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ARTICLE · 01 APRIL 2015

Work Authorization Extended To Certain H-4 Visa Holders

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP
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Late last year, I wrote on the controversial executive actions on immigration that President Obama announced in November.

United StatesImmigration
F. Keith Covington
F. Keith Covington

Late last year, I wrote on the controversial executive actions on immigration that President Obama announced in November. As I noted then, those executive actions include several initiatives that will make it easier for employers to hire and retain highly skilled foreign national workers.

One of these initiatives—finalizing new regulations to provide work authorization to the H-4 spouses of certain H-1B "specialty occupation" employees—has now been implemented. These new regulations become effective May 26, 2015 and will provide welcome relief to thousands of qualifying H-4 visa holders and their families. This, in turn, will benefit U.S. businesses that employ H-1B employees by providing an additional incentive for those employees to remain in the United States.

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