Policy Updates
Immigration policy changes from the Federal Register, explained in plain language.
Chinese H-1B Candidates Face Compounding Pressures as Weighted Lottery, $100K Fee, and Stalled Green Cards Converge
Chinese nationals — the second-largest H-1B population at roughly 12% of approved petitions — are navigating a convergence of policy shifts: a new wage-weighted lottery that disadvantages recent graduates, a $100,000 employer fee, stalled employment-based green card dates, and heightened consular scrutiny. The combined effect is reshaping the calculus for Chinese STEM professionals considering or already in the U.S. immigration pipeline.
April 2026 Visa Bulletin: EB-2 Returns to Current, EB-2 India Advances Ten Months
The April 2026 Visa Bulletin brings material forward movement, with EB-2 returning to 'Current' for most countries and advancing nearly a year for India backlog. EB-3 also sees notable advancement for non-oversubscribed chargeability areas.
USCIS Raising Premium Processing Fees on March 1 — What H-1B Filers Must Know
USCIS is hiking its premium processing fees starting March 1, 2026, driven by two years of inflation. If you're planning to file for expedited processing of an H-1B or other employment-based petition, anything postmarked on or after March 1 must include the new, higher fee — or it could be rejected.
USCIS Raises Premium Processing Fees March 1, 2026 to Keep Pace with Inflation
USCIS is increasing its premium processing fees effective March 1, 2026, adjusting for inflation from June 2023 through June 2025. The fee hike follows a congressionally mandated biennial adjustment tied to the Consumer Price Index. Anyone filing Form I-907 on or after March 1 must use the new, higher fees.