The June 4, 2014 teleconference in our monthly series for employers and their representatives focuses on the legal requirements and practical considerations of filing an H1B amendment. Attorneys from the Murthy Law Firm discuss when an employer must file an H1B amendment, pros and cons of filing an H1B amendments, and filing tips.

The May 7, 2014 teleconference in our series specifically for employers helps businesses understand how increased investigations and immigration enforcement affects employers of foreign workers. More and more federal agencies are sharing information and an investigation by one agency can trigger a chain of events that may lead to a company being barred from filing immigration cases or worse, criminal investigations of company owners and managers. Murthy Law Firm attorneys discuss strategies & tips for addressing current violations, how to implement compliance processes to prevent future ones, and manage the complex obligations involved in employing foreign nationals.

Our April 2, 2014 teleconference in this 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). Our experienced attorneys share practice pointers for employers who are sponsoring workers for green cards, 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).

The topic of our March 5, 2014 teleconference in this series, designed for employers and their representatives, addresses H1B "cap" cases. We at the Murthy Law Firm are already preparing H1B petitions for new workers to be filed in April 2014. In the teleconference, Murthy Law Firm attorneys discuss the annual quota system and requirements for filing H1B cap-subject petitions. The session also addresses issues related to transitioning from F-1 to H-1B, including the cap gap, USCIS fee requirements, and matters important to IT consulting companies that assign workers at third-party sites.

The topic of our January 8, 2014 teleconference in this series for employers and their representatives addresses ways to successfully navigate the PERM Labor Certification process. The U.S. Department of Labor recently has trended toward substantive changes in how the Office of Foreign Labor Certification adjudicates PERM Labor Certification applications. Employers are presented with ongoing challenges, among them: increased processing times for prevailing wage determinations and for PERM applications, continued expansion of integrity measures (i.e. audits and supervised recruitment) by the Office of Foreign Labor Certifications, and evolving interpretations with respect to alternative requirements and recruitment standards. In this teleconference, Murthy Law Firm attorneys discuss the best ways for employers to respond to these DOL adjudication trends.

Our February 5, 2014 teleconference provides an overview of the immigration regulations and policy guidance governing F-1 nonimmigrant status as it pertains to employment and transitioning to H1B status. 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. The teleconference explains the importance of becoming familiar with F-1 processes and procedures to avoid and/or address potential problems before they arise.

"Lawful status" and a "period of authorized stay" are two related, yet distinct concepts in immigration law. These are two extremely important issues for foreign nationals to be aware of, as they can have tremendous implications related to an individual's ability to extend or change status, apply to become a lawful permanent resident, and, ultimately, to remain in the United States legally. Covered here are some of the basic elements of these concepts and the role they play in the lives of foreign nationals in the U.S.

The topic of our December 4, 2013 teleconference in this series for employers and their representatives focuses on emerging immigration law matters, which Murthy Law Firm attorneys have confronted this year, as well as strategies for dealing with them, developed by our legal team. Our panel provides employers with cutting-edge information on the newest developments and tactics to achieve maximum results for their immigration programs. Also described are successful results achieved for Murthy Law Firm clients, and lessons employers can take away as they plan for 2014.

One of the most powerful tools to address delayed cases with the USCIS has been the writ of mandamus lawsuit. This type of federal court lawsuit asks a judge to order the USCIS to take action on a delayed case within a short timeframe. Writs of mandamus lawsuits traditionally have been used in immigration cases to resolve delayed I-485 adjustment applications and N-400 naturalization applications. More recently, writs of mandamus have been effective in addressing other types of delayed immigration cases. This broadcast from the Murthy Law Firm provides an overview of how writs of mandamus can help solve some tough problems that sometimes occur in immigration cases.

The November 6, 2013 teleconference in our series for employers and their representatives focuses on less common options for immigrant and nonimmigrant visas. In this session, attorneys from the Murthy Law firm discuss immigrant visa options for multinational executives, individuals whose work is in the national interest, and individuals of extraordinary or exceptional ability. We also discuss types of nonimmigrant visas, other than H1B and L-1, that may be used as alternatives to more common options.