Murthy Immigration Podcast

Of all the different types of immigration issues attorneys at the Murthy Law Firm are asked about, perhaps the most common one involves individuals who wish to move from the employment-based, third-preference (EB3) category to the second-preference (EB2) category. Foreign national workers can generally become lawful permanent residents much more quickly through the EB2 category, so it is only natural that these individuals wish to 'upgrade' to EB2, when possible. Sheela Murthy provides an overview of this important topic, and addresses many of the common questions we hear from clients on this matter.

Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) may be just around the corner, so our July 3, 2013 teleconference, in this monthly series designed to help businesses understand and work within U.S. immigration law, examines some of the proposed provisions that could dramatically alter the ability of U.S. companies to hire foreign workers. Murthy Law Firm attorneys explain how the bill, if passed into law, may impact U.S. employers, and some of the possible strategies for dealing with these changes. The session also discusses the current state of the bill.

Our June 5, 2013 teleconference reviews the current Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker (I-140) process, issues that may arise in I-140 adjudications, and recent trends. The mechanics and mysteries of an I-140 filing are explained, including how to present an acceptable and approvable case to the U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Services (USCIS). Based on our experience with the I-140 process, attorneys at the Murthy Law Firm share recommendations and insights for completing this complex stage toward an employee's green card.

Continuing Our Overview of Investigations by U.S. Government Agencies, Including USCIS, ICE, DOL, & DOS. This teleconference focuses on investigations of employers of foreign workers by U.S. federal agencies. This is the second in a two-part series on recent, dramatic changes in the enforcement of regulations related to employment and immigration. With the announcement of federal visa fraud prosecutions of IT consulting companies in Texas and North Carolina for "benching," employers need to take special note to comply with all U.S. immigration laws and regulations. Strategies for avoiding violations, internal auditing and best practices are discussed

The next teleconference in this monthly series designed to help businesses understand and work within U.S. immigration law focuses on investigations of employers of foreign workers by U.S. federal agencies. This is the second in a two-part series on recent, dramatic changes in the enforcement of regulations related to employment and immigration. With the announcement of federal visa fraud prosecutions of IT consulting companies in Texas and North Carolina for "benching," employers need to take special note to comply with all U.S. immigration laws and regulations. Strategies for avoiding violations, internal auditing and best practices are discussed.

The topic of this teleconference in our series for employers and their representatives is pursuing Labor Certification (PERM) in light of recent U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) trends. The session addresses the DOL's heightened scrutiny of employers' reasons for applicant disqualification, recent decisions from the Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals (BALCA), and the increased use of supervised recruitment. Murthy Law Firm attorneys discuss strategies for preparing a strong case for labor certification.

The topic of our March 2013 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 2013. 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.

This 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 topic of this teleconference in our series for employers and their representatives focuses on emerging immigration law matters that Murthy Law Firm attorneys have confronted during the year, as well as strategies our legal team has developed for dealing with them. We provide employers with cutting-edge information on the newest developments and strategies to achieve maximum results for their immigration programs. We describe successful results we have achieved for our clients, and lessons other employers can take away from these successes as they plan for 2013.

This teleconference in our series addresses another issue important to U.S. businesses sponsoring foreign national employees in immigration processes. Here we focus on strategies to prepare for investigations by U.S. federal agencies. The trend over the past several years has been increased scrutiny of employers through workplace site visits and remote audits, during which investigators request company records. USCIS investigations have led to greater numbers of H1B revocations while DOL investigations have resulted in findings of more than $1,000,000 in back wages. ICE investigations of I-9 paperwork violations have touched companies that do not employ one single foreign worker. Strategies for avoiding violations, internal auditing, and best practices are discussed.