Category: News

On April 20, 2021, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced there will be an additional 22,000 H-2B visas available for foreign national guest workers in the upcoming months. The H-2B Temporary Non-Agricultural Worker program allows employers to hire foreign nationals to perform temporary, nonagricultural labor or services in the US. H-2B workers are often employed as […]

The COVID-19 pandemic has prevented and deterred many individuals from traveling, including U.S. Lawful Permanent Residents (LPRs). As such, many LPRs who traveled abroad before last March may find that their status as a LPR has expired or that they have “abandoned” their residency from being out of the U.S. for too long. This has […]

On April 12, 2021, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced two new changes that will effect NEXUS members and applicants.  First, CBSA announced that NEXUS members and individuals on exempt travel are now subject to reporting requirements for travelers arriving in Canada. Since February 22, 2021, certain travelers arriving by land or air in Canada […]

On March 12, 2021, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that F-1 students seeking optional practical training (OPT) can now file Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, online if they are filing under one of these categories: (c)(3)(A) – Pre-Completion OPT; (c)(3)(B) – Post-Completion OPT; and (c)(3)(C) – 24-Month Extension of OPT for science, […]

As of February 21, 2021, new COVID testing and quarantine requirements have been set for travelling into Canada, making it one of the strictest countries regarding travel and border measures. This includes the requirements for both air and land travel into the country. All travelers, whether arriving by land or air are required to submit […]

On March 31, 2021, the Presidential Proclamation restricting the entry of certain nonimmigrants, including H-1B, H-2B, L-1, and certain J-1 travelers, into the United States, has been allowed to expire by President Biden.  It has been widely reported that President Biden will not renew this June 2020 Presidential Proclamation, put in place by the Trump […]

On March 31, Governor Andrew Cuomo signed legislation passed by state lawmakers legalizing recreational marijuana in New York state.  New Yorkers can now possess and use up to 3 ounces of marijuana, while sales of recreational-use marijuana will not become legal for an estimated 18 months until the state draws up regulations.  New York became […]

The International Experience Canada (“IEC”) program is a youth mobility generally designed for individuals age 18-35 (from participating countries) to have the opportunity to travel, work, and/or live in Canada.  The requirements vary depending on the individual’s citizenship, and the youth mobility agreement in place between that country and Canada.   What happened to the IEC Program? […]

Biden’s comprehensive immigration bill—known as the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021—was formally introduced in the House on February 18, 2021, by Representative Linda Sanchez (D-Calif) and in the Senate on February 22, 2021, by Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.). The bill calls for broad immigration reform, including an eight-year pathway to citizenship for 11 million undocumented […]

On March 12, 2021, the UK Government announced that it will be requiring all persons traveling outside the UK from England to complete a travel declaration form stating their reason for travel abroad. It is now considered a criminal offense for any traveler in the UK to enter a port of departure to travel internationally […]