PRESIDENT BIDEN SETS IN MOTION SEVERAL IMMIGRATION ACTIONS IN FIRST DAYS
Newly inaugurated President Biden has launched an array of immigration-related executive orders and legislative proposals. Several of the executive orders undo many of his predecessor’s initiatives, such as halting work on a border wall with Mexico, lifting a travel ban on people from several predominantly Muslim countries, reversing plans to exclude people in the country illegally from the 2020 census and ordering efforts to preserve DACA. Biden’s most ambitious proposal is
USCIS MODIFIES H-1B SELECTION PROCESS TO PRIORITIZE WAGES
USCIS today published a final rule modifying the annual H-1B cap selection process to favor high-wage earners. The rule replaces the current H-1B cap random selection process with a process that prioritizes selection of H-1B registrations for individuals earning the highest salaries in their area of employment based on Department of Labor (DOL) wage levels. The rule is set to take effect March 9, 2021, in time for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 H-1B cap registration and selection
TRUMP EXTENDS THROUGH MARCH BANS ON FOREIGN WORKERS
On December 31, 2020, President Trump signed a proclamation extending, through March 31, 2021, earlier suspensions of certain immigrant and nonimmigrant visa applicants. The nonimmigrant suspension applies to applicants for H-1B, H-2B, and L-1 visas; J-1 visa (exchange visitors participating in intern, trainee, teacher, camp counselor, au pair, and summer work travel programs) and any spouses or children of covered applicants applying for H-4, L-2, or J-2 visas. This means, t
