This edition of NPZ Law Group’s U.S. and Canadian Immigration Newsletter covers major developments affecting employers, international students, foreign workers, and families. Topics include the proposed $103,265 H-1B fee, new fixed admission periods for F-1 and J-1 visa holders, worldwide immigrant visa interview delays, increased scrutiny of remote H-1B work during international...
Federal Court Strikes Down 75-Country Immigrant Visa Ban: What CLINIC v. Rubio Means for Pending Cases
On August 21, 2026, a federal judge in the Southern District of New York struck down the State Department's ban on immigrant visa issuance for nationals of 75 countries, ruling that the policy exceeded the Secretary of State's authority and violated the nationality-discrimination prohibition built into U.S. immigration law.
Navigating the September 2026 Visa Bulletin: Major Family-Based Advances as Employment-Based India Remains Stalled
The September 2026 Visa Bulletin closes out Fiscal Year 2026 with significant forward movement in several family-sponsored categories, while the major employment-based categories remain largely unchanged from August. For applicants chargeable to India, EB-2 and EB-5 Unreserved remain unavailable, EB-1 remains at October 15, 2022, and DOS continues to warn that additional...
Important Update for F-1 Students and J-1 Exchange Visitors: DHS Fixed-Period Admission Rule Takes Effect September 15, 2026
Back in July, we sent an initial alert letting you know that DHS had finalized this rule (you can revisit our original post, “It's Final: DHS Ends Duration of Status for F, J, and I Visa Holders,” here). Since then, several important developments have occurred, including a legal challenge to the...
Green Card Interviews Delayed Worldwide as State Department Retrains Consular Staff
Applicants pursuing a green card through a U.S. embassy or consulate are running into an unexpected roadblock this fall. A State Department official confirmed on August 25, 2026, that immigrant visa interview appointments have been paused across posts worldwide so that consular officers can go through additional training — leaving many families...
DHS Proposes New $103,265 H-1B Fee — Separate From (and On Top Of) the $100,000 Proclamation Payment
On August 24, 2026, DHS announced a proposed rule that would add a new $103,265 fee to all H-1B cap-subject petitions, including those eligible for the advanced degree exemption. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking was published in the Federal Register on August 25, 2026. This is not the same as the $100,000...
CBP Scrutiny of Remote H-1B Work During Travel: What the Abu Dhabi Preclearance Reports Reveal
A pattern reported by immigration attorneys earlier this year is worth flagging for any H-1B employer or employee who travels internationally while working remotely. Officers at the CBP preclearance facility in Abu Dhabi reportedly began asking H-1B travelers pointed questions about remote work performed while outside the United States, and in at...
The Immigrant Scientists Behind a Major Cancer Vaccine Breakthrough
At a glance
Moderna and Merck's mRNA melanoma vaccine, intismeran autogene, succeeded in a late-stage trial announced August 19–20, 2026. The underlying mRNA science traces to Katalin Karikó, a Hungarian immigrant and 2023 Nobel laureate. Moderna was co-founded by Noubar...
DOJ’s $3.2 Million OpenAI Settlement Is a Warning for Every Employer Running PERM Recruitment
On August 4, 2026, the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division announced a $3.2 million settlement with OpenAI and its former subsidiary Statsig over how the companies recruited for a small number of positions tied to green card sponsorship. Fewer than ten roles were at issue, but the size of the penalty signals...
August 2026 U.S. & Canadian Immigration Updates: USCIS, H-1B, Travel, Visa Bulletin & Canada News
Immigration rules and enforcement priorities continue to change across the United States and Canada. In this edition of the NPZ Law Group U.S. and Canadian Immigration Newsletter, we highlight important developments affecting employers, foreign nationals, international students, families, and travelers.
Key topics include USCIS's August 2026 policy concerning denials...
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