Category: Uncategorized

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently issued a fraud alert notifying the public about a scam using the DHS Office of Inspector General (OIG) hotline telephone number. In the calls, scammers have identified themselves as U.S. immigration employees and have altered their caller ID to seem like the call is coming from the […]

Yesterday, President Trump signed his latest executive order titled “Buy American and Hire American.” In the order, government agencies are asked to review policies related to all visa programs and recommend changes to root out “fraud and abuse” and to propose additional reforms so that H-1B visas are awarded to the most skilled or highest-paid […]

Each year, countless numbers of Canadians and their families decide to make the permanent move to the United States. This can be both an exciting and stressful time. It marks a new chapter of life and a new beginning in a different country with all new experiences to be had. However, the move across the […]

On March 31, USCIS issued a policy memorandum that provides new guidance regarding H-1B visas for computer-related positions. This document supersedes and rescinds a December 2000 memorandum that the agency has deemed “obsolete” and an inaccurate explanation of the current policy on H-1B visa criteria. This new memo amends the prior analysis for determining when […]

Shortly after USCIS announced plans last week for increased enforcement efforts against H-1B employers, the U.S. Department of Labor also issued its own news release summarizing how it will help detect H-1B fraud and abuse. The DOL plans to protect U.S. workers from H-1B program discrimination by providing “greater transparency and oversight.” The DOL memo […]

On Monday, April 3, USCIS released a memo announcing multiple measures to further deter and detect H-1B visa fraud and abuse. Protecting American workers by combating fraud in the employment-based immigration programs is a top priority of USCIS. The memo states, “The H-1B Visa Program should help U.S. companies recruit highly-skilled foreign nationals when there […]

One of the ways that USCIS ensures employers are H-1B compliant is through site visits. A site visit occurs when an immigration officer visits the worksite of selected H-1B foreign nationals. These site visits are generally chosen at random and are unannounced, meaning that H-1B employers and employees should be prepared for such potential visits […]

The Department of Homeland Security has recently published a memo unveiling a webpage with a summary of Customs and Border Protection (CBP) enforcement actions related to inadmissibles, apprehensions, arrests of individuals with criminal convictions, and individuals who have been apprehended multiple times crossing the border illegally. CBP is the nation’s largest federal law enforcement agency […]

The United States recently announced that it would impose a ban on certain electronic devices from being carried in the cabin of commercial airlines on flights from specific, predominantly Muslim countries. The new restrictions affect nine airlines flying from 10 airports in Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Morocco, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates […]

On Wednesday, March 15, a federal judge in Hawaii temporarily blocked implementation and enforcement of the “travel ban” and “refugee ban” prescribed by President Trump’s second Executive Order. Last week, the State of Hawaii and Ismail Elshikh, Ph.D. of Hawaii sought a nationwide temporary restraining order against these portions of the amended Executive Order by […]