USCIS Furlough Cancelled
In recent days more pressure had been brought to bear on USCIS regarding its planned furlough of 2/3rds of USCIS staff and finally some good news in response – yesterday USCIS leadership confirmed the furlough had been cancelled. For weeks all of us were bracing for expected disruptions in processing and this included USCIS workers themselves who were fearful for their jobs and how they support their families. Prior to the announcement, last Saturday August 22, 2020, the House passed the Emergency Stopgap USCIS Stabilization Act (H.R. 8089) which will permit an increase in Premium Processing from the current $1,440 level to a new $2,500 fee as well as expanding the availability of premium processing to different application types. The Senate, which is currently on recess, has not confirmed if and when they will introduce and vote on similar legislation. Although there are real budgetary problems facing USCIS it ultimately is not as severe as first advertised; in cancelling the furlough action USCIS leadership warned that they will need to examine service levels and make cuts to save money. While there may be impacts to the Service in the future, they will not be as massive or draconian a mass furlough of over 13,000 staff would have entailed.
We will continue to provide timely updates regarding upgrading Premium Processing fees as they become available.
Upcoming Webinars
As the Coronavirus Pandemic has continued to impact our daily life and local economies, we know that the impact is still being felt and that not all government offices and benefits are readily available. This has clearly lasted longer and had more profound effects than any of us originally imagined. To ensure our clients and friends are better aware of the impact of prior and recent policy announcements (including the June Presidential Proclamation on NIVs) we are going to spend time to give a newer picture of the world of immigration. To this end, we holding two upcoming talks:
Pandemic Planning Update – What Current Immigration Restrictions Remain in Place “And What to Do About That”
During this talk Managing Partner, David Brown will outline what changes have happened since the start of the global pandemic. Specifically how administration policy and government agencies have responded to the disruption of daily life. While some policies have created flexibility and made coping with lockdowns and shelter in place easier, other pronouncements have made the process of compliance more difficult, or created barriers preventing employees from travelling. David will ensure employers understand both the flexibility that has been created and the restrictions to pay attention to (and when possible avoid), so you can keep your teams safe during these unprecedented times.
David anticipates speaking for roughly 30 minutes followed by a generous Q&A period to raise issues of concern to the group.
REGISTER HERE FOR September 16th
What Employers Can Do – Despite the Speed Bumps Most Business Immigration Options Remain on the Table
While pandemic planning has gone through many stages, and fears of USCIS furloughs and travel bans have impacted employers’ willingness to hire foreign born employees, there are many things that can still be done. David will clarify that it is business as usual for most employers and foreign workers, and he will walk you through what is possible – from the filing of H-1B Change of Employer applications to sponsoring individuals with PERMs – many tools at our disposal to move forward and create stability still remain despite fears and pronouncements to the contrary.
David anticipates speaking for roughly 30 minutes followed by a generous Q&A period to raise issues of concern to the group.
REGISTER HERE FOR September 24th
We also note that David has been asked by the State of California’s EDD to provide talks on similar issues to employers in the State. He’ll be doing a longer talk for tech related companies on September 15th, and a separate talk for Agricultural and Skilled Trades employers on September 17th – if you are a California employer and would prefer to attend one of those talks, you are more than welcome to register or pass the information on to other interested employers.
Once registered, you will receive an email with a link to use to join the video chat on the day of the event. Please note: This link should not be shared with others; it is unique to you. If you ever misplace the invitation link, simply visit the webinar schedule on our website to join the LIVE chat.
If you have contacts or colleagues who may benefit from our talks, you are welcome to invite them to join our VIP invitation list by sharing our webinar schedule where they can subscribe for further information.
Don’t miss these opportunities to increase your knowledge on important immigration issues!
Thank you and we look forward to having you at the event.
Best Regards,
The Team at Brown Immigration Law
** This newsletter/memo is provided for informational and discussion purposes only. It does not act as a substitute for direct legal contact on an individual basis **
