Insights
Notes on Immigration
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The Visa Bulletin Explained, What November May Look Like, and What You Can Actually Do While You Wait
Update: October 22, 2026 The November bulletin is out, and USCIS is again using Chart B. The November 2026 Visa Bulletin has been published, and USCIS has confirmed that both employment-based and family-based applicants can use the Dates …
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DHS Moves to Change Premium Processing Timeframes: What Is Known at This Time
Premium processing is the extra fee paid for a faster USCIS decision. A proposed rule could lengthen the premium processing timeframes, but it is still at White House review and nothing has changed yet. Premium processing is what …
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DHS Ends the Automatic Extension of Work Permits (EADs) for Renewal Applicants in Certain Categories
Today (10/14/2026) the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) finalized a rule ending the automatic extension of employment authorization documents (EADs) for a large portion of renewal applicants. If your EAD renewal was filed on or after October …
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The Administration Suspends Specific Companies from PERM and Puts H-1B and J-1 Under the Microscope
What Vice President JD Vance's October 8 announcement actually does, and what it does not. On October 8, 2026, Vice President JD Vance, along with Department of Labor (DOL) officials and the U.S. Attorney General, announced an enforcement …
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DHS Proposes a $70,000 OPT Fee ($100,000 for STEM Graduates): What Students, Schools, and Employers Need to Know
On October 7, 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released the text of a proposed rule that would impose new fees on Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 students. The rule is scheduled for official publication …
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This October Is Different: Filing for a Green Card When FY2027 Opens on 10/01/2026
Update: September 29, 2026 The October bulletin is out, and USCIS has chosen Chart B. The October 2026 Visa Bulletin has been published, and USCIS has confirmed that both employment-based and family-based applicants can use the Dates for …
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Two New H-1B Actions: The $100,000 Payment Is Extended (But Still Blocked), and Layoffs Become an H-1B Factor
On Friday, September 18, 2026, President Trump signed two (2) actions aimed directly at the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program: A proclamation extending the $100,000 H-1B payment requirement for another year; and An executive order directing federal agencies to …
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The PERM Rewrite Reaches the White House: Why Employers May Want to Plan Now, While the Rules They Know Still Apply
For employers who sponsor foreign national employees for permanent residence (a green card), the long-awaited modernization of PERM, the labor certification program, has moved from a hypothetical to a real possibility. On 09/14/2026, the U.S. Department of Labor's …
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The Proposed OPT Fee for F-1 Students: What Is Real, and What Is Not (Yet)
Update: October 7, 2026 DHS has now released the text of its proposed OPT fee rule. The proposal sets a $70,000 fee for initial OPT and a $30,000 fee for each later OPT authorization, including the STEM OPT …
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The 60-Day Grace Period Rule Is Out. Comments Close November 10.
Today, September 11, 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published its proposed rule to eliminate the 60-day discretionary grace period. Public comments are due by November 10, 2026. This is a proposed rule, not a final …
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A Week Out: The End of "Duration of Status" for F-1 Students - What to Know Before September 15, 2026
Update – September 15, 2026 This rule has been paused. On September 14, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts postponed its effective date under Section 705 of the Administrative Procedure Act (APA) and enjoined …
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Two DHS Proposals Worth Monitoring: The 60-Day Grace Period and the H-4 EAD Program
The Department of Homeland Security has two separate proposals moving through federal review that, taken together, would remove much of the flexibility that nonimmigrant workers and their families rely on. Neither is a final rule, and neither is …
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