13th June, 2008 - H1B update!
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) has received information from USCIS that all H1B receipts have been issued for those cases selected in the random lottery, mailing of these receipts were actually completed on May 24th, 2008. So, it's a pretty safe bet that if you haven't received a receipt notice by now, your petition was not selected in the H1B lottery. USCIS will begin to mail out rejection notices this week.

11th June, 2008 - Premium Processing Reinstated for certain I-140 petitions
U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) announced today that it will begin accepting premium processing requests (on Form I-907) for certain I-140s (Immigration Petitions for Alien Workers).

Here are the conditions:

• The foreign worker is currently in H1B nonimmigrant status; and 
• Will reach the 6th year of his or her nonimmigrant stay in 60 days; and
• Is only eligible for a further H1B extension under AC21S.104(2) which permits applicants to extend their H1B status in increments of up to three years, provided they are the beneficiary of an approved Form I-140 and an immigrant visa is not immediately available; and
• Is ineligible to extend his or her H1B status under AC21S.106(a)3 which permits extension of H1B status in increments of up to one year when the Form I-140 petition or underlying labor certification has been pending for at least 365 days.

Service will begin on June 16, 2008. View the USCIS Announcement and Fact Sheet.

11th June, 2008 - Chertoff announces 2 year EADs
As part of the Joint Press Release by Homeland Security Michael Chertoff and Department of Commence Secretary Guiterrez, Chertoff announced:

"we will be extending the validity period of the employment authorization documents that we issue to individuals who are waiting adjustment of stauts to lawful permit residenture or in colloquial phrase, the green card. Currently, adjustment applications
are granted employment authorization documents with only a one year maximum validity.

Begining later this month, we'll start issuing these documents with a two-year validity period for aliens who are waiting adjustment of status if their application is expected to be pending for more than a year."

During their State of Immigration Address, Chertoff and Guiterrez also gave progress reports on: border fence construction progress, the increase in border patrol agents, REAL ID, E-Verify, and proposed reforms to the H1B and H2B temporary worker programs, to name a few. For details, read the complete Press Release.

10th June, 2008 - July 2008 Visa Bulletin Released
Today the U.S. Department of State (DOS) released the July 2008 visa bulletin. The 2nd preference employment-based category remains "current" for all countries EXCEPT China and india, where cut-off dates remain stuck at April 1st, 2004. The 3rd preference employment-based category for skilled workers is now "unavailable" and will remain so until the end of the fiscal year 2008 (September 20, 2008). The family-based 2A category for Mexico is also "unavailable" and will remain so until the end of the fiscal year.

9th June, 2008 - President orders all employers doing business with the government to use E-Verify
President Bush issued an executive order Friday, which the White House announced today, ordering all federal contractors and others who do business with the federal government to use the E-Verify system, an electronic system to verify that the workers are eligible to work in the U.S.

Controversy has surrounded the efficiency of this internet-based employment eligibility system. To learn more, visit the Department of Homeland Security E-verify site.