Immigration Policy Updates: H-1B, F/J/I Rules, and USCIS GMC Guidance

Описание: In this session, our Partner and Attorney Min Kim and Client Services Arianna Gonzalez provided an overview of the latest policy developments. The discussion covered three important updates:

1. H-1B cap weighted selection proposed rule – What the proposed rule aims to change and how to prepare.
2. DHS proposal on F, J, and I status – Transition from Duration of Status to fixed periods of admission, who’s impacted, and key compliance timelines.
3. USCIS “good moral character” (GMC) guidance – Understanding the broader standard for naturalization applications and practical case screening tips.

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Key moments
00:00 - Introduction
01:25 - Should U.S. employers expect a brand-new lottery selection process for 2026?
02:25 - What's the next step for this new H-1B cap rule?
02:40 - Once it’s published in the Federal Register, what kind of timeline should we expect before the rule could take effect?
02:58 - After DHS completes its review and the final rule is published, does it take effect right away?
04:42 - What do you believe the new rule will result for U.S. employers hiring H-1B talent and the advice you're currently giving to employers now?
6:00 - How will the proposed changes impact current H-1B workers? While they are no longer subject to the cap, could there be any indirect effects on them?
06:58 - Do you foresee any additional concerns if the H-1B selection process shifts to a weighted system?
07:49 - Could the new weighted H-1B selection system worsen existing income disparities, particularly across gender and underrepresented groups?
08:45 - What are the practical takeaways for employers? Even if the rule is likely ready for the 2026 H-1B cap, could legal challenges delay its implementation?
09:49 - What should H-1B employers and foreign workers be doing now to prepare?
10:39 - Can you explain the new proposed rule on limiting the stay of international students and what F-1 students should know about it?
12:31 Can you expand on what "duration of status" means and why F, J, and I visas are treated differently?
13:47 - If an F-1 student is admitted for the duration of status without a set expiration date, doesn’t that mean there can be no finding of an overstay? Is the government seeking to challenge and undo this framework?
17:10 - How will these changes affect the family members of F-1 students? Were they previously admitted for the duration of status, and will that now shift in line with the principal applicants?
17:38 - Do you have any additional key takeaways for individuals in F, J, or I status regarding this proposed rule?
18:37 - What is the reasoning behind USCIS reducing the F-1 grace period from 60 days to 30 days?
19:25 - Regarding naturalization for permanent residents, is this a policy change in USCIS adjudication rather than a new rule, unlike the H-1B and F/J/I updates?
20:12 - Can you walk us through what these two USCIS policy memos actually say about naturalization adjudications?
21:36 - What kind of favorable acts and contributions to society are we talking about?
25:43 - What is the 2nd USCIS memo about?
26:46 - Are these neighborhood investigations actually authorized under immigration law?
27:43 - Is the neighborhood investigation and requirement to prove good moral character through community statements mandatory in all cases, with no option for a waiver?
28:20 - If USCIS requires additional evidence to satisfy the neighborhood investigation requirement, what types of evidence would that include?

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