H-1B Cap Reached for FY 2022
For candidates in the STEM field with hopes of obtaining an H-1B visa, the cap has been reached for the Fiscal Year 2022, with a job start date of October 1, 2021. H-1B Initial Electronic Registration Selection Process Completed As of March 30, 2021, USCIS received enough electronic registrations during the initial registration period to reach the fiscal year (FY) 2022 H-1B numerical allocations (H-1B cap), including the advanced degree exemption (Master's cap), which earmark
Good News for H-1B Applicants: Return to Lottery Random Selection for FY 2022 on March 1, 2021
February 4, 2021 Good News for H-1B applicants! Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com On Jan. 7, USCIS announced the H-1B Selection final rule, which amended the regulations governing the process by which USCIS selects H-1B registrations for the filing of H-1B cap-subject petitions. To give USCIS more time to develop, test, and implement the modifications to the H-1B registration system and selection process, DHS is delaying the effective date of this final rule from March
H-2B Visas for Local Truck Drivers During Driver Shortages
Photo by Quintin Gellar on pexels.com The U.S. trucker shortage is expected to more than double over the next decade as the industry struggles to replace aging drivers and recruit more women. The driver deficit swelled 60,800 in 2018, which was a 17% increase over the prior year, according to a study by the American Trucking Associations. What if there was another way to fill this shortage by recruiting drivers from abroad? There may two solutions: 1) the H-2B temporary visa,
Client's Corner: How I Got a Green Card Based on My Employment as a Skilled Worker (EB-3)
One of the ways to obtain a Green Card based on employment is through the EB-3 Immigrant Visa. The following is an overview of the process by one of our clients, Reza Moghtaderi Esfahani, who received his Green Card based on employment. "My application for Adjustment of Status was based on the EB-3 employment category. I was among the few cases of F-1 students who were lucky enough to have met an employer that agreed to sponsor their Green Card without requiring them to go t
How to Obtain Temporary Hospitality, Retail, and Service Industry Workers Through the H-2B Visa
One of the biggest complaints in the hospitality, retail, and service industries is the difficulty in finding and retaining a reliable workforce. Over the past few years, there has been high turnover as companies struggle to recruit and retain workers. However, for employers who need to add to their workforce, there is the option to bring workers from other countries to the United States for a temporary period of nine months out of the year. The H-2B visa permits US employers
Applicants for U.S. Visas and Green Cards Must Now Disclose Social Media Profile Information
Photo by Tracy Le Blanc from Pexels In response to the Trump Administration's "extreme vetting" of foreign nationals entering the United States, the U.S. Department of State has increased the amount of personal data foreign nationals must provide when applying for a U.S. visa abroad. Federal government agencies, such as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), have dramatically expanded their social media monitoring programs in recent years by collecting a vast amount of us
Jennifer Grady, Esq. to Speak at Export Trade Assistance Partnership on Immigration
On June 20, 2019, Jennifer Grady, Esq. will be speaking at the Export Trade Assistance Partnership Program 2019 (ETAP) Session on International Shipping and Legal Issues covering export distribution considerations for US companies exporting abroad. This event is sponsored by the U.S Small Business Association and the Riverside County Economic Development Agency Office of Foreign Trade. Jennifer will speak with company owners about which visa options are best for bringing t
U.S. House Passes Significant 'Dreamer' Immigration Bill with Potential to Grant Permanent Residency
Photo by Joshua Sukoff on Unsplash On Tuesday, June 4, 2019, the U.S. House of Representatives passed an ambitious immigration bill aimed at providing a path to citizenship to almost 2 million undocumented immigrants, including "Dreamers" who were brought to the United States as children. This bill cancels and prohibits removal proceedings against certain aliens, and provides such aliens with a path toward Legal Permanent Resident status. The bill, titled American Dream and P
Getting Married? Take $100 off our Green Card Application Package
GREEN CARD BASED ON MARRIAGE WEDDING SEASON SPECIAL Photo by Matthew T Rader on Unsplash Before getting married, engaged couples should start preparing their application to apply for a Green Card based on marriage to their US citizen spouse so that they can apply as soon as they receive their marriage certificate. Just in time to commemorate the start of wedding season, The Grady Firm is offering $100 off on our "Gold" Green Card Application Package, now through May 20, 2019
H-2B Visas for Temporary Non-Agricultural Workers
by Jennifer Grady, Esq. Updated August 19, 2021 Photo by Jimmy Chan from Pexels The H-2B visa permits US employers to bring foreign nationals to the United States for the purposes of filling temporary, non-agricultural jobs. It is commonly used for occupations in the hospitality (hotels, ski resorts), retail, and service industries (landscape contractors). Congress has set a numerical limit, or "cap" on the number of H-2B visas to be issued on an annual basis, currently set
When Is the Best Time to Apply for an H-1B Employee Visa?
The H-1B visa is valid for three years, with an optional three-year extension, and provides the employee with the opportunity to apply for a Green Card if sponsored by the employer. Accordingly, because the H-1B visa can last for 6 years (and even longer under some circumstances), the H-1B visa is one of the most popular ways for foreign professionals obtain a work visa, and ultimately, a Green Card in the United States. As H-1B applications require a third-party academic cr
Will the H-1B Lottery Change in 2019?
Other proposed changes would benefit applicants with Master's Degrees by adding them to the initial round of 65,000 Bachelor's Degree applicant visa spots lottery. Then, if there are any Master's Degree applications left over after the initial lottery round, the remaining Master's Degree applications will be added to the lottery for the remaining 20,000 Master's Degree cap. USCIS aims for the new system to go into effect for FY2020, which is set to begin on April 1, 2019. Ho
When Do I Need a B-1 Temporary Business Visitor Visa? Can I Just use ESTA to Visit the US?
If you are coming to the United States to establish a U.S. presence of your foreign business; investigate whether you want to open a business in the U.S.; or attend conferences, look for commercial space, or interview potential investors or employees; you may be eligible for the B-1 Temporary Business Visitor Visa. I. B-1 Temporary Business Visitor Visa 1. Real Examples of When to Use the B-1 Visa For example, if you own a business abroad but want to come to the United State
Clarification of STEM OPT Extension Reporting Responsibilities and Training Obligations
Certain F-1 students who receive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) degrees may apply for a 24-month extension of their post-completion optional practical training (OPT). On August 17, 2018, USCIS updated the Optional Practical Training Extension for STEM Students (STEM OPT) page of its website to clarify the reporting responsibilities for participation in the STEM OPT program. Students and employers must report material changes to the Designated School
USCIS Reaches FY 2019 H-1B Cap in Just Four Days
WASHINGTON, D.C. – On April 6, 2018, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reached the congressionally-mandated 65,000 visa H-1B cap for fiscal year 2019. USCIS has also received a sufficient number of H-1B petitions to meet the 20,000 visa U.S. advanced degree exemption, also known as the "Master's cap." USCIS began accepting applications on Monday, April 2, and reached its cap within just four days. It will reject and return filing fees for all unselected cap-s
The Grady Firm, P.C. celebrates its Sixth Anniversary
The Grady Firm, P.C. celebrated its sixth anniversary. Founded in 2012, the firm has evolved from assisting startups in the Silicon Beach area of Los Angeles, to adding immigration, employment, and intellectual property law departments with a network of twelve of-counsel attorneys in offices in Beverly Hills, Irvine, and San Diego, California. Moreover, the firm partners with attorneys licensed in Texas, Louisiana, Washington, Canada, Italy, and Germany to assist its intern
H-2B Visas for Temporary Non-Agricultural Jobs at Hotels, Ski Resorts, Landscaping Companies, and En
The H-2B program permits United States employers and agents to bring foreign nationals to the United States for the purposes of filling temporary, non-agricultural jobs. An H-2B visa is generally used for non-specialty employees who will fulfill a temporary, seasonal, peak-time, or one time employment position. The H-2B classification is commonly used by employers such as hotel resorts, ski resorts, landscaping companies, and entertainment companies that have a regular, tem
Visa Options for Fashion Models (O-1B, H-1B3, and P-3 Visas)
Do you dream of walking down the runway at New York Fashion Week? Are you interested in becoming a brand ambassador for a prestigious luxury brand? Whether you've mastered the catwalk or discovered your niche in commercial modelling, several visa options are available depending on your level of achievement and reason for coming to the U.S. Fashion models typically enter the U.S. in one of two ways— the O-1B visa (for Individuals with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement) or
Jennifer Grady, Esq. Speaks as Expert Practitioner Panelist at SelectUSA
Jean-Christophe Le Feuvre and Jennifer Grady speaking on issues to consider when hiring US employees On June 18, Jennifer Grady, Esq., spoke as a panelist at SelectUSA Investment Academy held during the SelectUSA Investment Summit in Washington, D.C., a top foreign direct investment (FDI) event in the U.S. The Summit, hosted by Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross, connects global businesses with U.S. economic development teams to facilitate investment in the U.S. The theme of
O-1B Visa for Artists or Actors with Extraordinary Ability or Achievement in the Arts Industries
Calling all talented artists and actors! Are you an actor trying to make a breakthrough in Hollywood? Or perhaps you are a renowned violinist, famous choreographer, or an award-winning pastry chef? If you excel in your field of arts or the motion picture industry, you may be eligible for the O-1B visa. The O-1B visa is for individuals with an extraordinary ability in the arts or extraordinary achievement in motion picture or television industry who will perform in the U.S