The STEM Designated Degree Program list is a complete list of fields of study DHS considers to be science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM) fields of study for purposes of the 24-month STEM optional practical training extension described at 8 CFR 214.2(f). Under 8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(ii)(C)(2), a STEM field of study is a field of study “included in the Department of Education’s Classification of Instructional Programs taxonomy within the two-digit series containing engineering, biological sciences, mathematics, and physical sciences, or a related field.
On April 3, 2017, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will begin accepting CW-1 petitions subject to the fiscal year (FY) 2018 cap. Employers in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) use the CW-1 program to employ foreign workers who are otherwise ineligible to work under other nonimmigrant worker categories. The cap for CW-1 visas for FY 2018 has not been set, but it is required to be less than the FY 2017 cap, which is currently set at 12,998.
Discussion Topics, Thursday, 9 March 2017:
FAQ: Revoke H-4 EAD regulation; Joining a company other than green card sponsor; staying abroad after green card - reentry permit; Green card holder staying abroad for more than 6 months; Medical problems/diseases that can cause issues in green card; Impact of the new I-140 regulations; Physician FMG applying for Cap H-1 through a cap exempt employer; Compelling circumstances EAD.
How to find out if my I-140 has been revoked, etc; AC21, changing jobs, when to file Supplement J;
Other: Correcting errors on I-140 approval; Revocation of I-140 and approval of H-1 extension; H-1 converting to B-1/B-2; Green card staying outside the USA for more than 6 months; Changing jobs after I-140 approval - priority date; H-1 extension when I-140 is denied, H-4 EAD, etc; Filling for N-400; I-130 returned to USCIS by consulate; Compelling circumstances EAD for child being sick; CSPA in family-based applications; etc.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services will begin accepting H-1B petitions subject to the fiscal year 2018 cap on April 3, 2017. All cap-subject H-1B petitions filed before April 3, 2017, for the FY 2018 cap will be rejected.
USCIS has received a sufficient number of petitions to reach the congressionally mandated H‑2B cap for fiscal year (FY) 2017. March 13, 2017 was the final receipt date for new H-2B worker petitions requesting an employment start date before October 1, 2017.
What Happens After Reaching the Cap