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  • United States | Public comment on part of 2022 H-2A Final Rule open through July 21, 2025

    The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) recently announced solicitation of input for the annual determination of labor supply states (LSS) to enhance U.S. worker recruitment under the 2022 H-2A Final Rule. Key Points: The 2022 H-2A Final Rule (which became

  • United States | Reminder: OFLC permanently deleting records from decommissioned legacy PERM system

    The Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) recently announced it will permanently delete records for which a final determination was made more than five years ago from the decommissioned legacy Permanent Online System. Key Points: The system was officially decommissioned on

  • Australia | Multifactor authentication security added to ImmiAccount

    The Department of Home Affairs is enhancing security for ImmiAccount, Australia’s online portal for visa and immigration services, by requiring users to set up multifactor authentication. The requirement goes into effect June 18, 2025. Key Points: New and existing users of ImmiAccount will be required

  • United States | CBP rolling out enhanced technology to support surge in international travel

    U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) continues to roll out airport modernization enhancements to support the expected increase in international travel, including Enhanced Passenger Processing (EPP) and Seamless Border Entry (SBE) at certain U.S. airports. Key Points: CBP processed over 420 million travelers at ports of entry in fiscal year

  • Poland | Immigration reforms in effect June 1

    Effective June 1, 2025, Poland is enacting comprehensive labor market reforms aimed at streamlining administrative processes and tightening compliance around the employment of foreign nationals. Key Points: Two acts were signed into law by President Andrzej Duda on April 11, 2025: the Labor Market and

  • United States | H-2B visa processing times as of May 17 and Foreign Labor Recruiter List updates

    Update on applications received for requested date of need from Oct. 1, 2024, through March 31, 2025 (fiscal year (FY) 2025 first half of the visa cap): The Department of Labor (DOL) reported that as of May 17, a total of 5,944 cases were issued Final

  • Italy | New law governing citizenship by descent

    On May 20, the Italian Parliament converted decree-law 36 into ordinary law, bringing significant reforms to the rules governing citizenship by descent. Key Points: Italian citizenship by descent can now only be claimed through a parent or grandparent. Previously, anyone with an Italian ancestor

  • France | Updated list of professions in demand

    The decree listing the “professions in tension,” or those with recruitment difficulties in various geographical regions, has been updated as of May 22, 2025. Key Points: The list was established in 2021 to enable French companies to recruit foreign workers from outside the European Union

  • United States | USCIS alerts of E-Verify technical issue

    U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services alerted employers of a recent E-Verify technical issue with Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security mismatch cases. The agency urges employers to take action to resolve the issue. Key Points: The technical issue involves tentative SSA mismatch cases that

  • European Union | European Commission launches shared biometric matching service

    The European Commission announced the launch of a shared biometric matching service capable of performing fingerprint matching and enabling facial recognition. Key Points: The shared biometric matching service is part of the interoperability framework, which enables large-scale information systems across the EU to work together

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  • 12 BAL attorneys recognized in list of 100 leading immigration lawyers

    Twelve BAL attorneys are named in the 2025 Lawdragon 100 Leading Immigration Lawyers list. The list recognizes lawyers who make a significant impact, specifically regarding recent matters handled and cutting-edge litigation, as well as those who are consistently turned to for guidance in trending immigration issues. “It’s always an honor

  • The employer’s guide to reading the Visa Bulletin

    According to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), approximately 140,000 employment-based immigrant visas are available each fiscal year for foreign nationals, their spouses and children seeking lawful permanent residence in the U.S. The Visa Bulletin is a monthly report published by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) that identifies