Week in Review: 1/26 - 2/2

Immigration News & Notes

New Forms:?USCIS will accept both previous and new editions of certain forms during a grace period from April 1, 2024, until June 3, 2024.

There will be no grace period for the following new forms, however, because they must be revised with a new fee calculation:

• Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker;
• Form I-129 CW, Petition for a CNMI-Only Nonimmigrant Transitional Worker;
• Form I-140, Immigrant Petition for Alien Workers;
• Form I-600A, Application for Advance Processing of an Orphan Petition(and supplement 1, 2 and 3); and
• Form I-600, Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative.

TPS for Syria:?The Department of Homeland Security (DHS)?announced?the extension and redesignation of Syria for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for 18 months from April 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025, through the publication of a notice in the?Federal Register.?Learn more?

???Plan ahead:

• USCIS Webinar: FY 2025 H-1B Electronic Registration Process,?Wednesday, February 21, 2024 | 2 – 3:30 p.m. EST |?Register?
• USCIS Webinar: Final Rule to Adjust Certain Immigration and Naturalization Fees,?Thursday, February 22, 2024 |2 - 3 p.m. EST |?Register?

News & Notes:

• New USCIS process for application fee payment at Field Offices?
• USCIS seeks feedback on Online Appointment Requesting process?

On January 30, 2024, USCIS announced two long-anticipated final rules related to the FY2025 H-1B cap season: “Improving the H-1B Registration Selection Process and Program Integrity” and?“U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Fee Schedule and Changes to Certain Other Immigration Benefit Request Requirements,”?as well as the initial H-1B registration period for the FY2025 H-1B cap.

• The most significant change in the new rule, “Improving the H-1B Registration Selection Process and Program Integrity,” is that USCIS will select registrations by unique beneficiary instead of selecting by registration.
• The?Fee Schedule final rule?will go into effect after the initial registration period for the FY 2025 H-1B cap. Therefore, the registration fee during the registration period starting in March 2024 will remain $10.
• If a beneficiary is selected, each employer registrant will be notified of the beneficiary’s selection and will be eligible to file a petition on that beneficiary’s behalf during the applicable petition filing period.
• USCIS will adjudicate each selected registration, even when filed by multiple employers on behalf of the same beneficiary.

Learn more:?

• EIG Preview:?FY 2025 H-1B Cap Season & Other Updates
• EIG Alert:?USCIS Fee Schedule Finalized
• EIG Alert:?Final H-1B Rule Released, Summary & Key Dates

Global News & Notes

China and Thailand:?On January 28, 2024, Thai and Chinese authorities signed an agreement to implement a ‘Free Permanent Visa for 30 days’ policy for each other’s citizens.

Italy:?On January 29, 2024, the Italian government?announced?the postponement of the opening days (“click days”) for the submission of applications to hire foreign workers under the 151,000 quotas authorized by the government for 2024 through the flows decree (“decreto?flussi”).

New Zealand:?As of January 29, 2024, the applications for New Zealand’s Permanent Resident Visa (PRV), Second or Subsequent Resident Visa (SSRV), and Variation of Travel Conditions of a Resident Visa (VOTC)?are online.

Poland:?The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has?suspended?its participation in the?Poland.Business?Harbour Programme?until solutions are in place that guarantee proper verification of its beneficiary companies and foreigners.

United Kingdom:?UK employers’ and organizations’ sponsor licenses, due to expire on or after April 6, 2024, will be automatically renewed for an additional 10 years.

What We’re Reading

USCIS Significantly Raises H-1B Visa And Immigration Fees Stuart Anderson | Forbes, 01/31/24

University of California Shelves Undocumented Worker Hiring Plan Andrew Kreighbaum | Bloomberg Government, 01/26/24

New York Eyes Rule Changes to Hire Thousands Amid Migrant Crisis Zach Williams and Laura Nahmias | Bloomberg Government, 01/26/24

To save Ukraine, Democrats must compromise on immigration Dov S. Zakheim | The Hill, 01/26/24

How Donald Trump Divided Republicans on Immigration David Leonhardt | New York Times, 01/26/24

What We’re Listening To

Immigration Nerds host Lauren Clarke interviews César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández, author of the book, Welcome the Wretched: In Defense of the “Criminal Alien,” which explores the intersection of US immigration law and the criminal justice system.

Also in this episode, news updates on USCIS policy guidance on student visas and fee increases for immigration services.

Listen here>>