May 2008

Department of Labor Issues New Proposed Rule for H-2B Labor Certifications

On May 22, 2008, the U.S. Department of Labor issued a proposed rule to try and streamline the H-2B filing process.

Social Security Administration Is Issuing Letters to Employees

On April 3, 2008 the Social Security Administration began sending letters to employees whose name and Social Security Number did not match in the Social Security database. At first glance, this was puzzling. The letters appeared to be a clear violation of an injunction issued by a federal court which prevented the Department of Homeland Security from sending letters to employers which changed the Social Security No Match implications.

USCIS Announces Proposed Rule to Extend TN Visa Allowable Period of Admission

On May 9, 2008 USCIS announced a proposed rule to extend the allowable Period of Admission for TN Visas from one year to three years.

USCIS Announcs Improvements to E-Verify While Employers Remain Sceptical

On May 5, 2008, in anticipation of a Congressional hearing on the issue, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced “improvements to the E-Verify program.” USCIS said that the improvements would help with two issues, namely, reduce mismatch rate on naturalized citizens and on newly arrived foreign workers. However, employers and business immigration lawyers remain skeptical about he program because of its high error rate and privacy concerns.