Tag Archives: program

Categories Global News & Updates

RELIEF Act Introduction Brings Both Senate Immigration Bills To Standstill

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The?journey?of H.R.1044/S.386 through the Senate hit another roadblock as S.2603, the?Resolving Extended Limbo for Immigrant Employees and Families (RELIEF) Act,?was brought up for a vote by unanimous consent. At least one senator objected, blocking the unanimous consent fast-track and stalling both bills for the time being. A unanimous consent vote on H.R.1044/S.386 was originally expected to be held on Thursday, October 17th.

The RELIEF Act was introduced to address the massive green card backlog, with the goal of eliminating the backlog over five years. Building on S.744, the 2013 bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform bill, the bill would clarify spouses and children of Legal Permanent Residents as immediate relatives and exempt ?derivative beneficiaries? of employment-based petitions from the annual caps that contribute to the backlog. It would also protect children who qualify based on a parent?s petition from ?aging out? while waiting for approval, helping to keep families together.

We will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more information becomes available. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact your Graham Adair representative. For more frequent updates, please follow us on Twitter (@GrahamAdairLaw).

Categories Global News & Updates

UPDATED: Fairness for High Skilled Immigrants Act Goes Before Senate

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UPDATED 9/20/19
H.R.1044/S.386 went before the Senate on Thursday and was blocked by a Senator who expressed unenumerated concerns about how the new rules would impact specific industries. Leading proponents of the bill say they will work to address those concerns and bring it up for a vote again next week.?We will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more information becomes available.

9/19/19
After passing the House with 365 bipartisan votes, H.R.1044, the Fairness for High Skilled Immigrants Act will be brought before the Senate today, September 19, 2019 as S.386. U.S. Senators Mike Lee and Kamala Harris have led negotiations with Senator Rand Paul, who agreed to remove his hold on the bill after reaching a reasonable compromise.

H.R.1044/S.386 would remove the per-country quotas for employment-based immigrant visas, reducing the green card backlog. The per-country quota currently remains at 7% of total annual green cards, meaning Iceland (pop. ~338,000) has the same quota as India (pop. ~1.3 billion). The resultant backlog has resulted in extreme wait times and uncertainty for employers that rely on highly-skilled immigrants. Eliminating the quotas and backlog is intended to ensure that the United States continues to attract top talent from around the world.

The bill is expected to be brought up by Unanimous Consent, expediting the process.?We will continue to monitor developments and share updates as more information becomes available.

Categories Compliance Department of Labor News & Updates

Staffing company compensates employees for H-1B program violations after investigation

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Login Consulting Services Inc., a Southern California-based staffing and recruitment company, has paid $58,815 after an investigation by the Department of Labor found the company to be in violation of the H-1B program. Investigators discovered that the company had illegally charged visa fees to the employee, “benched” the worker, and paid another worker below the guaranteed hourly rate established in the Labor Conditions Application they had submitted.

?Employers who wish to hire guest workers must fully familiarize themselves with the H-1B foreign labor certification program. The program is there to help American companies find the highly skilled talent they need when there is a shortage of U.S. workers,? said Wage and Hour Division District Director Kimchi Bui, in Los Angeles, California. ?The resolution of this case demonstrates our commitment to safeguard American jobs, level the playing field for lawabiding employers, and ensure no one is being paid less than they are legally owed.”

Per the Department of Labor, “U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has established an email address dedicated to enable individuals (including both American workers and H-1B workers who suspect they or others may be the victim of H-1B fraud or abuse) to submit tips, alleged violations, and other relevant information about potential H-1B fraud or abuse. Individuals also can report allegations of H-1B violations by submitting Form WH-4 to the Division.”

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