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San Francisco Bay Area Immigration Blog

Employers Must Now Use New I-9 Form

Employers must now use the new version of Form I-9 when verifying the identity and work eligibility of new employees. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services accepted the old version through January 21, 2017. Starting January 22, 2017 employers must use the new form only. USCIS will hold a stakeholder teleconference on January 31, 2017, to

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New Final Rule Expands Options for International Entrepreneurs

DHS published a final rule which will allow some international entrepreneurs more flexibility when applying to enter the US to start and/or expand their businesses. The new final rule, which was published on January 17, 2017 – just days before Trump’s inauguration – will take effect on July 17, 2017, unless the new GOP-led Congress

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New Legal Standard Issued for National Interest Waiver Cases

Foreign workers who can prove their work is in the “national interest” to the country can obtain permanent residency in the US without having to go through the Department of Labor PERM labor certification process. This puts such “national interest” workers on a quicker and often times cheaper pathway to obtaining their green cards through

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Obama Ends “Wet-foot, Dry-Foot” Policy for Cuban Migrants

President Obama announced the immediate end of a 21-year policy known as “wet-foot, dry-foot,” which for many years has allowed Cuban immigrants without documentation to be paroled (allowed to stay) in the U.S. once they set foot on U.S. soil without permission. Often, those fleeing Cuba made the treacherous 90-mile journey from Cuba to Florida

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Camiel Becker Speaks on DHS Rule Impacting High-Skilled Workers

Camiel Becker presented on a panel with Atessa Chehrazi of Jackson & Hertogs, on a continuing legal education panel discussing a new rule taking effect on January 17, 2017 that impacts high-skilled immigrant workers.  The educational course – which was offered on January 9, 2017 – was attended in person and remotely by approximately 20

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2017 H-1B Season is Here: Start Early to Avoid the Rush!

On April 1, 2017 the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will begin accepting cap-subject H-1B petitions. H-1B petitions should be filed by April 1, 2017 for an October 1, 2017 start date. Approximately 65,000 cap-subject H-1B visas are available for employees with a bachelor’s degree and an additional 20,000 are available to those who hold

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