From structure comes strength.

Whether the number of foreign national employees in your program is fewer than 10 or more than 1,000, there are common structural elements that can strengthen your program to successfully navigate the complexities of immigration law and compliance.

Below is a snapshot of the six best practices identified by BAL legal experts that are key to structuring and strengthening your program.

1. Define and centralize primary functions and designate roles 

Identify, centralize and define the core functions that need to be managed in your immigration program. These functions typically include:

  • Compliance management: Ensuring all immigration activities comply with relevant laws and regulations.
  • Case management: Handling individual employee immigration cases, including visa applications and renewals.
  • Policy development: Creating and updating immigration policies and procedures.
  • Employee support: Providing guidance and support to employees throughout the immigration process.
  • Record keeping: Maintaining accurate and up-to-date records of all immigration-related activities.

2. Create and document immigration policies 

A recent benchmarking survey conducted by BAL found that 20% of the companies that responded did not have a documented policy in place for their in-house immigration programs.

Having a documented policy for your immigration program ensures clarity, direction and consistency for everyone involved while reducing email churn, misinformation and employee dissatisfaction. Your immigration policy should address protocol for certain cases, like defining who is eligible for premium processing and when the organization initiates green cards.

Engaging legal professionals with expertise in immigration law will provide additional assurance that the program aligns with current federal immigration laws and practices, minimizing risks and enhancing operational efficiency.

3. Establish clear communication channels 

Set up clear communication between all stakeholders involved — whether it is a handful of individuals or a dense team network. Regular meetings, status updates and utilizing a centralized communication platform can help ensure everyone, from leadership to foreign national employees, is aligned on priorities, policy and procedures.

4. Leverage technology and outside resources 

Implementing case management software will enhance operational efficiency. Technology can facilitate better data management, track cases and improve overall service delivery, making your immigration program more responsive, transparent and effective.

5. Monitor, benchmark and evaluate your immigration program 

Regularly monitor and evaluate the performance of your immigration program to help identify areas for improvement and ensure the program continues to meet the needs of the company and its employees.

Consider implementing key performance indicators to measure success and track progress. These KPIs can measure things like application processing times, approval rates and stakeholder satisfaction.

6. Check the fitness level of your immigration program 

These tools and protocols are not just “nice-to-haves.” By implementing them, you maintain your immigration program’s compliance, maximize its efficiency and increase its resilience against an evolving immigration environment.

Download BAL’s Immigration Program Fitness Assessment to find out how your program stacks up and what you can do to fortify it.

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