Former President Trump’s Ban on H-1B Visa Reaches Expiration

Posted by: Park Evaluations

By: Rachel Horner  When COVID-19 emerged last year, there was no telling the extents of its effects. However, early on, it was obvious that immigration would be one of the first industries to take a dire hit. A few months into the pandemic, the Trump Administration issued a proclamation which banned foreign nationals on “non-immigrant” visas, including the H-1B visa, from entering the country. The ban was extended by Trump to run until March 31, 2021. However, following that date’s passing, business immigration received welcome news—the Biden-Harris Administration has allowed its expiration to occur.     Now that Proclamation 10052 is over with, what’s next for those who were affected? 

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Choosing the Right Work Experience Evaluation for your H-1B Petition

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By: Patrick Boody  When it comes to evaluating a foreign national’s work experience, it is essential to capture the breadth of what they have accomplished over the extent of their career, no matter its length, to equate such work experience and academic credentials to the possession of a U.S. degree in an applicable field. Here at Park Evaluations, we grant such equivalences through our in-house expert letters as well as those written by the professors with whom we partner. In sum, what differentiates the two is additional content contributing more significantly to the argument that over a candidate’s career, they have amassed what United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) calls—and 

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USCIS Announces Selections for H-1B Cap Subject Petitions 

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By: Rachel Horner  USCIS officially began its selection process for this year’s CAP Season. The announcement sent to those who participated in the registration process on March 29, 2021 stated those selected to file for H-1B CAP-subject petitions will be notified no later than March 31st, 2021 via their official USCIS online account.   The petitions that do not receive a selection notification are still outstanding, however. USCIS is not at its cap for selected petitions yet. Registrants will not be notified of a denial until USCIS's selection process is fully complete. 

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USCIS to Reconsider Denied Petitions after Rescinding Three Policy Memos

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By: Rachel Horner  Additional Writing By: Kelsi Swenson  On March 12, 2021, USCIS announced some welcome news for recipients of denied H-1B visa petitions: if any of the three recently rescinded  policy memos served as the basis for USCIS's denial, the petition is eligible for reconsideration. This latest announcement suggests that USCIS is clearing its system of outdated, unforgiving policies, and to make way for new, more progressive policies. Recap of the Policies Rescinded by USCIS The first two policy memos both targeted petitions that involved third-party worksites, which are especially popular in the IT sector. These policies came from a general wariness around the notion that IT companies could contract their employees to a third-party company, ...

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A New Era for Immigration? Future Priorities and Business Immigration in the Post-Trump World

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Written By: Lynn O’Brien, Senior Associate Attorney in the Northern Virginia office of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP.  With Terry Mastronikolas Recently, we had a few chances to assess the situation with Lynn O’Brien at BAL to get a grip on the crisis confronting our industry as USCIS prepared to implement a new rule that would have modified the H-1B cap selection process, amended current lottery procedures, and prioritized wages. That crisis has been averted for now.  Also rocking the world of business immigration were the H-1B strengthening rule and the Department of Labor (DOL) interim final rule to incorporate changes ...

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The Key to Meeting a Work Experience RFE

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By: Joseph Catrone   From making appearances in RFEs to work verification letters to RFE responses, "progressively responsible work experience" is one of the most popular terms in the realm of H-1B Visa filings. Whatever your level of familiarity with the term is, there’s no doubt that demonstrating a “progressively responsible” trajectory in a candidate's professional work history can significantly increase the odds for meeting RFE challenges. Below is a dive into what exactly comprises "progressive responsibility" and why that distinction is so valuable when positioning a candidate and responding to an RFE.   Work History Vs. Academic Studies Many believe that life’s knowledge is best amassed through ...

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H-1B CAP Season Preview: An Interview with Head Evaluator Howard Borenstein

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By: Joseph Catrone As attorneys and businesses are preparing for the upcoming, annual  H-1B lottery and CAP season, they are also bracing themselves for the months of fast-paced, high-volume environments, knowing there's little room for error, delay, or discrepancy in the process of requesting academic credential evaluations. Fortunately, the team at Park Evaluations is deeply committed and fully equipped to aid in these crucial steps of the H-1B filing process—an attitude reflected first and foremost through the dedication of our head credential evaluator, Howard Borenstein. We asked Howard to share his expertise on academic evaluations, as well as the many insights gained from nearly 20 years in the industry. What can people expect from Park’s Credential Reports and services? HB: Certainly, ...

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Three Ways an Expert Interview can Combat Your RFE Challenge

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By: Rachel Horner  Additional Reporting By: Kelsi Swenson  [caption id="attachment_1654" align="aligncenter" width="331"] The challenges highlighted here can be tackled by Park's Interview and Virtual Visit Services.[/caption]   Receiving an RFE in the mail challenging anything from specialty occupation, to beneficiary qualifications, to firsthand knowledge, to all three at once is not only frustrating, but it requires a strong and complete response. In recent years, Park interviews and virtual visits have provided a platform for experts, managers, candidates, and lawyers to connect with one another and dive deeper into each case; individualizing and solidifying the expert’s opinion. Supplementing an RFE Response with evidence gathered from ...

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