- The United States continues to attract the largest share of international graduate students, particularly in STEM fields, but its dominance may be slipping.
- Other countries are expanding their post-study work options and streamlining their immigration pathways to compete for the world’s best and brightest.
- U.S. employers seeking to secure international talent should act early
Permanent Residence
USCIS Issues Regulation Requiring Alien Registration
On March 12, 2025, USCIS issued an Interim Final Regulation (IFR) designating a new registration form to comply with statutory alien registration and fingerprinting provisions. The IFR goes into effect on April 11, 2025.
Under current law, with limited exceptions, non-U.S. citizens over the age of 14 who remain in the United States for at…
USCIS: Only ‘01/20/2025’ Edition of Updated Forms Acceptable After Grace Period
USCIS issued a grace period on March 8, 2025, for the dozen updated immigration forms it released in February and March 2025 and made effective immediately. These forms include the N-400 for naturalization, I-485 for adjustment of status, and I-131 for travel documents. Applicants may use the previous editions until the specified grace period ends.…
Plans to Replace EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program
By Carla Stenzel on
President Donald Trump has announced that he plans to offer the “Trump Gold Card” to replace the existing EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program. The Trump Gold Card Program would allow an investor who is willing to invest $5 million in the U.S. economy to obtain permanent residency.
The current EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program requires an investor…
Advance Parole Process Unaffected by Trump EO, But Confusion + Delay Expected Anyway
Humanitarian parole programs for individuals from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela have been cancelled by President Trump’s Executive Order (EO) on Securing Our Borders. USCIS’s Uniting for Ukraine application process has also been paused. To date, although it has been reported that Afghan refugees have been removed from flight manifests, the Afghan parole program…
Navigating Change: What Updated USCIS Guidance on EB-2 National Interest Waiver Means for Petitioners
Takeaways
- USCIS issued updated policy guidance on 1/15/25 on how it will evaluate candidates for EB-2 immigrant visas seeking a National Interest Waiver (NIW).
- USCIS will be more closely scrutinizing a candidate’s qualifications, profession, experience, and support letters.
- These changes will make it more difficult to obtain NIWs in the future.
The U.S. Citizenship and…
Missed Opportunity: Outdated Schedule A List Means PERM Processing Delays Continue
- The failure to move forward with this rule is a significant disappointment for many high-skilled immigrants and the employers who need them, all
DHS Announces Permanent Rule for 540-Day Automatic Extension of Work Authorization Renewals
- They timely filed an EAD renewal application
What Canada’s Sweeping Immigration Reform Means for U.S.
Canada is reducing the number of permanent and temporary residents it will admit over the next couple of years over concerns about housing prices as well as stress on infrastructure and social services due in part to the high levels of immigration.
This may impact U.S. companies and U.S. institutions of higher education most.
For…
Will DOL Update Schedule A List to Address Labor Shortages?
The Schedule A list of occupations that do not require the employer to conduct a labor market test (a PERM labor certification) as part of a green card application process has not been updated in at least 20 years. Almost a year ago, in December 2023, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a Request for…