FREE DOWNLOAD: Click Here To Download The Employers Guide to the H-1B Process.

FREE DOWNLOAD: Click Here To Download The Employers Guide to the H-1B Process.

San Francisco Immigration Law Blog

USCIS Announces Additional H2B Visas to Be Available in FY 2024

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the Department of Labor (DOL) announced an additional allocation of 64,716 H-2B visas for Fiscal Year 2024, nearly doubling the standard annual cap of 66,000. This increase aims to support American businesses in sectors like hospitality, tourism, landscaping, and seafood processing, where there’s a high demand for seasonal and temporary workers.  The

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USCIS Announces Proposed Rule Changes to H-1B Process for FY 2025

In the ever-evolving landscape of global talent and workforce needs, the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has recently announced a series of proposed changes to the H-1B visa program. These changes, aimed at modernizing the program and enhancing efficiency, are poised to bring significant transformations for both employers and skilled foreign workers. As we delve into these proposed

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USCIS Announces Automatic Extensions for Select Employment Authorization Candidates

For family immigrants in the United States, gaining the right to work is a significant step toward building a new life. The Employment Authorization Document (EAD) is a crucial document that allows individuals to legally work in the US. Understanding the employment authorization process and how to apply for an EAD is essential for navigating the complexities of immigration. That’s

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How to Read the Visa Bulletin: Priority Dates, Filing Dates, and More

Applying for permanent residency and a green card takes time. If you’re early in your immigration process, you might not be familiar with the document that tells you when you’re eligible to get your card: the Visa Bulletin. There’s a big difference between being qualified to receive a green card and being eligible to apply for one. You may qualify

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How H-4 Visa Eligibility Works

The H class of visas is primarily used to temporarily permit foreign nationals to enter the US for employment and work training. However, there is one exception: the H-4 visa. These visas are not for employment. In fact, H-4 recipients are not automatically authorized to work in the US, and employers may not sponsor H-4 candidates independently.  However, H-4 visas

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Your Options for Family Immigration in the US

The most common way foreign nationals legally enter the US is through family immigration. As of 2021, the most recent year for which we have complete data, family-based immigration is the source of about 65% of all lawful migration to the US. It’s also the source of nearly 85% of new arrivals, or people who had not previously entered the

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USCIS Completes Second H-1B Lottery for FY 2024

On August 1st, 2023, the USCIS announced it had completed a second round of H-1B registration selections for the FY 2024 visa lottery. Registrants notified of their selection after this round have from August 2nd to October 31st, 2023, to submit their complete applications for their H-1B visas.  Initially, a second round of H-1B lottery selections appeared unlikely for FY

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K-1 Visas – How “Fiancé” Visas Help Keep Families Together

Family immigration is among the most popular methods of seeking permanent residency in the US. However, the significant restrictions on family visas mean that only people with a direct and immediate legal relationship can sponsor someone for these immigration visas. For example, a US citizen or lawful permanent resident may only sponsor their spouse for a visa because they are

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USCIS Anticipates Low H-1B Cap Acceptances After Fraud Investigations

The H-1B visa registration, lottery, and application process for FY 2024 has been fraught so far. After USCIS announced its second lottery picks, it became clear that the agency anticipates low approval ratings from the first-round selections. This comes after it announced wide-reaching fraud investigations to address the shockingly high number of registrations for the period.  The agency initially selected

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Recent Updates to EB-5 Visas Making an Impact

Employment visas are more in demand than ever among people seeking to immigrate to the US. For example, the H-1B program received over 700,000 registrations for just 85,000 potential visas for fiscal year (FY) 2024. That’s why alternatives like the EB-5 visa are becoming increasingly popular. In 2022, the EB-5 visa was subject to revisions that made the program more

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