Proposed H-1B Lottery Selection Process
On September 23rd, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security published an “unofficial” version of its proposed rule for the selection of applications for the FY2027 H Cap, entitled “Weighted Selection Process for Registrants and Petitioners Seeking to File Cap.” This new rule will seek to revamp the process by which H-1B applications are selected […]
Trump H-1B Proclamation. Project Firewall
Uncertainty Reigns on New Initiatives President Trump’s Proclamation of a national emergency brought on by H-1B workers and a resultant $100,000 fee starting on September 21, 2025, has left a certain level of confusion in its wake. The original Proclamation seemed to target those who were outside the United States with the $100,000 fee but […]
Political Showdown May Lead to Government Shutdown on October 1, 2025
Political uncertainty on Capitol Hill may lead to a government shutdown starting on October 1, 2025. To prepare for this eventuality our recommendation to our Clients are as follows: IMMEDIATELY, submit Labor Condition Applications (LCAs) for all extension cases projected to be filed in the next two to three months. File multi-slot headquarters based LCAs […]
October 2025 Visa Bulletin
The October 2025 visa bulletin has been published. USCIS will be accepting cases in October based on dates for filing, not on final action, for employment-based cases. Changes are as follows for both charts. If a change is not listed here, the date remains the same. Dates for Filing EB1 China: moved from November 15, […]
PERM Processing Times Update: September 1, 2025
PERM Applications As of September 1, 2025, the Department of Labor is conducting Analyst Reviews of PERM applications filed on or before June 2024 and is now reviewing Reconsideration Requests to the Certifying Officers that were appealed on or before July 2025. The DOL has not provided a priority date related to Audit Reviews. Please […]
Department of State Clarifies Guidance for Nonimmigrant Visa Appointments
On September 06, 2025 the US Department of State announced changes to their Nonimmigrant Visa Interview Scheduling Procedures. In the announcement, DOS clarified that applicants should apply for their appointment in their country of nationality or residence. Please note that this is a long standing policy that is simply being clarified. DOS noted that while […]
Trump Administration Spring 2025 Regulatory Agenda Released
The Trump Administration has released their Spring 2025 regulatory agenda, which contains thousands of proposed and final rules across a variety of government agencies. This publication is intended to explain the goals and priorities for each federal agency over the coming months. In this specific agenda, the agency changes of note are as follows: H2A […]
USCIS to Recruit Special Agents for Law Enforcement Purposes
On September 04, 2025, in a news release entitled “USCIS to Add Special Agents with New Law Enforcement Authorities”, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) explained that they have been authorized to employ “special agents” who are mandated to “investigate, arrest, and present for prosecution” individuals who are thought to be in violation […]
Annual Limit Reached in the EB-2 Category
The State Department has announced that the available immigrant visa limit for Employment-Based Second Preference (EB-2) category has been reached for FY 2025. At this time, embassies and consulates may not issue visas in this category for the remainder of the fiscal year. The annual limit will reset on the start of the new fiscal […]
September 2025 Visa Bulletin
The September 2025 visa bulletin has been published. There are no changes to the Employment-Based Final Action Dates and Dates for Filing. USCIS will be accepting cases in September based on final action, not dates for filing, for employment-based cases. The Visa Office expects to reach FY-2025 category limits in most employment-based preference categories during […]