Sai Sankar
Albania’s 5-Year Route to Permanent Residency for Indians
Enter Albania with a Type D visa or unique permit, apply for residence within 30 days, and maintain…
Accenture H-1B Fee Seen as Non-Issue, Yet Data Signals Ripple Effects
Julie Sweet called the $100,000 one-time H-1B fee a “non-issue,” yet Accenture filed 1,568 H-1B petitions in H1…
Canada Narrowed PGWP: 920 Programs Eligible in 2025 Update
Canada tightened PGWP rules in 2025 by aligning eligible CIP fields with labour shortages. IRCC removed 178 fields,…
Cotton Backs Trump H-1B Crackdown, Plans Two Bills to Help Americans
Sen. Tom Cotton will introduce two bills to lock in tougher H-1B enforcement following the DOL’s Project Firewall,…
214(b) Denials Despite Strong Profiles: Lessons from Indian Students
Two funded Indian applicants were denied F-1 visas under 214(b) after consular officers doubted their intent to return.…
Grassley Urges DHS to Stop F-1 Student Work Permits
Sen. Chuck Grassley urged DHS to end F-1 work permits under OPT, citing legal and security concerns. OPT…
USCIS Warns Green Card Seekers to Fully Complete I-485 Public Charge
USCIS warns that incomplete Part 9 public charge answers on Form I-485 lead to RFEs, intake rejections, and…
India Engaged With U.S. Over $100,000 H-1B Fee Proposal, MEA Says
India is actively engaging with U.S. officials over a proposed $100,000 one-time fee on new H-1B petitions. DHS…
O’Leary Warns $100,000 H-1B Fee Could Hurt U.S. Innovation
A proposed $100,000 one-time fee for new H-1B petitions would sharply raise hiring costs from about $2,000–$5,000. Kevin…
USCIS Expands Unannounced Site Visits for H-1B and F-1 Workers
Effective January 17, 2025, DHS strengthened FDNS authority for surprise site visits of H-1B and F-1 (OPT/STEM OPT)…
L-1 Visa as an H-1B Alternative After the $100k Fee Hike
A $100,000 H-1B fee starting September 21, 2025, is driving interest in L-1 intra-company transfers. L-1 avoids the…
UAE to Suspend Tourist and Work Visas from Nine Countries in 2026
Media reports and an internal circular indicate the UAE has paused new tourist and work visas for nine…
Canada Immigration Backlog Tops 959,000 as of August 2025
By August 31, 2025, Canada’s immigration backlog hit nearly 959,000 cases, with PR files most affected—about 52.1% overdue.…
After the H-1B Fee Hike, Global Paths for Indian Students
A $100,000 H-1B one-time fee, effective September 21, 2025, is prompting Indian students and employers to explore study-to-work…
3–5% H-1B Exposure in Indian IT; New $100K Fee Seen as Marginal
A proposed $100,000 one-time fee for new H-1B petitions from FY27 raises concerns but impacts are likely modest:…