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USCIS Reaches FY 2011 H-1B Cap

Jan. 27, 2011

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it has received a sufficient number of H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap for fiscal year (FY) 2011.  USCIS is notifying the public that yesterday, Jan. 26, 2011, is the final receipt date for new H-1B specialty occupation petitions requesting an employment start date in FY2011.

CBP Issues Final Rule On Airports Of Entry Or Departure For Flights To And From Cuba

[Federal Register: January 28, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 19)]
[Rules and Regulations]              
[Page 5058-5061]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr28ja11-2]                        

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USCIS Issues Final Memo on Implementation of Increased Fees for Certain H-1B and L-1 Petitions

This memorandum provides guidance regarding implementation of the provisions of Public Law 111-230 that increase certain H-1B and L-1 petition fees. The additional fee applies to petitioners that employ 50 or more employees in the United States with more than 50% of their employees in the United States in H-1B or L-1A or L-1B nonimmigrant status. Petitioners meeting those criteria must submit the additional fee with an H-1B or L-1 petition filed.

DOS Provides Guidance On L Visas And Specialized Knowledge

Guidance on L Visas and Specialized Knowledge

Reference Document:

STATE 002016, 01/11

 

1. The following guidance is in response to a request [redacted] for specific guidelines for L visa adjudications, particularly in regard to evaluating claims of "specialized knowledge," and will be useful to all posts. There is a concern about the potential for inconsistent adjudicatory standards at different constituent posts and clear standards would allow for more consistent adjudication.

Wage Methodology for the Temporary Non-agricultural Employment H–2B

The Department has published in the Federal Register a Final Rule on the Wage Methodology for Temporary Non-agricultural Employment in the H-2B Program. The Final Rule revises the methodology by which the Department calculates the prevailing wages to be paid to H-2B workers and U.S. workers recruited in connection with a temporary labor certification. The Final Rule is effective for wages paid for all work performed on or after January 1, 2012. 

H-1B Fiscal Year (FY) 2011 Cap Season (as of January 21, 2011)

The H-1B Program

U.S. businesses use the H-1B program to employ foreign workers in specialty occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise in specialized fields, such as scientists, engineers, or computer programmers.

For more information about the H-1B program, see the link to the left under temporary workers for H-1B Specialty Occupations, DOD Cooperative Research and Development Project Workers, and Fashion Models.

Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines

[Federal Register: January 20, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 13)]
[Notices]
[Page 3637-3638]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr20ja11-76]

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DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Office of the Secretary

Annual Update of the HHS Poverty Guidelines

AGENCY: Department of Health and Human Services.

ACTION: Notice.

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