01/05/2011

Global Immigration Alert - South Korea: Changes to Streamline the Employment Visa Process

Korea recently implemented two changes that will streamline procedures for foreign nationals:

1) Certain foreign workers no longer need to obtain advance approval before changing their place of employment; and
2) Re-entry permits requirements are waived for holders of long-term work visas who depart Korea for less than one year.

Reporting Requirements Simplified

Effective January 1, 2011, certain foreign nationals who wish to add to or...

12/21/2010

Immigration Practice Head to Speak at City Bar CLE Event

On Thursday, January 13, 2011 from 6:00 to 8:15 the New York City Bar Center for CLE will be hosting a program entitled, Immigration Law in the Workplace: the Current Compliance Landscape. There will be three lectures that describe U.S. immigration worksite compliance. Please see the full agenda.

Gibney Immigration Partner, Stephen J.O. Maltby, will be speaking during a session entitled, "How to Represent Your Client During a Government...

12/13/2010

Immigration Alert: January 2011 U.S. Visa Bulletin Released

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) has published the January 2011 Visa Bulletin. Priority cut-off dates for the most common employment-based categories are provided below.

Employment-based, first preference (EB-1):

All foreign nationals:  Current
“Current” means that immigrant visa numbers are immediately available for all priority dates within the designated preference category. 

Employment-based, second preference (EB-2):

Worldwide:...

12/10/2010

Global Immigration Alert - Hong Kong: Procedural Changes Affecting Foreign National Residents

On December 6, 2010, Hong Kong introduced two optional procedures for foreign nationals residing in Hong Kong, outlined below.

Registration of Outbound Travel Information 

The government launched the Registration of Outbound Travel Information (ROTI) service to facilitate communication and assistance for foreign nationals in the event of an emergency. Hong Kong residents can register their contact details and itineraries for travel outside...

12/03/2010

Immigration Alert: New Form I-129 Requires U.S. Employers to Certify Compliance with U.S. Export Control Regulations

Effective December 23, 2010, U.S. employers petitioning for nonimmigrant workers will be required to utilize a revised version of Form I-129 containing a new section entitled “Certification Regarding the Release of Controlled Technology or Technical Data to Foreign Persons in the United States.” This section must be completed by petitioning employers when sponsoring foreign nationals for H-1B, H-1B1 Chile/Singapore, L-1, or O-1A status. The...