Last month’s visa bulletin saw a surge in the priority dates for Indian Nationals and USCIS’ announcement that the filing date chart could be used was welcomed news. This allowed many Indian Nationals to file an adjustment of status application (sometimes with an EB-3 downgrade) and apply for employment authorization and travel document. Today, the…
Monthly Archives: October, 2020
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IT companies File Suit Against DOL Over Its New Wage Rule
After the Department of Labor (DOL) significantly increased the wages for all H–1B workers it is not surprising that a Federal Lawsuit has already been filed. ITServe Alliance along with several IT companies filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court in New Jersey on Friday, October 16, 2020, challenging the unlawfulness of the…
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October 2020 Visa Bulletin Is Finally Out And It Is Good News!
As many of you are already aware, the delayed October 2020 visa bulletin is finally out and it is good news. This fiscal year, there are 261,500 employment-based visas, compared to the usual allotted 140,000. This is as a direct result of an infusion of the unused family-based numbers from FY2020. USCIS has also confirmed…
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DOL’s Interim Final Rule Implements Higher Prevailing Wage Rates
On October 8, 2020, the Department of Labor (DOL) has issued an interim final rule (IFR) to incorporate changes to the computation of prevailing wage levels. The wage adjustments will affect the processing of H-1B, H-1B1, and E-3 temporary work visas, as well as the permanent labor certification program (PERM) applications. The IFR is effective…
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Premium Processing: Congress Increases The Fees And Expands The Immigration Petitions Eligible
On October 1, 2020, Congress passed a new Bill (Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act was included in Division D, Title I of the Continuing Appropriations Act, 2021 and Other Extensions Act) increasing USCIS Premium Processing Fees from $1,440.00 to $2,500.00 for most cases. The good news is that the Bill also expands the immigration petitions…
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DHS Has Published New H-1B Regulations
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published the New H-1B regulation. This appears to be in the effort to restrict legal immigration that has enhanced the American economy for centuries. The rule is an interim final rule (IFR), it is therefore vulnerable to legal challenges in federal court. See article DHS is Taking Final…