Insight, News, and Strategy on Immigration Matters Around the World
I-9 flexibility is extended until October 31, 2022, due to continuing COVID-19 precautions.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) guidance remains the same and preparing for the possible end of the flexibility is still advised. Indeed, DHS stated, “[E]mployers are encouraged to begin, at their discretion, the in-person verification of identity and employment eligibility for…
Starting April 25, 2022, the “Uniting for Ukraine” program for Ukrainians seeking to enter the United States will allow Ukrainians who are sponsored by family members or non-governmental agencies to come to the United States and apply for a two-year humanitarian parole.
While humanitarian parole does not offer a direct pathway to long-term residence in…
When a district court judge in Florida lifted the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) federal COVID-19 mask mandate on April 19, 2022, the Transportation Safety Administration stopped enforcing it. However, the judge’s ruling left it up to airlines and local transit agencies to decide how to respond.
Many airlines immediately lifted the mandate…
The Jumpstart Our Legal Immigration System Act (Jumpstart), introduced by Zoe Lofgren (D-Calf.) in the House of Representatives, if passed, could revolutionize the green card process. The legislation would recapture thousands of unused family- and employment-based visas and allow beneficiaries to expedite their processes by paying additional fees.
The Jumpstart Act would help to…
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a Federal Register notice with instructions on how to apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for both Ukraine and Sudan. Both designations run for 18 months, until October 19, 2023.
When Ukrainian TPS was originally announced, only individuals who had continuously resided in the United States…
The Department of Homeland Security has announced the designation of Cameroon for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months.
The designation is based on the ongoing armed conflict in Cameroon. Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas stated, “Cameroonian nationals currently residing in the U.S. who cannot safely return due to the extreme violence perpetrated by government…
On April 18, 2022, USCIS announced that it had received 483,927 registrations for the FY 2023 H-1B Cap. This is the largest number ever received – almost 200,000 more than the total count of 308,613 for FY 2022.
Out of the 487,927 registration applications, USCIS selected 127,600 to fill the 85,000 available spots. Employers whose…
Starting May 2, 2022, foreign nationals who are citizens of the 40 Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries will have to use the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) to enter the United States at land ports of entry.
The paper Form I-94W, Nonimmigrant Visa Waiver Arrival/Departure Record, that is currently in use at the…
The Marijuana Opportunity Reinvestment and Expungement (MORE) Act passed the House of Representatives on April 1, 2022. If passed by the Senate and signed by the President, the bill would clear marijuana-related convictions from people’s records and remove marijuana from the federal controlled substances list. The bill specifically prohibits the denial of benefits and protections…
A new Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification is in the works. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is seeking comments on its proposed changes to the form.
Used by all employers, Form I-9 has always had many traps for the unwary. DHS, with its proposed changes, is trying to simplify and clarify things.
The proposed…
