The Department of State (DOS) of the United States declared that the demand for green cards (immigrant visas) is high because the COVID-19 pandemic is still disrupting and delaying appointments at US consulates overseas. Approximately 100,000 employment-based immigrant visas remain unused, so the DOS has allowed more immigrants currently in the US to apply for green cards than usual.
Thus, here are some tips to employers for navigating through this greater availability of green cards by the US Immigration and Nationality Lawyers at the NPZ Law Group.
1. What Employers Must Know on an Immediate Basis:
Here are some essential points from the Visa Bulletin from September 2021:
• The Final Action Dates will move forward three months for Indian nationals in the employment-based, second-preference (EB-2) category. On the other hand, it will forward six months for the employment-based, third-preference (EB-3) category. The Dates for Filing will move ahead one month in the EB-3 category.
• The Final Action Dates will move forward one month in the Other Workers category for Chinese nationals and three months in the EB-2 category. The Dates of Filing will move forward two months in the EB-2 category.
• For nationals of all countries, the employment-based, first-preference (EB-1) category will remain current.
• USCIS announced it would use the Final Action Dates Chart for employment-based preference categories.
2. What Employers Must Know to Plan for Fiscal Year 2022
Considering the high green card availability throughout Fiscal Year (FY) 2022, employers must take the steps discussed below to support employees in their permanent residency process’s final stage:
• Review priority dates for employees and consider who may be eligible for Adjustment of Status (I-485) if green card availability advances one, two, three, or four in October.
• Discuss the probability of foreign national populations becoming current through a townhall, and use that opportunity to provide an overview of the process, timelines, and the necessary documents.
• Make sure employees are aware of the types of necessary documentation (especially about birth and marriage/relationship) so that will they may collect them.
• Remind employees not to schedule medical examination appointments because they are valid for a limited period before submitting their green card applications.
• Plan for expected delays for green cards applicants who opt for consular processing outside of the US. The DOS has indicated that time is required to resume normal operations for accommodating appointments on a country-by-country basis.
If you have any questions or need any additional information about US or Canadian Immigration and Nationality Laws, contact the immigration and nationality lawyers at the NPZ Law Group. If you have more questions about how these laws in the US may impact you or your family, contact the lawyers specialized in US Immigration and Nationality laws at our law firm. You can also send us an email at info@visaserve.com, or you can call us at 201-670-0006 (x104). In addition to that, we invite you to find more information on our website at www.visaserve.com