United States: Work Visas

A Massachusetts federal court has invalidated the $100,000 required payment imposed on H‑1B petitions, holding that the measure constituted an unauthorized tax that exceeded executive authority.

The U.S. Department of Justice and Department of Labor have launched coordinated enforcement actions against Cloudera, Inc. for allegedly structuring PERM recruitment to favor temporary visa holders over U.S. workers. Meanwhile, proposed regulatory changes threaten to eliminate Duration of Status for F-1 and J-1 nonimmigrants, and new USCIS signature requirements create heightened compliance risks for immigration filings.

On June 9, 2026, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 214–212, along party lines, to pass the Secure America Act (S. 2), a measure providing roughly $70 billion in funding for U.S. Immigration...

Following USCIS's May 21 memorandum emphasizing consular processing over adjustment of status, the immigration community raised concerns about increased scrutiny and potential disruptions. Two weeks into implementation, patterns are emerging that suggest a more measured approach than initially anticipated, though questions remain about long-term impacts on adjustment applications, employment authorization, and strategic planning for foreign nationals seeking permanent residence.

On June 8, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts (the “Court”) vacated the $100,000 fee applicable to H-1B visa applications...

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has issued a new memorandum fundamentally shifting how green card applications are evaluated, declaring that Adjustment of Status is now discretionary rather than automatic.

Employers face critical compliance challenges when managing I-9 reverification deadlines and navigating electronic verification systems. What are the hidden risks in E-Verify reliance...

Employers face ongoing I-9 compliance obligations that extend far beyond initial onboarding, including critical reverification deadlines, electronic system requirements, and E-Verify responsibilities.

I hope all is well. We want to provide a quick update about the recent U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) policy memorandum that caused significant concern in the immigration community.