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Reports on inconsistent PWDs

To ensure consistency on PWDs, DOL will review previously issued wage determinations.

ACWIA wages

This revised memorandum of understanding (MOU) is entered into by the DHS and the DOL. Its purpose to set forth the ways in which the Departments will work together to ensure that their respective civil worksite enforcement activities do not conflict and to advance the mission of each Department. 

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.

USCIS starts accepting H-1B petitions subject to the fiscal year (FY) 2012 cap on April 1, 2011. Cases will be considered accepted on the date USCIS receives a properly filed petition for which the correct fee has been submitted; not the date that the petition is postmarked.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and the U.S. Department of State (DOS) launched a pilot program to test new processing procedures for Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition follow-to-join cases (See definition below).

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reminded potential applicants of the April 1 deadline to apply for funding under the fiscal year (FY) 2011 Citizenship and Integration Grants Program. Organizations must apply electronically by 11:59 p.m. EDT on April 1 using the application package and instructions available at www.grants.gov.

The U.S. Department of State's Immigrant Visa Control and Reporting Division, has confirmed a dramatic reduction in the use of EB-1 immigrant visa numbers and the resulting favorable effect on the EB-2 category for immigrant visas chargeable to India.

DOS advised that demand for visa numbers in the EB1 category has declined significantly. Thus, approximately 12,000 unused EB1 numbers will be available to shift downward to the EB2 category, starting in May 2011.

Please check the attachment.

Please check the attachment to view correction on Exchange Visitor Program Fees and Charges.

USCIS Ombudsman update on H-2B Petition RFEs issued by USCIS that question the ”temporary” nature of the employer’s business need for foreign labor. Topics include a “temporary” employment need, and additional information that may help USCIS adjudicate the petition.

Click here to view CIS Ombudsman update.

This Policy Memorandum provides guidance on processing fee waiver requests filed pursuant to 8 CFR 103.7(c) as amended by changes made in the final rule " U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service Fee Schedule, " published in the Federal Register (FR) on September 24, 2010.