With the current environment around immigration enforcement, now is a good time to revisit the rules governing F-1 student employment particularly the unemployment day limits that catch many students off guard. The Basics: What F-1 Students Can and Cannot Do International students on an F-1 visa have several avenues for lawful employment, but each comes...
Change of status applications, including F-1, H-4, L-2, etc.
The Department of Labor (DOL) has quietly taken a significant step that could reshape the economics of employment-based immigration. A new proposal to revise wage rules across the H-1B, PERM, and related visa programs has been sent again to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review. Why This Matters This is the second...
On January 16, 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) titled Improving Continuity for Religious Organizations and Their Employees, introducing an important policy change affecting religious organizations and their foreign national religious workers in R-1 nonimmigrant status. The rule took effect immediately and is intended to provide greater...
The U.S. Department of State has announced that, beginning December 15, all H-1B and H-4 visa applicants will now undergo an online presence review, a screening measure previously required only for F, M, and J students and exchange visitor categories. Expanded Social Media Review Requirements Applicants in the H-1B, H-4, F, M, and J visa...
The Supreme Court has declined to review a long-running legal challenge to the work authorization program for spouses of H-1B visa holders, known as the H-4 EAD. On October 14, 2025, the Court refused to take up Save Jobs USA v. U.S. Department of Homeland Security, effectively ending the case and leaving in place the...
This week the Trump administration announced a new rule, which if passed would eliminate “duration of status” for international students. Unlike other non-immigrant classifications, international students are admitted for duration of status, meaning they can stay for as long as is required to complete their studies, OPT and STEM OPT. It also allows them to...
Jun262025
The U.S. Department of State has announced a significant change in the visa vetting process for international students and exchange visitors. Under new guidance released on June 18, 2025, all applicants in the F, M, and J nonimmigrant classifications will now be required to make their social media accounts public as part of expanded security...
The Edakunni v. Mayorkas settlement reached mandated the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to bundle the processing of specific forms for H-4 and L-2 visa holders. Key Provisions of the Edakunni Settlement: Bundled Processing: Under the settlement, USCIS agreed to process Forms I-539 (Application to Change or Extend Nonimmigrant Status) and I-765 (Application for...