The Finnish Immigration Service is reducing the amount of accommodation in the reception system
The Finnish Immigration Service is continuously assessing the need for accommodation in the reception system and its cost-effectiveness. The agency regulates the number of places in the system according to…
As Countries Seek to Scale Refugee Labor Pathways, Employer Engagement Is the Missing Piece
WASHINGTON, DC — As Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and a handful of other countries experiment with innovative programs that connect employers and refugees with in-demand skills, the central role…
Immigration Update with Lin Walker – Two Men Staged Robberies to Commit Visa Fraud
In March 2023, two men set up and carried out staged armed robberies of at least eight convenience/liquor stores and fast food restaurants across the United States, including at least…
Immigration Update with Lin Walker – USCIS Publishes Final Rule Implementing a Beneficiary-Centric Selection Process
This week on the podcast we discuss the implementation of a beneficiary-centric selection process for the H-1B cap. The new process involves selecting registrations by unique beneficiary, as determined by…
Governments Should Address Migration Blind Spot in Gig Economy Responses
WASHINGTON, DC — Even though immigrants are at the heart of the gig economy, which has witnessed a meteoric rise over the last decade or so, governments have largely overlooked…
Wild-berry pickers are applying for a residence permit for the first time – all applications have been processed
Wild-berry pickers who come from Thailand to Finland are required to have a residence permit for an employed person this summer. All pickers have received a decision on their residence…
Immigration Update with Lin Walker – USCIS Increases Costs for U.S Employers with its New Asylum Program Fee
On January 31st, USCIS published a new fee schedule (89 FR 6194), which will take effect on April 1, 2024, and significantly impact most employment-based petitions.Most notably, the new fee…
Immigration Update with Lin Walker – USCIS is Disconnected from Reality
There seems to be a disconnect between the USCIS Policy Manual for National Interest Waivers (NIWs) and the real-world.The Policy Manual states, “USCIS recognizes the importance of progress in STEM…
Immigration Update with Lin Walker – O-1B Part 1: Why Do People Get This O-1B Criterion Wrong?
For those of you considering viable options to the H-1B cap we will be doing a deep-dive into the O-1B and O-1A criteria over the next couple of weeks.One of…
Immigration Update with Lin Walker – O-1B Deep Dive Part 2: What Constitutes National Or International Recognition?
Part two of our six-part deep dive into the O-1B visa.The USCIS regulations for the O-1B visa require evidence that the foreign national “has achieved national or international recognition for…