We’ve all faced the onboarding delays, uncertainties, and emotional roller coasters during the current adjudication process.
We’ve also experienced the relief, happiness, and positive momentum from a case approval.
As I look at what’s in store for us in 2019, it appears that our government will continue to add bureaucratic burdens to redefine legal immigration.
Here are a few things we expect to happen in 2019 and what we must do to overcome them.
- Selected tighter restrictions on how to qualify and obtain an H-1B and L-1 visas
- Ongoing RFEs and discretionary summary denials for all non-immigrant visas but particularly H-1B and L-1
- DHS’ employment site visits to verify employment and foreign national’s background
- Foreign nationals receiving Notices to Appear (NTAs) for deportation hearings after having their petitions denied
- Restrictions to STEM OPT and OPT making these options harder to use
- Greater retrogression, tighter scrutiny and enhanced requirements for green card applicants
- Enhanced I-9 and E-Verify compliance audits and enforcement
- Resurgence of the issuance of Social Security No-Match Letters
When asked about how to overcome challenges, Leonardo da Vinci said, “I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do.”
As we work with our clients to overcome our current immigration challenges, we have been most successful when, as a team, we:
- Start early
- Define and strategize the visa we want to obtain
- Know what information and documents are critical in today’s immigration environment
- Remember to be flexible and proactive and what worked before, will most likely not work today
- Think through and gather documents and reasons as to why this filing is important
- Convey the importance of this position to achieve your goals
- Empower the team to timely contribute, gather and prepare the information needed
- Keep the focus on the why this is important
- Take the actions and allocate the time and resources required to achieve your goals
Let’s work strategically and proactively to integrate talented foreign nationals into our economy and workforce so that we can preserve a strong America for generations to come.
I look forward to partnering with you on what we must do to overcome the bureaucracy and help you achieve your goals.