H-2B Cap for FY2009 Reached

On January 8, 2009, US Citizenship & Immigration Services (CIS) announced that the H-2B cap of 66,000 visas for FY2009 had been reached. H-2B visas allow employers who have a need for peak-load, seasonal, or intermittent workers to temporarily in… Read More
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Categories: Immigration Blog

I-9 Form Revised by USCIS

On December 12, 2008, US CIS announced that it had submitted to the Federal Register an interim final rule that is intended to streamline the employment eligibility verification (I-9) process. Under this rule, fewer documents are acceptable for estab… Read More
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Categories: Immigration Blog

New Electronic System for Travel Authorization Announced for Visa Waiver Travelers

Effective January 12, 2009, anyone planning to travel to the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), a program that allows people from certain designated countries to travel to the U.S. for business or pleasure for up to 90 days without first obtai… Read More
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Categories: Immigration Blog

TN Workers Now Eligible for Three Year Admission Period

Effective October 16, 2008, DHS Regulations provide that TN status may now be granted for up to three years at a time. TN status is a nonimmigrant classification that is only available to Canadian and Mexican citizens who are employed in a specific o… Read More
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Categories: Immigration Blog

White House Announces the Inclusion of 7 Countries in the Visa Waiver Program

On October 17, 2008, the White House announced the inclusion of the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, and South Korea in the Visa Waiver Program. Already in effect for numerous countries including the United Kingdom, Germ… Read More
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Categories: Immigration Blog

ICE Provides Final “Safe Harbor” Guidance to Employers with SSA “No-Match” Letters, but Rule Has Little Immediate Impact

Social Security Administration (SSA) “no-match” letters – letters received by employers from SSA notifying them that their reported SSA earnings do not match those of SSA records — have been a problem for employers for years. Responses to… Read More
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Categories: Immigration Blog