USCIS has announced that the FY 2027 H‑1B cap registration window will run from March 4 to March 19, 2026. During this period, employers seeking to sponsor H‑1B workers for this year’s lottery (covering employment beginning October 1, 2026) must use a USCIS online account to electronically register each beneficiary for the selection process and … Continue Reading
In response to the horrific November attack on National Guard members in Washington, D.C. and other geopolitical events, the President and U.S. immigration agencies have implemented initiatives and rolled out proposals to expand existing travel bans and dramatically increase vetting and personnel data collection of visa applicants and travelers entering and exiting the United States. … Continue Reading
Overview U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has implemented major changes to Employment Authorization Document (EAD) policies. These updates end the automatic 540‑day extension for most EAD renewals and reduce the maximum EAD validity period to 18 months for certain categories, including adjustment of status applicants, asylum seekers and refugees.… Continue Reading
One month after issuing a Proclamation entitled “Restrictions on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers” that imposed a $100,000 fee for certain H-1B visa petitions, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published clarifying updates that echo similar updates from other agencies. The USCIS update is available HERE under the drop-down “Presidential Proclamation on Restriction on … Continue Reading
Yesterday the Government announced several updates to the Immigration Rules that will impact business immigration planning. These changes will come as no surprise as many of them were detailed in the Immigration White Paper on 12 May and which we wrote about here. The key changes employers should be aware of include:… Continue Reading
On September 19, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO) establishing the “Gold Card” program, designed to facilitate and expedite the immigrant visa (“green card”) process for individuals who make a $1 million donation (or $2 million if made by a corporation on behalf of the individual) to the United States. Unlike the traditional … Continue Reading
On June 4, 2025, President Trump announced a new travel ban through a proclamation titled “Restricting the Entry of Foreign Nationals to Protect the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats.” The ban, which echoes his 2017 efforts to restrict entry to the United States for nationals of certain … Continue Reading
The government’s long awaited White Paper Restoring Control over the Immigration System has been published today. As part of the Home Secretary’s foreword in the Paper, she states that the plan will “restore order, control and fairness to the system, bring down net migration and promote economic growth”. The proposals signal a marked tightening of … Continue Reading
On Sunday, the government announced an extension of Right to Work (RTW) checks to businesses hiring gig economy and zero-hours workers, which we covered here. Just two days later, it released a report – an essential safeguard against illegal working. Key Findings from the Report Commissioned by the Home Office and conducted by Verian, the … Continue Reading
The government has announced the latest instalment in its ‘crackdown’ on illegal working by extending right to work checks to businesses hiring gig economy and zero-hours workers. In principle, this is logical and reasonable – prevention of illegal working should rightly apply to anyone working in the UK regardless of their worker status label. However, … Continue Reading
On New Year’s Eve, many were focused on celebrating the arrival of whatever 2025 may bring, but behind the scenes the Home Office introduced some significant changes to immigration policy. These updates have been quietly implemented as part of the government’s ongoing ‘crackdown’ on alleged abuse of the UK immigration system, but some could have far-reaching … Continue Reading
The Home Office has been very busy in 2024, making significant changes to the Immigration Rules almost every month this year. We have published a timeline of the most notable changes that sponsoring employers should be aware of. As the year draws to a close, we expect 2025 to present further immigration law developments and … Continue Reading
Under growing pressure to tackle high net migration figures, the Home Office has published plans to clamp down on visa abuse and exploitation to be implemented through amendments to the Employment Rights Bill. These are aimed at “rogue” employers (particularly within the care sector) but are likely to affect any UK employer with a licence … Continue Reading
As part of its drive to digitise the UK border and immigration system, with effect from today, the UK government has now opened the process for obtaining an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) for eligible non-European nationals who must hold an ETA if travelling to or through the UK from 8 January next year.… Continue Reading
As many sponsors will know, the Home Office offers a priority change of circumstances service, allowing sponsors to request by email the prioritisation of certain Home Office sponsor-related actions (many of which are vital to their being able to progress a visa application). Without this service, the standard processing time for these requests of around … Continue Reading
The Home Office announced a number of immigration-related changes in December 2023, including a significant increase in minimum salary thresholds for Skilled Worker visas. The finer detail, in the form of new Immigration Rules, will be published on 14 March with most of the changes coming into effect on 4 April 2024. In the meantime, … Continue Reading
There are several key immigration developments in the pipeline which are likely to affect UK employers. Here’s what you need to know: 6 February 2024: Visa Application costs increase The Immigration Health Surcharge is increasing from £624 to £1,035 per year for most adult UK visa applications from today, 6 February 2024. For under-18s, students … Continue Reading
In connection with the funding of pay increases being offered in the public sector, the government has announced its plans to increase: No date has been set for the introduction of these increases but they are expected to be imminent given current economic pressures.… Continue Reading
On May 1, 2023, the White House announced that the COVID-19 vaccination mandate for nonimmigrant international air travelers will end as of the end of the day on May 11, 2023. Implemented in 2021 in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the mandate required all nonimmigrant travelers arriving in the US by air to … Continue Reading
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that the initial registration period for the fiscal year (FY) 2023 H-1B cap will open at noon EST on March 1st and run through noon EST on March 17, 2023. USCIS intends to notify selected registrants by March 31st. Employers sponsoring selected registrants will be able to file cap-subject H-1B petitions in April.… Continue Reading
On January 12, 2023, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced two significant updates to its premium processing expansion plan: (1) implementation of premium processing for all EB-1 Multinational Executive and Manager and EB-2 National Interest Waiver (NIW) categories and (2) a future expansion of premium processing for F-1 Students Seeking OPT and STEM OPT … Continue Reading
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) just announced, effective January 5, 2023 at 12:01 AM EST, airline passengers (two years of age and older) traveling from mainland China (Peoples Republic of China (PRC)) and the Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong or Macau must provide either a negative COVID test or documentation … Continue Reading
The fall season brings two significant updates for US employment-based immigration: (1) the implementation of the next phase of premium processing expansion and (2) a significant retrogression of certain immigrant visa categories. Next Phase of Premium Processing Expansion On September 15, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the implementation of the third phase … Continue Reading
In March 2020, the Home Office introduced a concession allowing employers to carry out adjusted right to work checks by viewing scanned copies of passports/visas and video calls for employees working remotely rather than the usual requirement to check original documentation. That was originally due to end in summer last year but was extended until … Continue Reading
