In today’s Blog update, we’ll be discussing the changes that are to be expected from US Immigration in 2022.
As an outcome of regulatory modifications in reaction to the COVID-19 outbreak, the United States immigration procedures experienced considerable difficulties and delays in 2021. Many applicants within the US were offered new immigration policies and rules in 2021 to make it more convenient for them to stay, while many applicants from abroad were barred from eligibility due to COVID-19 regulations. With the beginning of a new year, it’s time to consider what we can expect from US immigration in 2022.
Changes Made By US Immigration:
H1-B Work Visa Changes:
The latest regulatory proposals issued by the Biden administration indicate that the government would persist in modifying the H-1B visa program for professional employees, including upgrading their compensation. Additional future changes to the H1B visa program, according to projections by the US Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS), include the following:
The H-1B employer-employee relationship should be redefined.
Introduce new site visit standards for employers.
Define the regulations for F-1 students expecting their status to be changed to H-1B.
Define that if there are significant modifications to employment, such as a changing workplace location, a revised or new H-1B visa petition must be filed.
Visa Filing Fees Increases:
In September 2020, a federal judge shut down a previous attempt to increase USCIS fees for specific immigration petitions. However, there is proof that the USCIS is not operating on a firm financial foundation and require further funding to manage backlogged petitions. Consequently, the Department of State is preparing to increase visa application filing costs at consulates in January 2022. The USCIS also suggests increasing petition and application filing costs in March.
Increase In Premium Processing Time:
The USCIS’s premium processing program guarantees that specific employment-based visa petitions are processed quickly. The USCIS promises that the petition will be addressed within 15 days, or the filing money of the petitioner will be refunded. In 2022, this service is scheduled to be extended. The precise details of the new final regulation, such as the categories of the cases that are eligible for premium processing, costs, processing times, and implementation dates, remain unspecified. According to reports, the improved service is anticipated to be available for applications, including Employment Authorization Documents, I-539 applications to extend or alter status, and EB1, EB2, and EB3 green card applications.
Faster Visa Processing Times:
In anticipation that the COVID-19 outbreak will start to weaken, consulates are to reopen and be required to ramp up visa processing to get rid of the backlogs. The priority will be enhancing processing efficiency, including more online video interviews. Increments in government fees should induce more people to join the workforce to fulfill the high demand for speedier application processing.
Relief For Regional Center EB-5 Investor Immigrants:
In 2022, a law equivalent to the Foreign Investor Fairness Protection Act will be presented to facilitate foreign investors engaged in the regional center EB-5 program. The action will permit these investors to be exempted, permitting them to obtain green cards.
The Build Back Better Plan:
President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better Plan proposal has been put on hold until 2022, as Democrats at all levels of government disclosed that a Senate vote would not be attainable by the self-imposed Christmas deadline due to logistical and intraparty issues.
This is the end of today’s blog update. We hope you found this blog useful. Please don’t forget to support us by subscribing to our newsletter and sharing this blog with your friends and family on Facebook, Whatsapp, and Twitter.
