Employers are advised to restrict international travel for employees who are not U.S. citizens. This is particularly so for employees from the seven countries targeted by President Trump’s January 27 Executive Order restricting immigration, even if they have a dual passport.… Continue Reading
Category Archives: Immigration Planning & Compliance
Subscribe to Immigration Planning & Compliance RSS FeedRevised Version of the Form I-9 Became Mandatory on January 22, 2017
As of January 22, 2017, U.S. employers should be using the new Form I-9 for Employment Eligibility Verification, available here.
Federal immigration law requires that U.S. employers use the Form I-9 to verify the identity and employment authorization of new employees and to re-verify continuing employment authorization of existing workers who hold temporary employment authorization only. All U.S. employers … Continue Reading
EEOC Updates Guidance on National Origin Discrimination
As we observed (here), the heated tone of the recent presidential election poses unprecedented challenges for employers attempting to manage employee interactions in the workplace, especially when issues related to immigration and national origin inevitably come up. Right on cue, on November 21, 2016, the EEOC, emphasizing the rising numbers of immigrant workers in many of the United … Continue Reading
Immigration Laws Impacting the Workplace
The H-1B visa program has been one of the most successful programs in U.S. immigration history, allowing for U.S. entities to hire and place highly skilled workers, holding at least a bachelors’ degree or the equivalent, into specialty occupation positions with their companies. However, the rigid cap of 85,000 new annual H-1B visas (which includes a carve out of 20,000 … Continue Reading
Glitch in State Department Systems Causing Worldwide Visa Issuance Delays
U.S. embassies and consulates abroad recently suspended issuing any U.S. visas as a result of worldwide technical issues with State Department computer systems. These technical problems cause considerable delays to foreign nationals waiting for their visa to be issued prior to traveling to the United States. The suspension is global, and does not apply to any specific visa category or … Continue Reading
Employers Face Stricter Requirements when Hiring H-2B Workers
In response to recent litigation that created significant uncertainty around processing of applications for H-2B temporary foreign workers, the Department of Labor and Department of Homeland Security recently issued a federal regulation that changes the application process and assigns employers additional obligations in 2015.… Continue Reading
H-4 Visa-Holders’ Eligibility for Employment Authorization Announced
Effective May 2015, certain spouses of H-1B visa-holders who are present under H-4 status will be eligible to apply for an employment authorization document, or EAD. Currently, those in H-4 status—the category assigned to spouses and children of H-1B visa-holders—are not authorized to work in the States, creating economic and personal hardship for these families during lengthy wait periods for … Continue Reading
Employers Should Begin Preparation for Opening of FY 2016 H-1B Cap
The beginning of the calendar year is the perfect time for employers to begin planning for the FY 2016 H-1B cap filing season, which will begin on Wednesday, April 1, 2015.
Commensurate with the nation’s economic growth, the demand for H-1B visas is expected to surpass years past. The H-1B quotas for FY 2016 are again capped at 65,000 petitions … Continue Reading
President Obama Outlines Executive Action on Immigration
President Obama has ambitiously announced several executive actions that have the potential to impact undocumented immigrants, as well as employers, foreign national workers, and their spouses. While these efforts are focused on administrative relief for undocumented immigrants who apply to remain in the United States, these executive actions potentially offer significant benefits to the employment-focused immigration community.… Continue Reading
Opening of the 2016 Diversity Immigrant Visa Program Announced
The State Department has announced that it will accept applications for the FY 2016 “diversity immigrant visa” lottery beginning October 1, 2014. Applicants who are selected and approved may submit their green card applications starting on October 1, 2015.
The State Department annually accepts “diversity immigrant visa” applications from qualified individuals born in certain countries with historically low rates of … Continue Reading
I-9 Compliance in an Era of Increased Enforcement
I-9 investigations are at an all-time high. Audits of employer I-9 forms increased from 250 in fiscal year 2007 to more than 3,000 in 2012. From fiscal years 2009 to 2012, the total amount of fines grew to nearly $13 million from $1 million. The number of company managers arrested has increased to 238, according to data provided by U.S. … Continue Reading
New I-9 Form For Employers
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has published Introduction of the Revised Employment Eligibility Verification Form in the March 8, 2013, Federal Register. The new Form I-9 is available here. Employers should use the new form as soon as possible but have until May 7, 2013 before they will be penalized for not doing so. In addition, employers … Continue Reading
Temporary Visa or More Permanent Solution? Immigration Law 101 at the Akerman Labor & Employment Law Seminar Has the Answers
The U.S. employer that wishes to have a foreign national conduct business with its company or work for its company in the United States should determine if a temporary visa or a more permanent immigration solution is required for time spent in the United States. As part of this strategy, the U.S. based employer should work closely with the foreign … Continue Reading
