In this podcast, WR Immigration Director of Visa Consulting Charlie Oppenheim, Partner Charina Garcia and Senior Associate Laura Bloniarz unpack the February Visa Bulletin, provide updated predictions and analyze trends.
WR Immigration Podcast: Chatting with Charlie January 2023 Webinar
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USCIS Announces ‘Trio’ of Backlog Relief Actions, Expansion of Premium Processing, Relief for Work Permit Holders
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on March 29, 2022, a “trio” of efforts, including setting new agency-wide backlog reduction goals, expanding premium processing, and working to improve timely access to employment authorization documents (EADs). Reducing Backlogs USCIS is establishing new internal goals to guide backlog reduction efforts and case processing. As part of these efforts, USCIS plans to increase capacity, expand staffing, and improve technology by the end of FY 2023. USCIS said it expects that once these measures are in place, “applicants and petitioners will receive decisions on their cases more quickly.” Expanding Premium Processing The Department of Homeland Security announced a final rule that codifies premium processing fees and adjudication timeframes. In FY 2022, USCIS intends to begin implementing, through a phased approach, premium processing availability for Forms I-539, I-765, and I-140. USCIS said it “will also adhere to the congressional requirement that the expansion of premium processing must not cause an increase in processing times for regular immigration benefit requests.” USCIS plans to begin phased implementation first by expanding premium processing eligibility to Form I-140 filers requesting EB-1 immigrant classification as a multinational executive or manager, or EB-2 immigrant classification as a member of a […]
Shutdown Alert: Assessing the Potential Fallout for Business Immigration Programs
As the deadline for passing the spending bills required to fund the government approaches, the possibility of a government shutdown on October 1, 2023, looms large. Such a shutdown can have significant implications for various agencies involved in immigration processes. While self-funded immigration programs may continue to operate, other processes may experience delays, rescheduling, or a complete shutdown of services until the government reopens. Contact your attorney at WR Immigration to plan for potential complications, as outlined below. Reduced Capacity, Delays to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) USCIS is primarily funded by fees, which means they should continue their operations as usual even in the event of a full-scale government shutdown. However, certain programs (e.g., E-Verify and some immigration worker programs) may experience disruptions if they rely on Congress-approved funding. Additionally, a shutdown could cause a reduced capacity to provide customer support and the need for appointments (e.g., interviews, biometrics) to be deferred until the end of the shutdown. The EB-5 program will remain secure until September 30, 2027, but without a funding solution, the Special Immigrant Religious Worker Program may end on September 30, 2023. Closed: Department of Labor (DOL) The DOL’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) […]
