British Columbia Issues 302 Invitations In The New Draw

On August 18, 2020, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) issued 302 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) under the Skills Immigration (SIBC) and Express Entry (EEBC) categories to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence. These streams are intended for workers or international graduates with the skills, education and/or experience required for high-demand […]

Court of Appeals Says Public Charge Rule is Back

Washington, D.C., August 13, 2020: On Wednesday, August 12, 2020, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit ruled that the Federal Government’s “Public Charge Rule” can be applied in every state except New York, Connecticut and Vermont. The Public Charge Rule is a recent regulation implemented in January 2020 that greatly expands the […]

British Columbia Issues 52 Invitations In The New Tech Pilot Draw

On August 11, 2020, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (BC PNP) issued 52 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) under the technology sector to apply for a provincial nomination for permanent residence. BC PNP Tech Pilot draw issued ITAs to candidates under the Express Entry BC and Skills immigration categories as explained in the table below: […]

British Columbia Increases Fees for Skills Immigration Category

Effective August 6, 2020, the British Columbia Provincial Nominee Program (B.C. PNP) has increased the fees for Skills Immigration (SI) applications and requests for review submissions. The new fee for the Skills Immigration application is $1,150 (increased from $700), and the new fee for a request for review is $500 (from $200). The fee increases […]

USCIS May Reopen FY 2021 H-1B Lottery

Washington, D.C., August 11, 2020: According to several sources close to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, USCIS may reopen the FY 2021 H-1B Lottery due to an unexpected decline in H-1B petition filings. If this occurs, USCIS will select additional candidates from initial H-1B registrations submitted in March of 2020. Additional selections will particularly […]

US Consulates in Mexico Resume Processing of F, M and J Visas

Washington, D.C., August 10, 2020: Starting August 3, 2020, the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City and the U.S. Consulates in Guadalajara, Monterrey, Tijuana and Hermosillo will resume limited operations for student visa processing for Mexican citizens and residents. We will accept applications in the F, M, and J visa categories with an approved I-20 or […]

Minimum Score for the All Program Express Entry Draw Drops by 2 Points

On August 5,2020, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) issued 3,900 Invitations to Apply (ITAs) in its most recent all-program draw. The minimum score in the August 5th draw was 476, 2 points lower than the previous all-program draw. In the July 8 invitation round held last month, candidates needed a Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) […]

Federal Appeals Court Suspends Public Charge Rule

Washington, D.C., August 4, 2020: The Second Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a prior injunction on the DHS Public Charge rule that the Supreme Court had stayed, but limited its applicability to NY, CT, and VT. As of now, the nationwide injunction issued last week remains the law of the land and USCIS will apply […]

DOS Now Grants Mexican E1 and E2 Visas for 4 Years?

Washington, D.C., August 3, 2020: Unexpectedly, the Department of State’s (DOS) visa reciprocity schedule appears to indicates that E1 and E2 visas for Mexican citizens may now be granted for up to 4 years at a time: https://travel.state.gov. No public announcement has been made by the DOS regarding this change to the visa reciprocity schedule for […]

Cost of Naturalization Will Nearly Double Starting October 2, 2020

Washington D.C., August 3, 2020: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is going to increase visa application fees on October 2, 2020 by significant amounts. Employers seeking work visas, families seeking reunification visas, and even asylum seekers will be impacted. Among the most notable changes: The basic fee for L visa petitions to transfer senior employees […]