A new report reveals that immigration agents are now detaining foreign nationals with expired visas directly at airport check-in counters and arrival gates, a shift from prior practice. Some of these individuals include spouses of U.S. citizens who were previously in a legal gray area while awaiting extensions or green card decisions.
Filing an Extension of Stay Under the New F, J, and I Rules: The Deadlines That Actually Matter
Once the DHS rule ending duration of status takes effect on September 15, 2026, the date printed on an F-1 student's, J-1 exchange visitor's, or I foreign media representative's Form I-94 becomes the hard deadline for their authorized stay. Anyone who needs more time to finish a program, complete Optional Practical Training,...
The H-1B Cap Filing Window Just Closed. Here’s What Employers Still Need to Do Before October 1
With FY 2027 H-1B petitions filed and the lottery selection process behind them, it's tempting for HR and global mobility teams to treat the cap season as finished until next spring's registration window. The stretch between filing and the October 1 start date is actually one of the more consequential planning windows...
U.S. Immigration Update: H-1B Fee Blocked, F/J/I “Duration of Status” Ends, and August Visa Bulletin Movement
This month's immigration roundup: the $100,000 H-1B fee stays blocked pending appeal, DHS has finalized the end of "duration of status" for F, J, and I visa holders, and the August Visa Bulletin brings movement for family categories while EB-1 and EB-2 India remain under pressure. Here's what employers, students, and visa...
USCIS Must Keep Processing: Court Rejects Government’s Bid to Pause the 39-Country Ruling
The order requiring USCIS to keep adjudicating cases for nationals of the 39 previously affected countries remains firmly in place. On July 15, 2026, Chief Judge John McConnell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island denied the government's request to pause his own June 5 ruling while the...
USMCA Won’t Be Renewed Right Now: What That Actually Means for TN Visa Holders
The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement includes a built-in requirement that all three countries jointly review the deal every six years and decide whether to extend it for another sixteen. That review deadline landed on July 1, 2026, and the Trump administration announced it will not agree to a renewal at this time. Headlines...
Hiring Foreign Workers in Canada? Compliance Penalties Just More Than Doubled
Canadian employers who hire temporary foreign workers are operating under real enforcement pressure right now, and the numbers back that up. Employment and Social Development Canada completed nearly 1,500 compliance inspections in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2026, and roughly one in eight employers inspected were found non-compliant. Penalties issued to...
IRCC Pauses New Parents and Grandparents Program Applications: What Families Should Do Now
As of July 15, 2026, IRCC has stopped accepting new interest-to-sponsor forms under the Parents and Grandparents Program, though it does not affect anyone already in the queue — roughly 60,500 applicants remain in the system, and IRCC still plans to finalize permanent residence for up to 15,000 parents and grandparents in...
Ontario Publishes Full Scoring Criteria for the New Workforce Priority Stream
On July 20, 2026, Ontario released the full points system and requirements for its new Workforce Priority Stream, which replaced all eight former OINP streams. Scoring favors higher-skill occupations, wages of $40+/hour, longer time already worked in Ontario, and jobs located outside Toronto, while self-employed physicians follow a separate track based on...
U.S. Ends “Duration of Status” for F-1 Students — How Does Canada Compare?
Effective September 15, 2026, DHS is replacing the open-ended "duration of status" system for F-1, J-1, and I visa holders with a fixed admission period capped at four years — meaning students needing more time must file a formal Extension of Stay with USCIS, along with a $470 fee, and the post-graduation...
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