On Oct. 30, 2019, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it is increasing the fee to request premium processing for certain employment-based petitions. Beginning on Nov. 29, 2019,
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Foreign Worker
Changes in H and L Visa Processing in China
The Department of State (DOS) and Mission China announced that changes have been made to consolidate the processing in China of H and L visa applications for foreign nationals seeking…
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DOL Online Wage Library – Prevailing Wages will change on July 1
Every year on July 1, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) publishes updates to the Foreign Labor Certification Data Center Online Wage Library. These updates typically include changes to the…
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Greenberg Traurig’s Kate Kalmykov and Jordi S. Bayer Featured in The New Jersey Law Journal for their article on Green Cards
Kate Kalmykov, shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, and Jordi S. Bayer, associate at Greenberg Traurig, recently authored an article in the New Jersey Law Journal (NJLJ) discussing creative solutions for employers…
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Over 4.5 Million Are Waiting for Green Cards—Over 100,000 of them are Employment-Based
The Department of State (DOS) recently published its annual report of immigrant visa applicants (2015 Annual Immigrant Visa Report), which tallies up the number of total applicants—including spouses and children—who are waiting for their respective priority date to become current, allowing for them to obtain their green card. The annual report, which totals the number of applicants up to Nov. 1, 2015, does not take into account those applicants who have adjustment of status applications pending with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) as of Nov. 1.
Overall, 2015 saw a three percent increase of total applicants compared against last year, increasing from a total of 4,422,660 for 2014 to 4,556,021 for 2015. This total includes both family-based green cards and employment-based green cards. Employment-based green card applicants only accounted for roughly 100,000 of the 4.5 million. When compared against 2014, the percentage of employment-based applicants waiting to apply for their green cards increased from 90,910 to 100,747—an increase of 10.8 percent.Continue Reading Over 4.5 Million Are Waiting for Green Cards—Over 100,000 of them are Employment-Based
Malaysia Extends 350,000 Work Permits
Citing economic concerns, the Malaysian government reversed itself and agreed to extend the work permits of more than 350,000 foreign workers who are registered under the 6P program. The government…
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Judge Issues Injunction Permanently Barring Implementation of the H-2B Program Rule
On Feb. 21, 2012, the Secretary of Labor issued a Final Rule (Rule) that sought to overhaul the temporary, non-agricultural foreign worker H-2B program for seasonal workers. The rule was…
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Kenya: Recent Changes Lead to Work Permit Delays and Denials
The Kenya Department of Immigration Services (DIS) recently implemented changes to its work permit application process that are consistent with the country’s move towards tightening its immigration system. Earlier this month, the DIS released a comprehensive checklist of required documents for each type of work permit. Applications that lack the required documents will likely be rejected.
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South Korea: Across the Board Immigration Fee Increases Beginning January 2014
For employers sending skilled workers to South Korea, please note that fees for immigration related services and applications, including visas, have increased for the first time since 1998. The new…
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