WR Immigration is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDC) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.
Catch your immigration partners either in person or streaming live!
Chatting with Charlie Webinar Series
Former U.S. Department of State (DOS) Chief of Immigrant Visa Control Charlie Oppenheim is WR Immigration’s Director of Visa Consulting. Mr. Oppenheim leads two webinars each month in his “Chatting with Charlie” series regarding current visa issues and live reactions to the Visa Bulletin on LinkedIn. The Chatting with Charlie HR  Webinar Series assists companies and individuals with planning to meet hiring needs in shortage occupations. This series focuses on projections, predictions, and guidance for strategic visa planning and is invaluable to human resources professionals and visa applicants alike. Each month, Charlie and our team react to the release of the Visa Bulletin live on our LinkedIn and then upload podcast discussions and analysis’ on our YouTube channel! Upcoming Webinar The Chatting with Charlie EB-5 Investor Series helps individuals plan their immigration journey, understand visa waiting lines, and optimize green card application strategies. This series focuses on EB-5 investor green card options and strategies, especially regarding potentially backlogged countries (e.g., China, India, Vietnam, and Korea). View the entire series here! Upcoming Webinar Both of the Chatting with Charlie webinar series briefly touch on discuss family preference categories. However, until Congress amends the quotas set in 1990, there is unlikely to be any significant movement […]
Key Insights on EB-5 Visa Backlogs from Bernie Wolfsdorf and Charlie Oppenheim
The February Visa Bulletin continues to show no backlogs for EB-5 set-aside categories. However, experts are closely monitoring potential changes as demand grows. Bernie Wolfsdorf, a leading EB-5 attorney, highlighted the processing delays at USCIS and DOS, stating, “There are more than enough petitions in the pipeline to use up the existing quota, but because USCIS and DOS have been slower in processing, the Final Action Date has not been established.” Charlie Oppenheim, WR Immigration’s Director of Visa Consulting and former State Department Director of Visa Control, shared that while Final Action Dates for India and China may be established by summer, they could remain current until the end of Fiscal Year 2025. For more in-depth analysis, read the full article published by EB5Investors here.
Rapid-Fire Wednesdays Q&A | Impact of Recent U.S. Supreme Court Rulings | 1/22/2025 Recap
The transcript version of our weekly Q&A livestream for corporate immigration professionals. Join our Immigration News Digest Newsletter for more immigration updates. By Kimberley (Best) Robidoux & Miki Kawashima Matrician 🔥 Question: What is the significance of the Bouarfa v. Mayorkas case for immigration professionals? Response: In December, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously in the Bouarfa v. Mayorkas case that federal courts cannot review visa revocations, which are under the discretion of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The ruling clarified that if a statute mandates USCIS to approve or deny a case based on specific criteria, the denial can be challenged in federal court. However, if the decision is discretionary, such as in visa revocations, the court has no authority to intervene. This decision underscores the finality of DHS’s discretion, leaving applicants with limited recourse—primarily refiling applications while addressing any issues causing revocation, provided those reasons are known. The implications extend to both family-based and employment-based immigration cases, as the same principles apply to visa petition revocations. 🔥 Question: How does this case impact employment-based immigration cases? Response: For employment-based cases, if an employer’s immigrant visa petition is denied, the denial can still be challenged in court. […]
News Digest Special Edition: Understanding the January 20th Executive Orders
Recent Executive Orders (EOs) have significant implications for immigration, creating critical priorities for employers and employees alike. Below is an overview of the key areas affected and actionable recommendations to navigate these changes. 1. Maintaining Proof of Legal Status for Foreign National Workers Employers must remind their nonimmigrant employees to: Warning: Noncompliance can result in visa petition revocation, removal/deportation, and other severe consequences. Employers should ensure their workforce understands these obligations and provide resources to facilitate compliance. 2. Birthright Citizenship Policy Changes The EO titled Protecting the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship introduces restrictions on birthright citizenship. Â Effective February 19, 2025. Key changes include: Recommended Actions for Work Visa Holders: Litigation Note: A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order, blocking this EO for the time being. While its future is uncertain, employees should take precautions and secure documentation for their children promptly. 3. Travel Ban and Potential Restrictions The EO titled Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats mandates a review of countries with potentially insufficient visa vetting processes. A travel ban could be implemented within 30 to 60 days. The same EO will implement extreme vetting for visa […]
Rapid-Fire Wednesdays Q&A | 2024 End of Year Immigration Law Updates | 1/15/2025 Recap
The transcript version of our weekly Q&A livestream for corporate immigration professionals. Join our Immigration News Digest Newsletter for more immigration updates. By Kimberley (Best) Robidoux & Miki Kawashima Matrician 🔥 Question: What changes did the U.S. Department of State make to the J-1 Exchange Visitor Skills List? Response: The Department of State made a significant update to the J-1 Exchange Visitor Skills List, which had not been revised since 2009. Effective December 9, 2024, 37 countries were removed from the skills list, including Brazil, China, India, and South Korea. This change is retroactive, meaning individuals from these countries who were previously subject to the two-year home residency requirement are no longer restricted, even if they were in the J-1 program when the requirement applied. As a result, these individuals can now pursue U.S. visas like H-1B, L-1, or green cards without delay. This update benefits employers by making it easier to retain talent without requiring waivers or a mandatory return to the home country. However, the two-year residency requirement remains unchanged for foreign national physicians undergoing medical residency or graduate medical education. 🔥 Question: What is the new policy regarding medical examination results for Form I-485 Adjustment of Status […]
WR Immigration Ranked by Best Law Firms® 2025
WR Immigration has been ranked in the 2025 edition of Best Law Firms® in Immigration Law, with 17 of our firm’s attorneys. The rankings list the top 4% of the industry. In addition to the firm’s National Tier 1 ranking, six of the firm’s offices in Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, Oakland, San Diego and San Francisco are regionally ranked. Ranked lawyers include: About WR Immigration WR Immigration is a global immigration law firm known worldwide for its innovation, technology, high-touch legal services, and flawless execution. With ISO 27001–2022 Certification, WR meets the highest standard for Secure Immigration Data Management. Established in 1986 by AILA past president Bernie Wolfsdorf, WR Immigration is a top-rated immigration law firm that provides strategic, client-centered services. The firm has an exemplary track record of building robust immigration programs for companies with diverse workforces. With ten offices across 12 time zones, WR Immigration provides corporate global visa services in more than 100 countries. 
WR Immigration News Digest
Top News DHS Final Rule Revamps H-1B Program The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced a final rule, effective January 17, 2025, modernizing the H-1B program by streamlining approvals, increasing flexibility to help employers to retain talent, and improving program integrity and oversight. Key updates in the final rule include: Impact: Employers should prepare for the DHS final rule, effective January 17, 2025, which modernizes the H-1B program to streamline approvals, enhance compliance, and improve talent retention. These changes aim to help employers address workforce needs while ensuring adherence to updated regulations, making it critical to align hiring and petition strategies accordingly. DHS Final Rule Updates H-2A, H-2B Programs The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has finalized a rule, effective January 17, 2025, introducing significant updates to the H-2A (temporary agricultural) and H-2B (temporary nonagricultural) worker programs. The changes aim to enhance worker protections, strengthen program integrity, improve flexibility for H-2 workers, and boost efficiency. Key updates include: These changes aim to make the H-2 programs more equitable, flexible, and efficient while maintaining oversight and protecting workers’ rights. Impact: The new DHS rule, effective January 17, 2025, introduces significant updates to the H- 2A and H-2B programs, enhancing compliance, flexibility, […]
WR Immigration Achieves ISO 27001:2022 Certification, Setting New Standards for Secure Immigration Data Management
Los Angeles, CA WR Immigration proudly announces its achievement of ISO 27001:2022 certification, the internationally recognized standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS). This rare achievement in immigration law positions WR Immigration among an elite group of law firms committed to advancing excellence in cybersecurity. The ISO 27001 certification represents WR Immigration’s impressive commitment to safeguarding sensitive client data and ensuring compliance with ever-evolving global regulations during increasing regulatory scrutiny. Critically, this certification covers all of WR Immigration’s core internal functions – including Information Technology, Company Operations, Finance, and Human Resources – and ensures: As regulatory requirements are only due to intensify, clients will benefit immensely from the certification’s rigorous protection of their cyber data. This will result in: The certification also supports WR Immigration’s proprietary platform, WRapid™, which integrates advanced data collection and AI-powered tools to optimize immigration filings and client workflows. By maintaining peerless security protocols through an experienced independent IT Governance team, WR Immigration is a proactive leader in developing and adopting the latest security measures to counter the growing landscape of cybersecurity threats. “ISO certification is more than a badge of quality – it’s a critical tool for companies to demonstrate their commitment to global standards and resilience,” stated […]
EB5 Investors Magazine Recognizes WR Partners as Top Attorneys
On December 17th, 2024, EB5 Investors Magazine released the 2024 Edition of their EB-5 All Stars and Top 25 Immigration Attorneys. WR Immigration Managing Partner Bernie Wolfsdorf was recognized as an EB-5 All Stars Attorney. This accolade is reserved for only the top 5 leaders in the industry that highlights Mr. Wolfsdorf’s impact within the EB-5 community. Partners Joey Barnett and Vivian Zhu were also recognized and listed in the 2024 Top 25 Immigration Attorneys list for their continued dedication to the investor visa program. Congratulations to them and our entire EB-5 team, where our high-touch approach and innovative technology continue to create ongoing value for our clients.
An Open Letter to President-Elect Donald Trump and Senator Grassley (R) Iowa
Dear President-Elect Trump and Senator Grassley, Thank you, Senator Grassley, for successfully introducing and piloting the bipartisan EB-5 Immigrant Investor Reform and Integrity Act, signed into law in March 2022. In a few months, we will approach the three-year anniversary of this new law, and it’s clear the law is a huge success. At least 7,700 applicants have applied through the EB-5 Program, injecting a minimum of over $6 billion dollars of foreign direct investment, to be used for the creation of hundreds of thousands of direct and indirect rural and high-quality employment area jobs in the United States. However, less than 1,000 green cards have been issued to these new immigrant investors, and the EB-5 Program expires in less than three years, and the law needs to be tweaked. President-Elect Trump, below are three things you can do to improve Senator Grassley’s bipartisan EB-5 Reform and Integrity Act (RIA) program.   I am confident that both Senators Grassley and Schumer will support this because it will create even more jobs in high unemployment and rural areas.   It will also inject billions into the U.S. economy and create thousands of jobs without costing the government or American people one penny. Immigrant […]
Corporate & Counsel 2024 Final Edition:Â
The State of Global Mobility in 2024 – Q&A with Stephen Chiew By Ceridwen “Ceri” Koski Disclaimer: These are individual comments/points of view from experts in the field based on their professional experiences which do not necessarily reflect companies’ official stands on certain topics or matters. This newsletter series delves into the challenges and innovations shaping global mobility and immigration program management. My goal is to learn directly from in-house legal teams and immigration managers about how to better serve their programs. By fostering stronger partnerships, we can improve the immigration experience for employees, businesses, and stakeholders alike. Global mobility is undergoing a transformative shift which will accelerate in 2025. Employees increasingly seek flexibility and autonomy in deciding where to live and work and soon we will face a more restrictive policy framework. Companies are capitalizing on advanced technologies to expand their talent pools and retain top performers globally. Amid this evolution, in-house teams, working closely with outside immigration counsel, play a pivotal role in balancing compliance with business objectives—ensuring programs run smoothly while supporting strategic workforce initiatives. In this issue, I’m excited to feature Stephen Chiew, Senior Corporate Counsel – Immigration at DISH Network. Stephen brings a wealth of […]
Modernization Updates to the H-1B Visa Program
On December 17, 2024, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released significant updates to the H-1B visa program, aimed at modernizing the system, clarifying procedure, and codifying longstanding policy. These updates refine key aspects of the H-1B program to improve clarity, ensure compliance, and streamline processes for employers and beneficiaries alike. Among the major changes are clarified definitions for specialty occupations, requirements for when amended petitions must be filed, and updates to H-1B cap exemptions. For example, to qualify for H-1B status, the requisite academic degree must be directly related to the H-1B position duties. Additional measures focus on reinforcing H-1B program integrity, including codified authority for the government to conduct H-1B site visits and stricter criteria for the placement of H-1B workers at third-party worksites. The rule codifies USCIS’s policy of deference to prior approvals, meaning that officers should defer to the fact that an H-1B petition was previously approved unless there have been changes that could impact the H-1B status. The revisions also introduce greater flexibility, such as extending the validity period for H-1B cap adjudications beyond October 1st for students transitioning to H-1B status. This would permit larger “cap gaps” so that individuals with F-1 status […]
December 2024: WR Immigration Achieves ISO 27001:2022 Certification for Information Security Excellence
WR Immigration is proud to announce official ISO 27001:2022 certification, the globally recognized standard for Information Security Management Systems (ISMS). This certification demonstrates our unwavering commitment to the protection of sensitive client data, compliance with international security standards, and mitigating cybersecurity risks. By implementing the ISO 27001:2022 framework, WR Immigration ensures robust security controls to safeguard client information, meet evolving global compliance requirements, and deliver trusted legal and immigration services. Our certification reflects our focus on maintaining data confidentiality, integrity, and availability while setting a benchmark for security excellence in the legal industry.
