Rising demand for nursing staff and a falling supply of nurses has contributed to the largest nursing shortage the U.S. has ever experienced, and is expected to intensify through 2023. Fortunately, there is a way for hospitals and health care providers to augment their staff with qualified nurses from abroad through a faster path to a Green Card than is available for other professions.
The H-1B non-immigrant classification is available for people who wish to perform (1) services in a specialty occupation, or (2) services of exceptional merit and ability relating to a Department of Defense (DOD) cooperative research and development project, or (3) services as a fashion model of distinguished merit or ability. At The Grady Firm, we …
Continue reading "H-1B Visas for Specialty Occupation Jobs Requiring a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher"
On October 12, 2022, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), in consultation with the Department of Labor (DOL), announced that it will be issuing a regulation that will make available to employers an additional 64,716 H-2B temporary nonagricultural worker visas for fiscal year (FY) 2023, on top of the 66,000 H-2B visas that are normally …
by Jennifer Grady, Esq. On July 25, 2022, USCIS announced that it will continue accepting copies of original signatures on all forms and documents as a permanent policy. This makes permanent the temporary signature policy that USCIS announced in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. This means that petitioners and beneficiaries can submit …
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Ukrainian nationals who entered the United States on or before April 11, 2022, and who have maintained continuous presence in the US since April 19, 2022, may be eligible for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The Secretary of Homeland Security from time-to-time designates a foreign country for TPS due to conditions in the country that temporarily …
by Jennifer Grady, Esq. In light of continued processing delays at USCIS, a temporary final rule has been announced to automatically increase Employment Authorization Card extensions from 180 days, to 540 days. The extension will begin from the expiration date of the employment authorization and/or EAD, and is available for applicants with pending Form I-765 …
by Jennifer Grady, Esq. Major news for those seeking faster processing times to obtain their Employment Authorization Document (EAD), Green Card petition based on employment, and application to change or extend status! USCIS will roll out new phases of premium processing expansion throughout FY 2022 as part of a collective effort to reduce backlogs and …
Continue reading "USCIS Adds Premium Processing Service for Forms I-765, I-539, and I-140"
by Jennifer Grady, Esq. In response to worker shortages and the upcoming spring/summer season, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Department of Labor (DOL) announced the imminent release of 35,000 additional H-2B visas for employers seeking to employ additional workers on or after April 1, 2022, through Sept. 30, 2022. The publication of the …
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By Jennifer Grady, Esq. The Biden-Harris Administration is expanding its efforts to attract talented international science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professionals and students to the US by developing and strengthening pathways to contribute and study in multiple fields. There is a strong focus particularly on the academic fields of STEM because of its significant …
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Starting October 1st, 2021, the COVID-19 vaccine will be the latest addition to the list of required vaccinations for applicants of Adjustment of Status for Green Card in the U.S., and for applicants applying for an immigrant visa from abroad. Currently, there are 14 required vaccinations for those applying for green card or permanent residence …
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by Jennifer Grady, Esq. The Grady Firm is keeping a close eye on the Let Immigrants Kickstart Employment (LIKE) Act, which was introduced in the House of Representatives on July 26, 2021. The proposed bill is in the beginning stages, and is currently referred to the House Committee for further study and consideration. H.R. 4681, …
The H-2A program allows U.S. employers or U.S. agents who meet specific regulatory requirements to bring foreign nationals to the United States to fill temporary agricultural jobs. Photo by Anna Shvets on Pexels.com I. REQUIREMENTS To qualify for H-2A nonimmigrant classification, the petitioner must: Offer a job that is of a temporary or seasonal nature;Demonstrate …
Photo by Quintin Gellar on pexels.com by Jennifer Grady, Esq. 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 …
Continue reading "H-2B Visas for Local Truck Drivers During Driver Shortages"
Photo by Sora Shimazaki from Pexels Thirty-three US states, The District of Columbia, and at least 26 countries around the world have legalized the production and use of cannabis for medical, and, in some jurisdictions, for recreational use. This wave of legalization has led to a growing and dynamic industry that employs thousands of individuals …
Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently implemented a major policy change to the adjudication process of L-1 Intracompany Transferee petitions filed by Canadian citizens. Beginning in March of 2019, CBP officers at all ports of entry and pre-clearance facilities ceased adjudicating L-1 petitions for extension or renewal, …
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