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On March 11, 2016, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule amending regulations to expand optional practical training (OPT) for students with U.S. degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) and create new obligations for F-1 students and F-1 employers starting May 10, 2016.  OPT is a form of temporary employment… Read More

On April 1, 2016, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the fiscal year (FY) 2017 cap. U.S. businesses use the H-1B program to employ foreign workers in occupations that require highly specialized knowledge in fields such as science, engineering, and computer programming.  The congressionally mandated cap on H-1B… Read More

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on March 3, 2016, a “Known Employer” pilot to assess a new process for employers seeking to hire certain workers through employment-based visa categories.  By modifying the process U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) uses to review an employer’s eligibility to sponsor individuals under certain employment-based immigrant and… Read More

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on February 18, 2016, that it is continuing its implementation of the Visa Waiver Program Improvement and Terrorist Travel Prevention Act of 2015 by adding Libya, Somalia, and Yemen as three countries of concern. DHS is limiting Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travel for certain individuals who have traveled… Read More

Almost three dozen technology and business executives petitioned the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate to repeal new visa provisions restricting visa-free travel to the United States for certain travelers under the Visa Waiver Program. The petitioners say the new rules are discriminatory and bad for the U.S. economy. Signatories to the petition include Mark… Read More