Knowledge.
Opinion.
Events.

Federal Court Strikes Down Trump Administration's $100,000 H-1B Fee

This is a follow up to our June 8, 2026, article regarding the $100,000 H-1B Fee Proclamation.

DHS Publishes Final Rule Ending "Duration of Status" for F-1 Students— What Employers and International Students Need to Know

On July 17, 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security published a final rule in the Federal Register eliminating "duration of status" (D/S) admission for F-1 academic students, J-1 exchange visitors, and most I nonimmigrants (representatives of foreign information media), replacing it with a fixed period of admission.

Federal Court Blocks USCIS’s Adjudication Hold on Applications by Nationals of 39 Countries

On Friday, June 5^th, Judge John McConnell, Jr., of the Federal District Court, held that USCIS’s indefinite hold on adjudication of benefit applications by or for foreign nationals from the 39 “high-risk countries” is unlawful. 

BREAKING: Federal Court Strikes Down Trump's $100,000 H-1B Fee

USCIS Reframes Adjustment of Status as "Extraordinary" Relief — Increasing Denial Risk for Many Applicants

On May 21, 2026, USCIS issued Policy Memorandum directing its officers to treat Adjustment of Status (Form I-485) as extraordinary discretionary relief from the regular immigrant visa process (i.e., consular processing), and not as a routine immigration benefit. 

Plaintiff Prevail Against USCIS’s Hold of Applications by Applicants from “High-Risk Countries”

This is a new update to our previous Update: Hold and Review of USCIS Benefit Applications Filed by Applicants from “High-Risk Countries”.

Reports of CBP Scrutinizing H-1B Employees Returning After Working Abroad

There have been reports regarding U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance in Abu Dhabi scrutinizing H-1B visa holders and even revoking their H-1B visas for working from abroad.

DOL Proposes Significant Increases to Prevailing Wage Levels for H-1B and PERM Programs

On March 27, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) proposed a rule that will restructure the prevailing wage levels for H-1B, H-1B1, E-3, and PERM programs.

H-1B Cap Registration for FY2027 Begins Soon

The window for H-1B cap registration (AKA H-1B lottery) will begin Wednesday, March 4^th at 9:00 AM (Pacific Standard Time), and close on Thursday, March 19^th at 9:00 AM (Pacific Standard Time).