CBP Issues 30-Day Request For Comments On Arrival/Departure Record And Electronic System For Travel Authorization

Recent Student Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) communications have not formally changed the Curricular Practical Training (CPT) regulation, but they are prompting universities to reexamine how they authorize curricular practical training for F-1 students.

The U.S. Department of State has temporarily paused immigrant visa interviews worldwide to conduct training programs for consular officers on public charge assessments. This development affects scheduling at U.S. embassies and consulates globally, though it does not mean all immigrant visa applications have been canceled or permanently suspended.

A federal court’s injunction over the DHS fixed-period admission rule nationwide means the existing duration-of-status (D/S) framework for F-1 international students and J-1 exchange visitors will remain in place while litigation continues.

A federal court in Massachusetts has postponed the Department of Homeland Security rule that would have ended 'duration of status' admissions for F, J, and I nonimmigrants, originally scheduled to take effect September 15, 2026. This preliminary injunction affects students, exchange visitors, foreign media representatives, and their sponsoring institutions, though the postponement is not a final invalidation of the rule and litigation continues.

For employers and F-1 employees transitioning to cap-subject H-1B status, October 1 is no longer the definitive deadline. With expanded cap-gap periods and varying petition statuses, HR departments must understand when H-1B status actually begins, how work authorization continues during pending petitions, and what compliance steps are required. This practical guide clarifies the critical differences between approved and pending H-1B cases and provides actionable steps for managing the F-1 to H-1B transition

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has proposed a substantial $103,000 fee for cap-subject H-1B visa petitions, potentially creating significant financial barriers for employers, particularly small businesses. Meanwhile, the Department of State has paused immigrant visa processing across 75 countries for consular officer training, following a federal court decision that vacated the Administration's previous suspension of immigrant visa issuance.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services has begun issuing Requests for Evidence on H-2B visa petitions to examine past criminal matters involving foreign national workers, even for minor or old offenses. This emerging trend is leading to additional scrutiny, delays, and biometrics appointments that employers must be prepared to navigate.

El Departamento de Seguridad Nacional de Estados Unidos propone eliminar el período de gracia de 60 días que permite a trabajadores extranjeros con visas E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-1B1, L-1, O-1 y TN permanecer legalmente en el país después de perder su empleo. Esta medida podría obligar a los trabajadores a salir inmediatamente o cambiar su estatus migratorio sin el tiempo adicional que actualmente tienen para buscar un nuevo empleador o preparar su salida.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has proposed eliminating the 60-day grace period that currently allows certain foreign workers to remain in the United States after their employment ends. This change would affect workers in E-1, E-2, E-3, H-1B, H-1B1, L-1, O-1, and TN visa categories, as well as their dependent family members, requiring them to depart immediately or secure new status when employment terminates.

The Department of Homeland Security has proposed eliminating the 60-day grace period that currently allows workers in H-1B, L-1, O-1, E, and TN visa categories to remain in the United States after their employment ends. If finalized, this rule would require immediate departure or status change the day after employment termination, fundamentally altering how employers and foreign workers manage job transitions and creating significant compliance challenges for both parties.

A federal court in Massachusetts has postponed the Department of Homeland Security rule that would have ended 'duration of status' admissions for F, J, and I nonimmigrants, originally scheduled to take effect September 15, 2026. This preliminary injunction affects students, exchange visitors, foreign media representatives, and their sponsoring institutions, though the postponement is not a final invalidation of the rule and litigation continues.

The Department of Homeland Security has proposed eliminating the 60-day grace period that currently allows workers in H-1B, L-1, O-1, E, and TN visa categories to remain in the United States after their employment ends. If finalized, this rule would require immediate departure or status change the day after employment termination, fundamentally altering how employers and foreign workers manage job transitions and creating significant compliance challenges for both parties.

On August 25, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is scheduled to publish a proposed rule in the Federal Register that would impose a new $103,265 H-1B fee on every H-1B cap-subject petition.

A recent Board of Immigration Appeals decision fundamentally changes how advance parole travel affects immigration status, potentially triggering a 10-year bar for DACA recipients, TPS holders, and green card applicants with prior unlawful presence. This ruling overturns 14 years of precedent and creates significant new risks for workers and employers who rely on advance parole for international travel.

The Trump administration has systematically targeted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a humanitarian designation protecting foreign nationals from deportation to unsafe countries, terminating nearly all TPS designations despite strict eligibility requirements and the contributions of 1.3 million TPS holders to the U.S. economy.

A new DHS rule eliminates duration of status for F-1, J-1, and I visa holders starting September 15, 2026, replacing open-ended stays with fixed expiration dates. How will this fundamental shift affect students, scholars, physicians, and their sponsoring institutions, and what steps should they take now to prepare for compliance under the new system?

The Department of Homeland Security has expanded its E-Verify Status Change Report to include additional Employment Authorization Document categories beyond parolees, now flagging asylum applicants, TPS holders, and adjustment of status applicants whose work authorization has been invalidated. This expansion raises critical questions about employer obligations, constructive knowledge standards, and the proper procedures for reverification when employees appear on the report.

Two executive orders signed by President Trump on August 6, 2026, significantly impact foreign nationals traveling to the United States and their sponsoring employers.

The Department of Homeland Security plans to eliminate the 60-day grace period that currently allows terminated noncitizen workers to remain in valid status while seeking new sponsorship or making departure arrangements. This proposed rule change would significantly compress the timeline for affected employees and their families to respond to unexpected job loss, potentially requiring immediate departure from the United States.

On July 24, 2026, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit denied the government’s motion to stay the district court judgment that vacated the policy implementing the $100,000 H-1B fee. The administrative stay that reinstated the fee on June 12 is therefore lifted, and the vacatur stands while the government’s appeal proceeds.