In this podcast, WR Immigration Director of Visa Consulting Charlie Oppenheim and Partner Joey Barnett give an update on the investor visa program. Our team covers a range of topics including a review of 2022 visa report, delays on the April Visa Bulletin, concurrent filing strategies, and more!
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) […]
Businesses of all sizes are under constant threat from cybercriminals and malicious software. None, not even the world’s largest and apparently impenetrable organizations is immune, as recent headlines are rife with the latest victims of cyberattacks. On top of that, an increasingly remote workforce has multiplied data security threats – what are some ways that companies have adapted? WR Immigration is in a unique position in that we must care for the sensitive immigration information that our clients entrust to us while also advising our clients on data security strategies. Here are a few of the best strategies that we have seen employed: Watch out for Remote Work Remote work tools are rife with danger. Due to their portable nature, mobile devices, including laptops, tablets and smartphones, are at a much higher risk of getting lost or stolen. First, all employees must work exclusively on company devices. Second, those devices must be secured. When securing any business mobile devices that employees use, HR managers need to think about identity and access, data encryption, and application security. Enforcing a strict password policy and having a contingency plan in place in the event that any such devices go missing are good initial […]
