Base
RuleSignificant2016-275402016-11-18

Retention of EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 Immigrant Workers and Program Improvements Affecting High-Skilled Nonimmigrant Workers

Homeland Security Department

Abstract

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is amending its regulations related to certain employment-based immigrant and nonimmigrant visa programs. Specifically, the final rule provides various benefits to participants in those programs, including the following: improved processes and increased certainty for U.S. employers seeking to sponsor and retain immigrant and nonimmigrant workers; greater stability and job flexibility for those workers; and increased transparency and consistency in the application of DHS policy related to affected classifications. Many of these changes are primarily aimed at improving the ability of U.S. employers to hire and retain high-skilled workers who are beneficiaries of approved employment-based immigrant visa petitions and are waiting to become lawful permanent residents, while increasing the ability of those workers to seek promotions, accept lateral positions with current employers, change employers, or pursue other employment options.

Action & Dates

Action
Final rule.
Dates
This final rule is effective January 17, 2017.
Effective Date
2017-01-17

CFR References

Topics

Administrative practice and procedureAdoption and foster careAliensCultural exchange programsEmploymentForeign officialsHealth professionsImmigrationPenaltiesReporting and recordkeeping requirementsStudents

Document Excerpt

Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Homeland Security 8 CFR Parts 204, 205, 214, 245 and 274a [CIS No. 2571-15; DHS Docket No. USCIS-2015-0008] RIN 1615-AC05 AGENCY: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, DHS. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is amending its regulations related to certain employment-based immigrant and nonimmigrant visa programs. Specifically, the final rule provides various benefits to participants in those programs, including the following: improved processes and increased certainty for U.S. employers seeking to sponsor and retain immigrant and nonimmigrant workers; greater stability and job flexibility for those workers; and increased transparency and consistency in the application of DHS policy related to affected classifications. Many of these changes are primarily aimed at improving the ability of U.S. employers to hire and retain high-skilled workers who are beneficiaries of approved employment-based immigrant visa petitions and are waiting to become lawful permanent residents, while increasing the ability of those workers to seek promotions, accept lateral positions with current employers, change employers, or pursue other employment options. DATES: This final rule is effective January 17, 2017. ADDRESSES: Comments and related materials received from the public, as well as background documents mentioned in this preamble as being available in the docket, are part of docket USCIS-2015-0008. For access to the online docket, go to http

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Related Documents

Other Federal Register documents from the same docket.

Full Document

Citation: 81 FR 82398