Policy Updates
Immigration policy changes from the Federal Register, explained in plain language.
USCIS Can Now Reject Your Petition Later If It Lacks a Valid Signature
Starting July 10, 2026, USCIS has new authority to reject or deny any immigration benefit request — even one it already accepted — if it later finds the signature is missing or invalid. This interim final rule closes a gap that let unsigned petitions slip through intake. If you've filed recently or plan to file, double-checking your signature could save your case.
Argentina's Tech Brain Drain Meets a Closed Door: How the New H-1B Landscape Prices Out Candidates Recruited From Abroad
Argentine tech workers and AI researchers are leaving the country in growing numbers as Milei's austerity guts public research funding. But the U.S. H-1B pathway they once relied on has become functionally inaccessible: the $100,000 fee targets workers hired from outside the U.S., and the new wage-weighted lottery favors candidates already in the country. The practical result is a closed loop that benefits neither Argentine talent nor American employers trying to recruit them.
The Geography Loophole: How Location Quietly Reshapes H-1B Lottery Odds Under the Wage-Weighted System
The wage-weighted H-1B lottery ties selection odds to DOL wage levels — which are set relative to local labor markets. The result: a $125,000 salary might get you three lottery entries in San Francisco but four in Dallas. DHS says the system is geographically neutral. The math suggests otherwise.
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.
The First Wage-Weighted H-1B Lottery Is Over. The Next Fight Has Already Started.
The FY2027 H-1B selection is complete, and early firm-level data confirms the wage-weighted system worked roughly as designed — Level III and IV registrations were selected at rates 2.5 to 2.8 times higher than Level I. But three converging policy shifts may reshape the system again before the next cap season: DOL's proposed prevailing wage hike, the $100,000 fee's September expiration date, and pending litigation in three federal courts.
The H-1B Lottery Just Changed: Winners & Losers
As FY 2027 selection notifications roll out, the first-ever wage-based H-1B lottery is already reshaping the tech workforce, crushing early-career professionals, and triggering legal battles in three federal courts.
White House Nominates Mullin as DHS Secretary — What It Means for Visa Holders
The White House has sent Markwayne Mullin's nomination as Secretary of Homeland Security to the Senate for confirmation. As DHS oversees USCIS and immigration enforcement, a new secretary could shape H-1B, F-1, and other visa policies. Here's what immigration-watchers should know.
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.