Welcome to Baker McKenzie’s Labor and Employment video chat series! In these quick and bite-sized video chats, our employment partners team up with practitioners in various areas of law to discuss the most pressing issues for employers navigating the return to work.
This series builds on our recent client alert and webinar on reopening for
On April 22, 2020, the President signed a Proclamation to suspend the issuance of immigrant visas (i.e., non-temporary visas) for the next 60 days to individuals who are currently outside of the United States and do not currently have an immigrant visa. The proclamation is not a broad restriction on all immigration that many feared might be the case from comments earlier this week. Since Embassies and Consulates remain closed, the status for immigrant visa applicants abroad remains unchanged. Yet, as we saw with the 2017 Buy American and Hire American Executive Order, the most recent Proclamation, intended to protect the U.S. workforce amidst the COVID-19 related economic downturn, could have a much wider impact beyond the narrow scope of the proclamation itself.
Who is impacted?Continue Reading Immigration in the News: Latest COVID-19 Related Executive Order on Immigration Impacts Immigrant Visa Applicants Abroad
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a rapid, severe, and unprecedented disruption to the movement of workers around the globe. In an effort to impede the spread, many governments have implemented travel and immigration restrictions that have impacted visa processing, work authorization, and cross-border entry for foreign nationals employed by multinational companies.
In order to allow
Due to the coronavirus and the resulting travel restrictions, many foreign nationals may be unwilling or unable to return to their home country. This unfortunate reality is particularly problematic for foreign nationals whose immigration status may be expiring in the near future and are unable to extend their status. Thus far, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued no policies or other guidance granting widespread relief for foreign nationals with upcoming immigration status expirations. Nevertheless, if a foreign national’s immigration status is expiring in the near future, there are a few actions that can be taken at this time.
Contact the Nearest Embassy or Consulate for Your Home Country
Foreign nationals should first contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate of their home country to determine if any assistance is being provided by their home country to similarly positioned travelers. A foreign national’s home country may have options for returning to the foreign national’s home country that are only available to citizens. These kinds of options may offer the best chance to return to the foreign national’s home country in the short term.Continue Reading Options Available to the ‘Stranded’ Traveler in the US
With thanks to our Global Immigration & Mobility team for this alert.
The FY 2021 US H-1B Lottery is now complete and employers have been notified whether their requests to file H-1B Cap Subject Petitions were accepted under USCIS’ new electronic preregistration system. While one option may be to file an H-1B Cap registration request
ICE Releases Guidance Relaxing I-9 Requirements For Certain Employers
The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has issued guidance that provides flexibility for certain employers to comply with Form I-9 requirements due to COVID-19.
Which employers does the new guidance apply to?
The relaxed requirements apply only to employers and workplaces operating remotely due to COVID-19. If there are employees physically present at a work locations, no exceptions will apply. However, if newly hired employees or existing employees are subject to COVID-19 quarantine or lockdown protocols, DHS will evaluate on a case-by-case basis.Continue Reading UPDATE: Onboarding New Employees During the COVID-19 Pandemic ICE Releases Guidance Relaxing I-9 Requirements For Certain Employers
Whether you need information about a specific US visa type, or are looking for a high-level overview of employer obligations related to the movement of foreign nationals under US immigration and employment law, this handbook covers a wide range of topics and serves as a go-to desk-side guide for US employers.
Click here to order
With thanks to Melissa Allchin (Chicago) for this post.
Multinational employers continue to closely monitor the latest on the Novel Coronavirus. As the outbreak becomes more widespread, companies with foreign national employees and families in China are starting to feel the impact. Many may wonder how the current circumstances could affect their immigration status. Some employers may consider contingency plans, beyond work-from-home arrangements, to support foreign national employees currently on assignment in China.
Here are key takeaways for employers with an assignee population in China that may want to end their postings early or accommodate temporary residence elsewhere in the region or a return home for a short term until the outbreak situation becomes more clear:Continue Reading Getting Ahead Of The Coronavirus: Considerations For Foreign National Employees In China
Hoping for 20/20 vision in the new year? Join us as we bring clarity to employment and compensation laws in Illinois, the US and abroad. This afternoon event will be held in our Chicago office on Wednesday, Dec 4.
We will start with a discussion of emerging trends in advancing Diversity & Inclusion goals followed
We’re thrilled to announce the release of a new edition of The Global Employer: Focus on Global Immigration & Mobility.
This handbook is the go-to resource for in-house counsel, human resource managers and global relocation professionals to identify key mobility issues — ranging from business immigration and compliance, to employment and compensation. It provides
