US Immigration News

The high refusal rate for L-1B non-immigrant visas for Indians has had a significant impact on Indian companies and workers. The National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) a liberal right wing think tank found that between 2012-2014, only 44% of the L-1B visa applications to employ Indians were granted. Compare this to the granting of an overall 87% of applications for all other countries. It also seems to be easier in many cases to obtain L-1A visas for international managers/executives than L-1B visas for specialized knowledge employees.

Tens of thousands of highly-skilled foreign workers have been left unable to file an early application for adjustment of status to an employment-based US Green Card visa after the State Department revised their October visa bulletin, originally issued on September 9, without explanation. The revised October visa bulletin, issued on September 25, severely restricted who could apply.

Current US immigration legislation that specifies when a person can apply for a Green Card is set to change. The United States Citizenship and Immigration Service [USCIS] has announced that commencing October 1, 2015, I-485 applications for adjustment of status [applying to switch to a "Green Card"] will be 'accepted earlier than the date on which a priority date is current.'

Frontrunner to be the Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has targeted skilled migrant workers in his new immigration proposals.

The proposed immigration plan, released on Sunday, looks to raise wages for graduate level skilled workers entering the US on the popular H-1B visa. Such a move would make the employment of skilled overseas workers less attractive for American companies something which Trump says will increase the number of native workers and permanent residents employed in pivotal fields such as technology.

The L-1B visa is a non-immigrant visa for entry of 'specialized knowledge staff'. It is valid initially for a period of up to three years and may be extended for a total period of five years. After that, the holder may re-apply, but to do so must have been employed outside of the United States for at least one year. There may also be an option to come under another US non-immigrant visa category.

According to Marc Rubio, the US Senator for Florida, the US immigration system is 'so broken' that close to half of all illegal immigrants in the country originally entered legally. During a Fox News interview on July 22, Rubio said: "We have a porous border and I'm not just talking about the border with Mexico, I mean in general. 40 per cent of illegals are here having overstayed their visas."