The Issue On March 10, 2025, President Trump’s nominated Joseph Edlow to serve as Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). His nomination is subject to Senate confirmation which should begin within the next few months. On July 15, 2025, Mr. Edlow’s nomination was confirmed by the U.S. Senate by a vote of 52-47. […]
With immigration compliance audits and site visits increasing in most employment-based immigration categories, the STEM Optional Practical Training (OPT) program is not immune to heightened scrutiny. While this program proven invaluable to both U.S. employers and foreign students for decades, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), which administers OPT, has recently raised concerns regarding the integrity of a variety of STEM OPT employment arrangements, particularly focusing on STEM OPT […]
Introduction As anticipated in a prior blog, the U.S. Department of Labor has now introduced a proposed regulation that would dramatically increase the prevailing wage levels for employment-based immigration programs such as PERM and the H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 nonimmigrant categories. While the Department’s stated goals are to ensure wages are commensurate with the experience, education, and supervision required for the job, particularly in occupations with high concentrations of H-1B workers, the practical effect of […]
Introduction Effective March 30, 2026, the U.S. Department of State expanded its online presence review to include additional nonimmigrant visa classifications. The Department’s stated goal of this change is to enhance national security vetting across a broader range of visa applicants. The practical effects will include increased delays and intrusion into applicant personal information. New Visa Classifications for Online Presence Review The following nonimmigrant visa categories are now […]