a reasonable amount of time to depart the US or take other actions to extend, change, or maintain lawful status.

• Establishes a grace period of up to 60 consecutive days during each authorized validity period for certain high-skilled nonimmigrant workers when their employment ends before the end of their authorized validity period provided their authorized stay is valid for at least 60 days after such cessation. If not, the grace period will end on the date the authorized date is set to expire. This will obviously enable own to more readily pursue new employment and an extension of their nonimmigrant status.

• The Final rule allows allows certain high-skilled individuals in the United States  to apply for work authorization, given:

1. They are the principal beneficiaries of an approved Form I-140 petition,
2. An immigrant visa is not authorized for issuance for their priority date, and
3. They can demonstrate compelling circumstances exist that justify DHS issuing an employment authorization document in its discretion. Such employment authorization may only be renewed in limited circumstances and only in one year increments.

• Automatically extends the employment authorization in the same category and validity of Employment Authorization Documents for up to 180 days from the date of the prior EAD’s expiry (EADs or Form I-766’s) or until djudication of the EAD nrenewal application, for certain individuals who apply on time to renew their EADs.  The Form I-9 rule is also updated to permit an I-797 receipt notice to be accepted as a permissible I-9 document, in conjunction with the expired EAD, to re-verify the foreign national’s work authorization. This additional 180-day period will not apply to those categories that first require the approval of an underlying application before the EAD renewal can be adjudicated.

• Eliminates the regulatory provision that requires USCIS to adjudicate the Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, within 90 days of filing and that authorizes interim EADs in cases where such adjudications are not conducted within the 90-day timeframe.

• Clarifies various policies and procedures related to the adjudication of H-1B petitions, including, among other things, providing H-1B status beyond the six year authorized period of admission, determining cap exemptions and counting workers under the H-1B cap program.

For more information, please refer here for the Final Rule.  If you have any questions, please contact our office.  We will continue to keep you posted on the implementation of these new policies.

By:  Allison McDonnell, ICG Content Coordinator

President-elect, Donald Trump, will take office as the United State’s 45^th president on January 20, 2017.  Trump ran his presidential campaign from a clear anti-immigration platform.  His ten-point plan, which includes limiting legal immigration, could have substantial effects on business immigration in the U.S.  However, it is still too soon to tell exactly which stances Trump’s administration will, or will be able to, follow through on.  Changes on the business-related immigration side are likely to come in incremental stages and later on, as his first priority will be undocumented immigrants with criminal records.

H-1B Visa Program

Throughout his campaign, Trump spoke out against the H-1B visa program, arguing that it is an abused process used to replace American workers with cheap labor.  He claimed several times that his intentions are to end the program completely.  However, experts say that the program will more than likely not be eradicated, but simply reformed.  For one, Trump, himself, understands the value of high tech global talent.  In addition, the fact that he desires a strong relationship with India, whose tech workers are among the largest group of beneficiaries of the H-1B program, will likely keep him from abolishing the program all together.  With popularity of reform from several congressmen and Trump’s base, it is likely that smaller caps and more stringent qualifications will be imposed.

E-1 and E-2 Treaty Trader and Investor Visas

Trump has been less vocal about planned changes to employment-based visas outside of the H-1B visa.  While it is likely that Trump will make major reforms to the H-1B program, we could also see some changes to the E-1 and E-2 visa classifications, given that they are increasingly the second-best option behind the H-1B visa for many immigrants.  For one, a tougher application of legal standards in immigration court and in consular processing may be applied to all visa categories.  In addition, caps could be implemented, which may be country-specific.  However, since a key part of the E-2 visa program is job creation, it could quite possibly go the other way, with the category growing in number.

Employment Eligibility Verification:  I-9 and E-Verify Programs

Considering employment draws immigrants to the United States, it is likely that we will see stricter enforcement of the Form I-9 verification process under Trump’s presidency.  Starting next year, there will likely be more ICE officers and immigration judges hired to expedite cases.  This increase in staff may lead to an increase in the number of worksite inspections for I-9 compliance.  It is also possible that there will be an increase in penalties and fines for any violations uncovered.  Therefore, it is important for employer’s to ensure that their paperwork, policies, and practices are in order in case of an audit.  Given that Trump may overturn President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrival (DACA), employers also need to be aware of which of their current foreign-born employees may become immediately undocumented and take proper action.

Trump has consistently applauded the E-Verify process for its systematic ability to filter out unauthorized employment.  In his position paper on immigration, he would mandate that the E-Verify process be used across the U.S.  Although, Trump will likely meet the same resistance as Congress has in the past, when it tried and failed several times to implement mandatory E-Verify.  That being true, Trump may still be able to strengthen or increase the program through unilateral executive orders.

In Closing

Although it is still too soon to tell precisely which of Trump’s campaign promises he will have the time, resources, or support to follow through on, it is a good idea to be informed and alert to the timing and the next steps required concerning your immigration matters and remain proactive, both as an employer and employee.  If you haven’t moved forward on a viable case, we would recommend that you meet with immigration counsel to prepare for the upcoming months under the new administration.  You can contact our office here.

On Nov. 14, 2016 USCIS released a revised version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.  Employers may continue using Form I-9 with a revision date of 03/08/2013N  through Jan. 21, 2017.  By Jan. 22, 2017, employers must use the revised form.

Employers should continue to follow existing storage and retention rules for all of their previously completed Forms I-9. Refer here for more information.

Remember to login to our webinar on Wednesday Nov. 16^th, 3pm EST/12pm PST for training on the new I-9 form:  http://www.immigrationcompliancegroup.com/webinars2016/ and save the date for the E-Verify webinar as well on December 15, 2016.

USCIS is proposing a new rule, which would allow certain international entrepreneurs to be considered for parole (temporary permission to be in the United States) so that they may start or scale their businesses here in the United States. 

Read the advance version of the notice of proposed rulemaking: International Entrepreneur Rule. Once the notice of proposed rulemaking is published in the Federal Register, the public will have 45 days from the date of publication to comment. To submit comments, follow the instructions in the notice.

The proposed rule would allow the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to use its existing discretionary statutory parole authority for entrepreneurs of startup entities whose stay in the United States would provide a significant public benefit through the substantial and demonstrated potential for rapid business growth and job creation.  Under this proposed rule, DHS may parole, on a case-by-case basis, eligible entrepreneurs of startup enterprises:

• Who have a significant ownership interest in the startup (at least 15 percent) and have  an active and central role to its operations;
• Whose startup was formed in the United States within the past three years; and
• Whose startup has substantial and demonstrated potential for rapid business growth and job creation, as evidenced by:
  • Receiving significant investment of capital (at least $345,000) from certain qualified U.S. investors with established records of successful investments;
  • Receiving significant awards or grants (at least $100,000) from certain federal, state or local government entities; or
  • An applicant who partially meets one or both of the above criteria can be considered if he or she provides “additional reliable and compelling evidence” that his or her entry would provide a “significant public benefit to the United States” and which would validate the entity’s “substantial validation of the entity’s substantial potential for rapid growth and job creation.”

Under the proposed rule, entrepreneurs may be granted an initial stay of up to two years to oversee and grow their startup entity in the United States.  A subsequent request for re-parole (for up to three additional years) would be considered only if the entrepreneur and the startup entity continue to provide a significant public benefit as evidenced by substantial increases in capital investment, revenue or job creation.  If an applicant meets these criteria, the applicant, as well as his or her spouse and minor, unmarried children may be considered under this rule for a discretionary grant of parole for up to two years.  Spouses will receive open-market (unrestricted) work authorization.  Applicants will be allowed to be considered for re-parole for an additional period of up to three years if they can show that the start-up has shown signs of “significant growth” since the initial grant of parole and the start-up continues to have substantial potential for rapid growth and job creation.  The grant of additional parole will be to work with the same start-up for 3 additional years, for a total maximum period of parole of five years. No more than three entrepreneurs may receive parole per start-up, including their spouses and children. As with initial parole, the grant is discretionary and may be revoked for the same reasons as an initial grant.

Applicants for this type of parole benefit will file a new type of application form specifically tailored for entrepreneurs along with a proposed application fee of $1200. Applicants would also provide biometrics.  Entrepreneur parolees will be authorized to work incident to status and will be able to work with an I-94 and a passport. The Form I-9 regulations are being changed to recognize this.

More details here

This rule implements as an inflation adjustment fines for employing unauthorized workers for Form I-9 paperwork violations, and for immigration-related discrimination. These new fines increase the penalties from 35% to 96% depending on the nature and severity of the violation.

We encourage you to review your policies, procedures and your Form I-9 inventory.  Remember, the key to defending any employment related investigation is to evidence that there is and has been a consistent pattern of responsible, good faith effort on the part of the employer in establishing a compliant workforce.

Refer here for the details.

The Obama administration took the battle over immigration to the Supreme Court on Friday, formally asking the justices to review a federal court decision that left in place a nationwide injunction against President Barack Obama’s sweeping initiative to grant quasi-legal status and work permits to millions of immigrants here illegally.

DAPA would grant deferred action status to those who have lived in the United States for at least 5 years and have not committed felonies or repeated misdemeanors, and have children who are US citizens or lawful permanent residents. Deferred action is not full legal status, but in this case would come with a three-year, renewable work permit and exemption from deportation. The Court will hear arguments in April and rule by June.

Read more here    From Politico here

USCIS received 233,000 new H-1B petitions last year against a quota of 85,000, and this year is expected to be even higher for FY 2017. Approximately one-half of the submitted petitions were not accepted for processing. As the economy has grown and and gained momentum, employers have been planning for months and making a list of candidates for whom they want to file H-1Bs.  The demand is expected to be huge this filing season, and the quota will be met in lightening speed. There are 5 business days to submit your cases, from April 1 to April 7, 2016 to access the opportunity of securing an extremely limited number of new H-1B slots.

So, planning is of the utmost importance.  Here are some important tips to get ready for H-B case filing on April 1^st:

• Assess your employment needs. Start to assess the number of H-1B petitions that your firm wishes to file. Coordinate with your immigration provider and assess legal and government filing fees.
• Do you need to obtain Credential Evaluations for your foreign educated applicants? Get this done early as the evaluation services will be swamped. Assess the relationship between the applicant’s degree and the position being offered. Does the degree equate to a 4-year US degree? If not, can the applicant produce employment verification letters so that previous work experience can be used to develop an evaluation that creates a nexus between their education and the offered position and to meet the degree requirement? It takes time to obtain these letters; therefore, close analysis of degree issues is of the utmost importance. These issues are being scrutinized more closely by USCIS each year. Lastly, if you wish to sponsor the applicant for their green-card in the future, make sure that the strategy you adopt for the H-1B can take you into a successful green-card process.
• Get the Labor Condition Application (LCA) early. It can take up to 7 business days to receive LCA’s from the Department of Labor (and longer as the clock ticks toward April 1^st). Once you have identified your hiring needs and obtained the necessary documentation to start the H-1B process, file the Labor Condition Application to avoid delays. Even though early filing means a shorter validity period for the H-1B petition, it is still advisable to have a timely filed and certified Labor Condition Application in hand for a complete case filing with USCIS.
• Start gathering necessary H-1B documentation right now. Develop your detailed job descriptions (not a list of requirements, but actual daily job duties and responsibilities).  Work with your legal team and the applicants that you wish to sponsor. Obtain degrees, transcripts, credential evaluations, employment letters, status documentation. These are required documents and do take time to analyze and assemble and, if missing, create delays and RFE’s.
• Be prepared for last minute changes in procedures and requirements. Last-minute changes in USCIS and Labor Department processes often arise with each new H-1B filing season.  Our office, of course, will keep you apprised as we continue to monitor any changes in procedure or requirements.

We are already accepting H-1B cases for processing and welcome your business.  Contact info@immigrationcompliancegroup.com or call 562 612.3996.