On March 3, the House of Representatives passed a bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security through the end of this fiscal year, averting a partial shutdown of the agency. On March 4, the bill was signed into law by President Obama.
The bill was passed with no immigration provisions, despite months of debate in the House and Speaker John Boehner’s vow to block the President’s executive actions. As we have reported, however, the Administration’s planned expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program and introduction of a similar program for parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents remain suspended due to litigation.
What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals
A shutdown of DHS operations was not expected to significantly affect immigration processing, which is funded by fees rather than congressional appropriations. But there were concerns that a suspension of back office functions at USCIS could have delayed case processing, especially if a shutdown extended into the busy H-1B cap filing period, which starts on April 1.
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Blog post
The UK expands its High Potential Individual (HPI) visa for 2025, broadening eligibility for global graduates and entrepreneurs while introducing new requirements and application caps
Video
The latest Mobility Minute features Manager Alex Hood discussing recent updates to the UK’s High Potential Individual route, including expanded university eligibility, a new annual cap and modernized governance measures.
Media mentions
Managing Partner for the Middle East and Africa Murtaza Khan discusses how the UAE’s flexible migration policies attract talent and support a competitive labour market.
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Senior Counsel Mitch Wexler notes that the US expansion of social-media screening to H-1B and H-4 visa applicants will involve a more detailed review of their online activity.
Media mentions
Partner Edward Raleigh highlights the need for companies to prepare for increased H-1B enforcement and ensure compliance with US worker requirements.
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In this Mobility Minute, Associate Rebeca Lafond outlines key considerations for international travel to the United States during the holiday season, including documentation requirements, visa processing expectations and enhanced screening on entry.
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Partner K. Edward Raleigh explains that the Department of Labor’s Project Firewall expands H-1B oversight beyond individual complaints and increases the scope of employer compliance reviews.
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