08 May

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OPT — Trump’s Next Target?

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[vc_row triangle_shape="no"][vc_column][vc_column_text] After Trump implemented his 60-day ban on immigration of specific categories, Optional Practical Training for international students may become the next administration target. Optional Practical Training is a program where international students are given 12 months to work in the United States (24 months for STEM-related jobs). Students usually utilize this program to stay in the country after graduation. Chad Wolf, Acting Homeland Security Secretary, mentioned this possibility during a radio interview on April 27, 2020. He reminded the audience about how some programs have been "potentially abused in the past" and expressed the Department's concern about Chinese students who...

02 May

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Trump’s Immigration Ban

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in C.T.LEE & Associates Blog

On April 22nd, President Trump signed an executive order pausing immigration of certain categories. The order took effect on the 23rd and will continue to be valid for 60 days. Trump stated that this decision was in response to the skyrocketing unemployment rate caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. “It would be wrong and unjust for Americans laid off by the virus to be replaced with new immigrants, labor flown in from abroad”, he stated at the daily White House briefing. All visa holders of categories that fall under those subject to Trump’s order, who are also outside of the United States...

14 April

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On Unemployment Benefits

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in C.T.LEE & Associates Blog

As COVID-19 sweeps across the country, the U.S. economy has been suffering much. Not only has this pandemic been detrimental to large-scale corporations, but it is far more destructive when it comes to small businesses. This leaves many companies with no choice but to downsize or even close down, resulting in many people losing their jobs. In the three weeks leading up to April 9th, nearly 17 million people filed for unemployment. Lately, we have received many questions concerning the eligibility of applying for unemployment benefits and the potential impacts it has on a noncitizen's immigration status. Many are worried that applying...

02 April

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H-1B Lottery Results Are Out!

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in C.T.LEE & Associates Blog

March 31st was the last date USCIS releases lottery results of the FY 2021 H-1B cap-subject registrations. This means that if you have submitted a registration, the status of your petition is ready to be reviewed now. The result will be shown on the registrant’s USCIS online account. The status displayed will be either submitted, selected, or denied, but what does each status mean? Submitted: If your status says submitted, it means that your submission will continue to be under consideration for selection until the end of the fiscal year, when all registrations will fall under a status of selected, not selected, or denied. Selected: Congratulations, you have...

21 March

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H-1B Premium Processing Suspended

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in C.T.LEE & Associates Blog

It was announced on March 16th that USCIS is suspending premium processing for FY2021 cap-subject H-1B petitioners. USCIS will not be accepting any Form I-907 filed with a cap-subject H-1B petition for the purpose of requesting premium processing before a resumption is announced. The resumption of premium processing will take place in two phases. USCIS will be handling FY 2021 cap-subject petitioners seeking to change their status from an F-1 nonimmigrant one. All other FY 2021 cap-subject petitions will be processed during the second phase. USCIS will make an announcement before the resumption of premium processing for FY 2021 cap-subject H-1B petitioners looking to...

27 January

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911 (VCF) Victims Compensation Fund DEADLINE now July 29, 2021

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in C.T.LEE & Associates Blog, Uncategorized

On July 29, 2019, the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund Act (“VCF Permanent Authorization Act”) was signed into law. Now, any claim filed prior to July 29, 2021 will be considered timely. The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund was created to compensate people who suffered as a first responder or who lived, worked, or went to school south of Canal Street in Manhattan New York in the months after the September 11th terrorist attack in 2001, and were affected by the removal of toxic debris. Now it also includes other areas in New York that were in the path of debris...

22 October

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Recent decisions in the ever changing terrain of SIJS

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in C.T.LEE & Associates Blog, Uncategorized

In Matter of E-A-L-O-, they agreed that a newly enacted law defining juvenile as an unmarried person under 21 applies retroactively and a petitioner over 18 will still qualify for SIJS as long as he or she establishes the other points of eligibility. Here, the appeal was dismissed because although the petitioner was correct in asserting that the new law applied retroactively, the petitioner did not submit any evidence establishing that the order he received from the family court was issued in connection with any type of custody or dependency proceedings. Further, the family court order submitted by the petitioner...

21 June

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H-1B visa: OPT work permit delays, foreign students reportedly losing internship opportunities

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in C.T.LEE & Associates Blog

June 21, 2019 The USCIS stated that the surge in demand has caused a large backlog of OPT applications, the processing time may take up to 5 months. Since students can only apply for OPT 90 days before their employment, the processing delay is causing a big problem. The New York Times reported that many students had sent letters to their schools, expressing their concern that they still haven’t received the approval of OPT while their internship had already started. The principals of Princeton University and other institutions have already sent letters to the Congress, saying that the government's delay in OPT and...

13 June

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New Zealand Nationals Eligible for E-1 and E-2 Nonimmigrant Classifications

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in C.T.LEE & Associates Blog

May 30, 2019 Certain New Zealand nationals can now request a change of status to the E-1 nonimmigrant trader classification and the E-2 nonimmigrant investor classification under Public Law 115-226. Beginning June 10, eligible New Zealand nationals already in the United States in a lawful nonimmigrant status can file Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker, to request a change of status to E-1 or E-2 classification, or a qualifying employer can file Form I-129 on their behalf. Spouses and unmarried children under 21 years of age of E-1 and E-2 nonimmigrants, and employees who are already in the United States, may...

06 June

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Trump administration announced Spring 2019 Agenda

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in C.T.LEE & Associates Blog

June 6, 2019_________________________________________________________________________Trump administration announced Spring 2019 Unified Agenda of Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions.On the list of this proposed agenda, several items may have a huge impact on the H-1B/H-4 visa holders and international students, including: Revise the definition of specialty occupation to increase focus on obtaining the best and the brightest foreign nationals via the H-1B program, and revise the definition of employment and employer-employee relationship to better protect U.S. workers and wages. DHS will propose additional requirements designed to ensure employers pay appropriate wages to H-1B visa holders.Removing H-4 Dependent Spouses from the Class of...

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