U.S. visa officers told to scrutinize applicants’ health and finances
Government shutdown triggers flight cancellations as unpaid TSA staff reach breaking point
Labor Department reopens FLAG portal, ending month-long freeze on work-visa filings
Latest News
New ‘Visa Integrity Fee’ and $100,000 H-1B petition surcharge take effect
A U.S. law effective November 8 adds a US$250 ‘Visa Integrity Fee’ to every non-immigrant visa and slaps a one-time US$100,000 fee on each new H-1B petition. The move dramatically increases mobility costs and could push employers to seek alternative talent strategies.
Expiration of Venezuelan TPS leaves hundreds of thousands facing deportation
Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans ended at midnight on November 8, stripping legal status and work permission from roughly 240,000 people. Employers must act quickly to maintain compliance, and affected individuals are scrambling for other immigration options.
Venezuela TPS (2021) Designation Expires at Midnight, Employers Must Re-Verify Affected Workers
DHS allowed the 2021 TPS designation for Venezuela to expire on Nov 7, ending legal status and work authorisation for holders of A-12/C-19 EADs from that designation. Employers must complete I-9 re-verification immediately, and Venezuelan nationals need a new status or must depart, creating urgent compliance and staffing issues.
USCIS Ends 540-Day Automatic Work-Authorisation Extensions for EAD Renewals
USCIS published an interim rule on Nov 7 eliminating the 540-day automatic extension of Employment Authorisation Documents for renewal filings made on or after Oct 30, 2025. Employers must now ensure EAD renewals are approved before expiry or employees must stop work, raising workforce-planning stakes across multiple industries.
FAA Orders 4 % Flight Reductions at 40 U.S. Airports, Warns 10 % Cut Next Week
Facing severe air-traffic-controller shortages during the government shutdown, the FAA on Nov 7 ordered airlines to cut 4 % of domestic flights at 40 large U.S. airports, with a 10 % cut slated for Nov 14 if funding isn’t restored. The move immediately disrupts business travel, squeezes seat supply ahead of the holidays, and forces companies to re-think itineraries and logistics.
ICE Plans National Call Center in Nashville to Track Unaccompanied Migrant Children
A November 7 procurement notice shows ICE intends to launch a 24/7 call center in Nashville to help law-enforcement agencies locate unaccompanied migrant children. The project, part of a wider enforcement build-out, raises privacy concerns but also signals new technology-driven coordination that employers with public contracts should watch.