The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently announced that it is considering a “Known Employer” pilot program in order to aid in U.S.-Canada business travel. The program would streamline adjudication of certain types of employment-based immigration benefit requests filed by eligible U.S. employers.
The program will be designed to:
• Make adjudications more efficient and less costly; and
• Reduce paperwork and delays for both the department and U.S. employers who seek to employ foreign workers.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) would jointly implement this pilot program. Another goal of the program would be to expedite or otherwise facilitate legitimate cross-border business travel along the northern border ports of entry.
Doing so is a binational commitment under NAFTA, as well as the U.S. Canada Beyond the Border initiative. One specific commitment made by the U.S. and Canadian governments under the Beyond the Border initiative is to, “explore the feasibility of incorporating a trusted employer concept in the processing of business travelers between Canada and the United States.”
DHS expects to launch the pilot by late 2015. Additional information on the program will be provided in the coming months. For updates, please visit www.dhs.gov/beyond-border.
Berardi Immigration Law’s attorneys present applications at the Peace Bridge border crossing, one of the busiest in the country, multiple times each week. Our attorneys understand what the officers are looking for and prepare thorough and well-documented applications for our clients. If you are interested in a nonimmigrant business category visa, please contact our office today to schedule a consultation with one of our attorneys.
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