Articles Discussing General Topics In Employing Immigrants.

DOL Proposed Rule Seeks Higher Prevailing Wages Levels for Foreign Workers

The U.S. Department of Labor is scheduled to issue a proposed rule that would increase and re-adjust the “prevailing wage” levels for key employment-based immigration sponsorship programs. The prevailing wage rate refers to the average salary paid to workers

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a new edition of Form I-129, Petition for Nonimmigrant Worker, on February 27, 2026, in connection with the wage-weighted H-1B lottery process taking effect this year. Petitioners must use the new form for any petition postmarked on or after April 1, 2026, which

As immigration enforcement actions continue to rise, employers can prepare for inspections and minimize disruptions to their operations. This article summarizes steps employers can take before and during a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) inspection, as well as when employees are absent due to nearby ICE activity.

9th Circuit Finds DHS Overstepped in Terminating TPS

On January 28, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit affirmed the lower court’s decision in National TPS Alliance v. Noem, that Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem overstepped her authority by vacating the previously granted Temporary

Determining Work Authorization for Employees on TPS and Humanitarian Parole – Updated January 15, 2026

The Trump administration has enacted significant policy changes impacting individuals authorized to work under various immigration programs, including Temporary Protected Status (TPS), humanitarian parole, and the CHNV programs.

tgelbman@littler.com Thu, 01/15/2026 – 09:54

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has proposed significant updates to its Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) application process. ESTA is an automated system that determines the eligibility of visitors to travel to and enter the United States (by air, sea, or land) under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP)

On January 12, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a final rule that will increase fees associated with its Premium Processing Service. The increased fees will take effect on March 1, 2026, and are based on inflation measured from June 2023 through June 2025.

On January 1, 2026, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued Policy Memorandum PM-602-0194, expanding its suspension of adjudicating pending benefit requests filed by or on behalf of foreign nationals from countries named in Presidential Proclamation 10998, issued December 16, which added new countries to the existing travel ban list.

Determining Work Authorization for Employees on TPS and Humanitarian Parole – Updated January 7, 2026

The Trump administration has enacted significant policy changes impacting individuals authorized to work under various immigration programs, including Temporary Protected Status (TPS), humanitarian parole, and the CHNV programs.

tgelbman@littler.com Wed, 01/07/2026 – 13:52

On December 18, 2025, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced an update to the Carrier Liaison Program (CLP), including a revised list of countries whose citizens are exempt from the six-month passport validity rule. This update supersedes the previous list found in the 2022–2023 Carrier Information Guides and any

On December 16, 2025, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation further restricting the entry of foreign nationals from select countries, citing national security and public safety concerns. The order, which takes effect at 12:01 a.m. ET on January 1, 2026, expands upon Proclamation 10949 and imposes travel restrictions, enhanced screening

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced that Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Burma (Myanmar), Ethiopia, Haiti, and South Sudan will end in early 2026.

Employers of TPS beneficiaries from affected countries should closely review the timelines and automatic Employment Authorization Document (EAD) extensions, summarized below in order of termination

Key Takeaways

In addition to reviewing green cards for nationals of 19 designated countries, USCIS is now pausing a wide range of immigration benefits, including EADs, H-1Bs, I-140s and status extensions. USCIS has confirmed its Dec. 2 policy memo, which listed only a narrow set of applications, was not

On December 2, 2025, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued a policy memorandum directing the agency to place on hold all applications for asylum and withholding of removal for all benefit requests for individuals with one of the nineteen countries of birth or countries of citizenship identified in