As some MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers certainly have experienced firsthand, PERM labor certification processing times have greatly improved during 2011. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) is making a concerted effort to reduce their backlog in the processing of PERMs, and the results are showing...
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director, Alejandro Mayorkas, addressed stakeholders in early February 2011 with a report on the agency's accomplishments in 2010 and projected initiatives for 2011. This overview of Director Mayorkas's address emphasizes topics that may be of special interest to MurthyDotCom...
Part 1 (07.Jan.2011) of this New Year reminder to employers focused on the H1B-related issues of labor condition applications (LCAs) and employee terminations. In part 2, H1B salary matters are explained. Salary Changes Many employers typically perform annual salary reviews. If an employee's performance has been good...
With the arrival of the 2011 New Year, as in the past, MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers have been provided with a series of immigration reminders. Following are suggestions for employers regarding some immigration-related documents and issues they should review as the New Year begins. Some...
The labor condition application (LCA) is important to many employers and foreign workers in the United States, as it is a part of the H1B petition filing process. The LCA is a form that requires U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) approval in order for an...
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) posts processing information online. This is itemized by each service center and for each field office, based on case type. While this is helpful, further explanation is provided here to aid MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers in understanding the...
A U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) memorandum regarding the importance of social networking sites in fraud detection was recently disclosed. This memo discusses the use of social networking sites by Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) officers in investigating potential abuses of U.S. immigration...
Many of our readers participate in the popular, weekly MurthyChat, one of the free online services offered by the Murthy Law Firm. They may also search past chat transcripts for answers to their own questions. The chat reflects questions that are on the minds of...
As we approach the start of the U.S. government's fiscal year 2011 (FY11), many MurthyDotCom and MurthyBulletin readers plan to transition from F-1, or other nonimmigrant statuses, to H1B status. October 1st is the start of a new fiscal year for the U.S. Citizenship and...
President Barack Obama signed a law on August 13, 2010, that increases funding for U.S. border security by $600 million. The funding for this increase in security will be paid for, in part, by substantially increasing the fees that some employers must pay when filing...
