The focus of this teleconference is recent trends in requests for evidence (RFEs) for H1B petitions after cap season. Attorneys from the Murthy Law Firm discuss issues related to CPT & OPT, right to control, specialty occupation, etc, and provide tips for preparing a strong RFE response.

Murthy Law Firm attorneys focus on one of the first steps in the PERM green card process: the prevailing wage determination. In the PERM green card process, employers are required to commit to a salary that either meets or exceeds the prevailing wage for the sponsored position as determined by the Department of Labor. Murthy attorneys discuss fundamentals of the prevailing wage request and current adjudication trends, and provide guidance on how to overcome issues when seeking a prevailing wage determination for the green card process.

The focuses of this teleconference is investigations of employers of foreign workers by U.S. federal agencies. The past several years have seen increased investigations of foreign workers and more cooperation and information sharing between the federal agencies. Immigration enforcement, reform, and protections for U.S. workers are topics of interest. Murthy Law Firm attorneys unpack complex workplace enforcement issues and discuss strategies and tips for avoiding violations, proper internal auditing, and other best practices.

The new final rule for Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 students with certain STEM degrees is scheduled to go into effect on May 10, 2016. In the May 4, 2016 teleconference, Murthy Law Firm attorneys discuss some important aspects of this new rule and what the changes mean for employers.

The hidden perils of the PERM labor certification process, as it relates to the completion of the ETA 9089 form, are discussed in the April 6, 2016 teleconference. Murthy Law Firm attorneys explain some of the issues commonly encountered by employers when preparing the form, and offer tips for the successful completion of the ETA 9089 labor certification application, including being prepared for an audit.

An overview of the immigration regulations and policy guidance governing F-1 nonimmigrant status, as it pertains to employment, and transitioning to H1B status is provided in this teleconference from March 3, 2016. These rules govern most common scenarios frequently encountered by companies employing F-1 students pursuant to Curricular Practical Training (CPT) and Optional Practical Training (OPT), as well as sponsoring F-1 students for H1B status. Murthy attorneys explain the importance of becoming familiar with F-1 processes and procedures to avoid and/or address potential problems before they arise.

Murthy Law Firm attorneys discuss the FY2016 H1B cap season in this February 3, 2016 teleconference. Included topics are issues related to transitioning from F-1 to H1B, USCIS quota and fee requirements, and matters important to IT companies with workers at third-party sites.

More than a year after President Obama proposed a number of new immigration initiatives, some changes have been implemented, and more changes appear to be on the horizon. In our January 6, 2016 teleconference, Sheela Murthy is joined by other Murthy Law Firm attorneys, as they discuss changes already implemented and those that may occur during Mr. Obama's last year in office.

In this teleconference, Murthy Law Firm attorneys discuss challenges individuals sometimes face when applying for visas and traveling to the United States. They share success stories concerning obstacles at U.S. consulates and ports of entry. They also provide strategies to avoid common problems during the visa interview and border inspection.

This teleconference in our series for employers and their representatives reviews the latest I-140 trends, and discusses strategies for successfully filing immigrant petitions for skilled & professional workers (EB3), and professionals with advanced degrees and/or exceptional ability (EB2). The experienced attorneys from the Murthy Law Firm share practice pointers for employers who are sponsoring workers in these green card categories, and provide insight on overcoming common issues that come up in requests for evidence (RFEs), notices of intent to deny (NOIDs), and notices of intent to revoke (NOIRs).