Processing Time reports for all of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) Service Centers were released on 5/23/17 with processing dates as of 3/31/17.
If you filed a petition with one of the Service Centers, please review the links below to determine the applicable processing time associated with your particular case.
The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) has released all fifty states, the District of Columbia and the United States (Overall), for a total of fifty-two updated fact sheets with accompanying info graphics and other details. These fact sheets highlight the demographic and economic impact of Immigrants, Asians and Latinos in each state. The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) is the research and policy division of the American Immigration Council (AIC).
With national immigration policy being discussed as part of Presidential Elections, we thought that it would be a good time to provide some statistics on the Immigrant population in the United States as provided by this IPC research. Once a week we will be posting a blog with information on three states at a time. This week we will highlight; Arkansas, California & Colorado.
The IPC has compiled research which shows that Immigrants, Latinos and Asians are an essential part of each of these states’ economy, labor force and tax base. Immigrants and their children are a growing economic and political force as consumers, taxpayers and entrepreneurs. With the nation working towards economic recovery, immigrants and their children will continue to play a key role in shaping the economic and political future of each of these states.
We wanted to find a new way to engage our reader base. Every other Friday, we will post the ten (10) best/most frequently asked questions received during the week from our h1bvisalawyerblog, Facebook, and Twitter readers. We will answer those questions and provide the Q&A on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.
If you have a burning question, are seeking assistance with a difficult immigration related case, wish to discuss your views on Comprehensive Immigration Reform, DREAMers, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, priority dates, the monthly visa bulletin, adjustment applications, etc., please contact us by submitting your question/comment/viewpoint in our comment box provided on our H-1B Visa Lawyer Blog.
Our next “Q & A Forum” will take place this Friday, May 26, 2017. Act now and submit your questions!
List of Top News Stories from the last two weeks related to Undocumented Immigrants:
BBC News (BBC.com), 5/18/17:
ICE arrests of suspected undocumented immigrants rose by 38% in the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s presidency, according to government data.
The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) has released all fifty states, the District of Columbia and the United States (Overall), for a total of fifty-two updated fact sheets with accompanying info graphics and other details. These fact sheets highlight the demographic and economic impact of Immigrants, Asians and Latinos in each state. The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) is the research and policy division of the American Immigration Council (AIC).
With national immigration policy being discussed as part of Presidential Elections, we thought that it would be a good time to provide some statistics on the Immigrant population in the United States as provided by this IPC research. Once a week we will be posting a blog with information on three states at a time. This week we will highlight; Alabama, Alaska & Arizona.
The IPC has compiled research which shows that Immigrants, Latinos and Asians are an essential part of each of these states’ economy, labor force and tax base. Immigrants and their children are a growing economic and political force as consumers, taxpayers and entrepreneurs. With the nation working towards economic recovery, immigrants and their children will continue to play a key role in shaping the economic and political future of each of these states.
Now that all of the new H-1B visas for the 2018 Fiscal Year have been allocated, What options do Employers who are looking to hire Foreign National Professionals have?
Here are some creative solutions to this problem:
OPT – STEM Extension
The Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA) recently overturned the decision of a Certifying Officer (CO) to deny labor certification for the position of “Translator.”
After receiving & reviewing an Employer’s Application for Permanent Labor Certification, the CO denied certification. The CO cited the Employer’s ETA Form 9089 indicated the job as non-professional; however, the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) for the occupation listed is found on the list of Professional occupations from Appendix A of the Preamble to 20 CFR 656. The CO stated the Employer did not oversee the appropriate recruitment process.
The Employer sent a reconsideration request to the CO arguing that the position of “Translator” is not located on the Professional Occupations list. They argued their Labor application was correct and their recruitment was suitable for the non-professional position. In response, the CO sent the Employer a “Request for Information.” The Employer offered the requested information. Upon review of this information, the CO sent an Audit notification. The Employer presented the State Workforce Agency (SWA) job order and other documentation as requested.
List of Top News Stories from the last two weeks related to DACA:
Yuba Net (yubanet.com), 5/1/17:
Undocumented youth who are enrolled in or eligible for DACA pay roughly $2 billion each year in state and local taxes.
MVP Law Group, P.A. makes available the information and materials in this forum for informational purposes only. The information is general in nature and does not constitute legal advice or any contractual obligations. Further, the use of this site, and the sending or receipt of this information, does not create an attorney-client relationship between us. Therefore, your communication with us through this forum will not be considered as privileged or confidential.
Question #1 – Employment Based Immigration
I have an approved I-140 in the EB-3 category. My new employer wants to file an application for me in the EB-2 category. Can I make the switch if I believe I am qualified?
The Department of State has released its latest Visa Bulletin.
Click here to view the June 2017 Visa Bulletin
The monthly Visa Bulletin has changed. The bulletin now summarizes the availability of immigrant numbers during the reported month for: “Application Final Action Dates” (consistent with prior Visa Bulletins) and “Dates for Filing Applications,” indicating when immigrant visa applicants should be notified to assemble and submit required documentation to the National Visa Center using Consular Processing (outside of the US) or file on their own with USCIS Form I-485 (within the US).
H1B Visa Lawyer Blog