NBC News interviewed Alcorn Partner Mary Grilli Jacobs for a story on international entrepreneurs, innovation, and immigration options. Mary heads up our practice group for business immigration law. She pointed out the U.S. doesn’t have a startup visa for foreign-born entrepreneurs seeking to launch or grow their startups here. That leaves many startup founders at…
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has submitted its long-anticipated proposal to eliminate work permits for H-4 visa holders to the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. That move marks the first step in the process of rescinding the H-4 EAD (Employment Authorization Document) program. Details of the proposal, including whether…
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has resumed premium processing for all H-1B petitions. However, USCIS will delay premium processing handling for H-1B petitions submitted for this year’s lottery, which opens on April 1. Two Tracks for Premium Processing This year, only H-1B petitioners who are subject to the lottery and are requesting a…
Restricting international student participation in the Optional Practical Training (OPT) program would have big consequences for the U.S. economy, according to a study by the Business Roundtable. The Trump administration’s efforts to place restrictions on international students and the OPT program prompted the Business Roundtable to assess the program’s impact on the U.S. economy. The Business Roundtable—a group of CEOs…
A survey of 12 countries by the Pew Research Center found strong public support to welcome immigrants into their country including in the U.S., but only if they are highly skilled. The results of this survey, which the nonpartisan think tank conducted last spring, indicates the support for merit-based immigration in the U.S. Who…
Legislation introduced in the House and Senate this month would eliminate the seven percent per-country limit on employment-based green cards. Called the “Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act,” the joint legislation also increases the per-country cap for family-sponsored green cards from seven to 15 percent. Rep. Zoe Lofgren and 113 other representatives from both parties sponsored…
The Alcorn Immigration Law team’s H-1B season began in December. Since then, we’ve been working with employers preparing H-1B visa applications for the April lottery. Given the increased scrutiny, requests for evidence (RFEs), and denials these applications face, employers and H-1B candidates should focus on assembling the strongest petition they can. Delays, uncertainty about visa…
You might assume U.S. employers facing a tight labor market would increasingly look to foreign talent to fill positions. However, the number of H-1B specialty occupation visa applications that employers filed on behalf of workers in the annual lottery has declined nearly 20% since 2016. The Trump administration is having a chilling effect on U.S.…
Sara Zinsman has been a valued member of the Alcorn Immigration Law team for nearly two years. As our calm and highly organized executive assistant, Sara is the perfect first point of contact that clients have to the Alcorn Immigration Law office. “I’m sensitive to the needs of our clients, and look forward to assisting…
In a previous blog post, I discussed how individuals from China, India, and other countries that do not have a trade treaty with the U.S. can still qualify for an E-2 Visa for Treaty Investors. The process? Individuals from these countries just need to become a citizen of the Caribbean nation of Grenada, which offers…