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The Department has posted new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for the H-1B, H-1B1 and E-3 Programs.

To view FAQ please check the attachment.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services sent this bulletin at 03/27/2012 06:07 PM EDT

Dear Stakeholder,

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a notice in the Federal Register inviting public comment on a revised Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification. Employers must complete Form I-9 for all newly-hired employees to verify their identity and authorization to work in the United States. The public is invited to comment on the revisions until May 29, 2012.

WASHINGTON - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 cap on Monday April 2, 2012. Cases will be considered accepted on the date that USCIS takes possession of a properly filed petition with the correct fee. USCIS will not rely upon the date that the petition is postmarked.

Interview Waiver Pilot Program

Processing time encompasses the period starting the date U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) received the application and ending the date USCIS notified the applicant of the decision. For applications filed overseas with the Department of State where USCIS does not have a presence, reported processing time does not include time taken to transfer the application from the Department of State to USCIS.

The attachment below shows overseas completion data for Form I-601, Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility, for February 2012

Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano today announced that she will be designating Syria for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for a period of 18 months.
Next week, USCIS will post a Federal Register notice designating Syria for TPS and providing additional guidance on:

USCIS statistics on TRIG cases are current as of February 29, 2012. 

Please check the attachment to view statistics.

WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that it extended an accommodation for H-2A workers in the sheepherding industry to transition to the three-year limitation of stay requirements. USCIS will require H-2A sheepherders who have reached their maximum three-year period of stay to depart the United States by Aug. 16, 2012, and remain outside the country for at least three months before petitioning for H-2A classification again.

The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) has established a process by which members of the public may subscribe to receive e-mail alerts whenever the Department posts an announcement updating some aspect of the OFLC website, e.g., program updates, outreach announcements, new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), disclosure data, etc.

Please check the attachment to read the instructions on how to subscribe to OFLC e-mail alerts.