The U.S. tech hiring environment continues to moderate, moving away from volume-based scaling toward highly strategic operational orchestration. According to the latest 2026 Tech Hiring Report, 53% of enterprise tech employers still plan to increase their staffing levels through the end of the year. However, the criteria for screening talent has fundamentally shifted. Top agencies […]
In a major development for international students and exchange visitors, a federal court has temporarily blocked the Department of Homeland Security’s new rule eliminating “Duration of Status” for F-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors, and I foreign-media representatives. The final rule, published by DHS on July 17, 2026, was scheduled to take effect on September 15, […]
Visa Revalidation Process Set for Spring 2024 The Department of State is diligently working to reintroduce the visa revalidation process by Spring 2024. This is an important procedure for non-immigrants in the United States, allowing for the renewal of visas without the need to return to one’s home country. Important Points about Visa Revalidation: Eligibility: […]
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced on 09/25/2023 that it is exempting the biometric services fee for Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status. Beginning Oct. 1, USCIS is exempting the $85 biometric services fee as part of the application process for Form I-539. You do not need to pay the fee if your […]
USCIS is updating guidance in the Policy Manual to increase the maximum validity period to 5 years for initial and renewal Employment Authorization Documents (EADs) for certain noncitizens who are employment authorized incident to status or circumstance, including those admitted as refugees, paroled as refugees, and granted asylum, as well as recipients of withholding of removal. USCIS […]
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced today the expansion of premium processing for certain F-1 students seeking Optional Practical Training (OPT) and F-1 students seeking science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) OPT extensions who have a pending Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization, and wish to request a premium processing upgrade. Online filing of Form I-907, Request for Premium Processing Service, […]
The Department of State has issued the July 2022 Visa Bulletin. USCIS has confirmed that all employment-based adjustment of status applicants must use the “Final Action Dates” chart. The effective cut-off for adjustment of status filings under EB-3 India remains at January 15, 2012, while the filing cutoff for EB-2 India has changed to December […]
Certain I-765 applicants whose EAD extensions are pending have been able to avail of a period of up to 180 days of additional work authorization during the pendency period. For a limited time, USCIS is now changing the upper limit of 180 days to 540 days in certain cases. This increase will be available to […]
Leading innovation in a time of crisis Farzana Ashraf, Chief Product & Technology Officer, leads on Pearson VUE’s global product & technology strategy, managing teams around the world. With responsibility for developing innovative products and services, building high-performing teams, and driving transformational change, she is passionate about supporting women in technology fields. Farzana was recently awarded […]
WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has issued new policy updates in the USCIS Policy Manual to clarify the criteria and circumstances for expedited processing; improve request for evidence (RFE) and notice of intent to deny (NOID) guidance; and increase the validity period for initial and renewal employment authorization documents (EADs) for certain noncitizens with pending adjustment of […]
- 1
- 2