NPZ Immigration Law Blog

USCIS recently published a FINAL RULE to modernize and improve several aspects of certain employment-based nonimmigrant and immigrant visa programs. USCIS has also amended its regulations to better enable U.S. employers to hire and retain certain foreign workers who are beneficiaries of approved employment-based immigrant visa petitions and are waiting to become lawful permanent residents. This rule is due to go into effect on January 17th 2017, right before the changeover to the new Administration.

Among other things, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is amending its regulations to:

• Clarify and improve longstanding DHS policies and practices implementing sections of the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC-21) and the American Competitiveness and Workforce Improvement Act related to certain foreign workers, which will enhance USCIS’ consistency in adjudication.

• Better enable U.S. employers to employ and retain high-skilled workers who are beneficiaries of approved employment-based immigrant visa petitions (Form I-140 petitions) while also providing stability and job flexibility to these workers. The rule increases the ability of these workers to further their careers by accepting promotions, changing positions with current employers, changing employers and pursuing other employment opportunities.

• Improve job portability for certain beneficiaries of approved Form I-140 petitions by maintaining a petition’s validity under certain circumstances despite an employer’s withdrawal of the approved petition or the termination of the employer’s business.

• Clarify and expand when individuals may keep their priority date when applying for adjustment of status to lawful permanent residence.

• Allow certain highly-skilled individuals in the United States with E-3, H-1B, H-1B1, L-1 or O-1 nonimmigrant status, including any applicable grace period, to apply for employment authorization for a limited period if:

1. They are the principal beneficiaries of an approved Form I-140 petition,

2. An immigrant visa is not authorized for issuance for their priority date, and

3. They can demonstrate that compelling circumstances exist that justify DHS issuing an employment authorization document in its discretion.

Such employment authorization may only be renewed in limited circumstances and only in one year increments.

• Clarify various policies and procedures related to the adjudication of H-1B petitions, including, among other things, providing H-1B status beyond the six year authorized period of admission, determining cap exemptions and counting workers under the H-1B cap, H-1B portability, licensure requirements and protections for whistleblowers.

• Establish two grace periods of up to 10 days for individuals in the E-1, E-2, E-3, L-1, and TN nonimmigrant classifications to provide a reasonable amount of time for these individuals to prepare to begin employment in the country and to depart the United States or take other actions to extend, change, or otherwise maintain lawful status.

• Establish a grace period of up to 60 consecutive days during each authorized validity period for certain highly-skilled nonimmigrant workers when their employment ends before the end of their authorized validity period, so they may more readily pursue new employment and an extension of their nonimmigrant status.

• Automatically extend the employment authorization and validity of Employment Authorization Documents (EADs or Form I-766s) for certain individuals who apply on time to renew their EADs.

Eliminate the regulatory provision that requires USCIS to adjudicate the Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, within 90 days of filing and that authorizes interim EADs in cases where such adjudications are not conducted within the 90-day timeframe.

Nachman Phulwani Zimovcak (NPZ) Law Group is an immigration law office with offices in New York, New Jersey, Indiana and with affiliated offices in Canada and in India. Our Firm also maintains a presence in Boston, Chicago and Cleveland. We assist our clients with all U.S. and Canadian immigration and nationality matters on a routine basis with great success. We also assist our clients with immigrant and nonimmigrant visa petitions and applications. For more information, or to speak to one of our immigration and nationality lawyers or attorneys, please feel free to e-mail us at info@visaserve.com or to call us at 201-670-0006 (x107).