Students / CPT / OPT / STEM

Subscribe to Students / CPT / OPT / STEM via RSS

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Burma for an additional 18 months from November 26, 2022, through May 25, 2024, due to the extraordinary and temporary conditions in Burma that prevent individuals from safely returning. This means that approximately 1,000 current beneficiaries will be able to remain in…

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has extended Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Venezuelan nationals from September 10, 2022, through March 10, 2024, due to the country’s continuing severe political and economic crises.

On September 7, 2022, DHS published instructions in the Federal Register regarding TPS eligibility and how to apply for an extension.

The…

Syrian Temporary Protected Status (TPS) has been extended and redesignated until March 31, 2024.

Those already holding Syrian TPS must apply for the extension of their status and employment authorization (if desired) during the 60-day registration period beginning August 1, 2022, and running through September 30, 2022. Employment authorization will be automatically extended until September…

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued a Federal Register notice with instructions on how to apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Cameroon. The designation runs for 18 months, until December 7, 2023, and the government estimates that approximately 11,700 individuals may be eligible.

Cameroon has been designated for TPS due to extreme violence…

The Temporary Protected Status (TPS) grant for Afghanistan will go into effect on May 20, 2022, with publication of the notice in the Federal Register with instructions on how to apply for TPS and for Employment Authorization.

In March 2022, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced that Afghanistan was added to the…

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 set out the specifics about the upcoming new premium processing benefits in the Federal Register on March 30, 2022. The details, however, did not include any specific implementation dates, which it said depends on when the revenues exist to cover potential costs.

The plan is to make premium processing available…

Recognizing the importance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) graduates to the U.S. economy, the Biden Administration has made three policy changes that expand eligibility.

The changes are as follows:

  • Adding 22 new degree fields to the STEM list so that more F-1 graduates can qualify for three years, instead of one year,

…

A series of significant developments in U.S. immigration law has already marked the beginning of 2022 and more can be expected.  Please see our Legal Update for what to anticipate as the year progresses.

USCIS has increased the evidentiary burden for petitions for the O-1 Extraordinary Ability visa to mirror that for the EB-1 Extraordinary Ability visa.

Both the O-1 nonimmigrant and EB-1 immigrant visa classifications remain important and flexible methods of sponsoring outstanding talent in the United States. Unfortunately, USCIS backlogs and processing delays persist, and availability of…