Photo credit: David PriorIR headlines this month have surprisingly not been dominated by healthcare reform, as they have been of late. The impediment of healthcare reform has been lifted as the Baucus bill has been approved in the finance committee and is moving on to Senate debate. However, Congress is still a long way from actually passing a comprehensive healthcare reform bill with multiple rounds of debate and bill reconciliation between the House and the Senate on the horizon. But what is happening is progress. While not necessarily progress on reforming immigration – advancements in healthcare reform is what we need and promising. As healthcare reform progresses and no longer monopolizing Capitol Hill, it is encouraging that Congress will be able to move on to other issues that have been neglected such as reforming immigration. Also, encouraging are the latest proclamations...

Photo Credit: Chilangoco New regulations in Colombia have been implemented for business visas and workers providing technical service, offering increased flexibility. Under the new rules, business visa holders (Visa de Negocios) can stay in Colombia for up to one year, sponsor their dependants, and attain work authorization while remaining in Colombia. Additional regulation changes include allowing workers to enter Colombia and perform short term technical services on a permit and only having to apply for a visa if they stay for an extended period of time. These regulation changes have increased the flexibility of terms for business visa holders and those performing short-term technical services. With the new regulations, business visa holders can now stay for an additional six months. Additionally, foreign nationals of countries that are members of free trade or other international...

The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has awarded General Dynamics, an IT systems contractor, the contract to develop secure employment credentials for immigrants who are legally able to work within the United States. This means that changes are coming to the Employment Authorization Document (EAD), otherwise known as the Work Permit.

Currently, the EAD is a standard credit card-size plastic card enhanced with multiple security features that contains basic identification information and EAD terms: name, birth date, sex, immigrant category, country of birth, photo, alien registration number (A number), card number, restrictive terms and conditions, and dates of validity.
General Dynamics will be working to enhance the security characteristics to develop a counterfeit-resistant polycarbonate EAD. Production is set to begin in 2010.

Photo credit: milesdeeliteThe worldwide recession and record low unemployment levels have prompted many countries to re-examine their existing immigration system and increase their entry requirements, however these protectionist tactics restrict the international movement of labor, ultimately hindering innovation and overall long-term competitiveness. Innovation is rooted in workforce diversity and having access to the best and brightest from around the world with the immigration doors hinged wide open for highly skilled workers. The European Union and Canada are two examples of countries that realize the importance of the international movement of labor and are actually refining their immigration strategies to fast-track work and residency permits for highly skilled workers, becoming more attractive destinations for top talent and subsequently harboring innovation. For example, Poland...

Photo Credit: quinnanya  

Computer Sciences Corp., a contractor for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Vermont Service Center has been found guilty of not complying with prevailing wage provisions. Computer Sciences Corp was found to misclassify contract workers who worked at the Vermont Service Center between Dec. 1, 2005 and Nov. 30, 2007, and failing to pay them the proper prevailing wage for the work they were performing. Computer Sciences Corp. has agreed to pay $1.4 million in back wages to 237 contact workers by the end of this month. As a federal contractor, Computer Sciences Corp., should be in tune with the classifications required by the government and the prevailing wage rules.

Photo Credit: Tiseb Czech Republic has taken steps to improve their visa process at various consulates by implementing a new system called VISAPOINT, a web-based visa appointment system. VISAPOINT registration is necessary for all visa applications for stays over 90 days and residence permit applications in the Czech Republic. However, the applications will still be submitted separately at the Embassy/Consulate, but VISAPOINT is also being tested for this capability in the future. The new system will improve the current process by eliminating long call waits or lines in front of the embassy to make an appointment with the primary objective to guarantee fair and equal access alongside convenience to all foreign nationals. Currently, VISAPOINT has been implemented at 15 Czech embassies around the globe such as China, Serbia, Thailand and Mongolia, with Russia possibly next on the list...

Photo Credit: mpov

10/29 Free Webcast: After the Recession: Immigration Strategies for a New World Regardless of when the recession actually ends, it has already forced the creation of a new way of global business and in turn has triggered a new world of immigration. An efficient mobile workforce that minimizes costs and maximizes profitable output is the recipe for success, and this starts with your approach to global immigration and workforce management.   VISANOW has partnered with Hr.com to present “After the Recession: Immigration Strategies for a New World” on October 29 at 11:00 a.m. ET /10:00 a.m. CT. This webcast will cover:

Strategies for obtaining visas despite new hurdles How to avoid and respond to RFEs How to manage extra scrutiny applied to H-1B and Green Cards How to account for tougher international visa regulations such as UK Tier 2 permit...

Photo Credit: Joshua RappenekerThe Vermont Service Center (VSC), one of the four service centers for the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), advised that about 1,000 Requests for Evidence (RFE) dated June 4, 2009 were prepared, but never sent out due to an unknown Service error. Approximately 300 of these cases have been denied, because of failure to respond to the RFE notices that were actually never delivered. The VSC promised it will automatically re-open the affected cases, and will refund any fees if a Motion to Reopen was filed. The VSC will re-send the RFE to the proper recipients, and all petitioners should have been notified by August 31, 2009.The VSC believes this mishap was isolated to June 4, 2009, but about 300 cases have received unsubstantiated denials due to this USCIS error. If you believe that you have a case that was denied for failure to respond to an...

Photo Credit: NagayRussian immigration authorities will no longer accept standard or notarized diplomas as proof of professional education for work permit applications. Diplomas will only be accepted if they are “legalized” or certified by an Apostille. An exception where notarized documents will still be accepted is made for 31 countries that have a mutual recognition of official documents with Russia. If your education institution is not located in these countries and you are applying for a work visa in Russia, you will need additional consular/apostille services, which may add additional time to develop your visa application. The requirement of legalization, the process of certifying a document to be recognized by the legal system of a foreign country, or certification by an Apostille, legalization of a document for international use under the terms of the 1961 Hague Convention, has...

Photo credit: David PriorAn immigration rally was held in Washington D.C. yesterday as Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez [D-IL], chairman of the Immigration Task Force of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, outlined his core principles of an immigration bill that he is currently drafting and planning to introduce in the near future (no date was given). Organized by Reform Immigration for America, an alliance of more than 600 non-profit advocacy groups, including the National Council of La Raza and CASA de Maryland, the event attracted more than 3,000 demonstrators from at least 17 states. Gutierrez’s outlined the following core principles for his IR bill:

Pathway to earn citizenship for undocumented immigrants  Professional and effective border enforcement Smart and humane interior enforcement with fair treatment of detainees Expansion of worker’s rights and punishment...