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.

A nonimmigrant waiver application becomes necessary when one applies to a U.S. consulate for a nonimmigrant visa (NIV) and either has been previously found inadmissible or is determined by the consular officer to be inadmissible to the United States. Inadmissibility may result from different situations, most commonly involving fraud, misrepresentation, or overstay.  After a government agency, such as Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Department of States (DOS), or the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) makes a finding of inadmissibility against a foreign national, that individual must obtain a nonimmigrant waiver by submitting an application at either the U.S. consulate abroad or directly from the CBP at a port of entry. This podcast discusses nonimmigrant visa waivers of various grounds of inadmissibility and offers examples of typical fact patterns of cases in which the Murthy Law Firm has successfully assisted.

This teleconference in our monthly series for employers and their representatives focuses on the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC21), as it relates to H1B extensions and employment-based green card portability. Attorneys from the Murthy Law Firm will discuss some common strategies utilizing AC21 law to consider when employing a foreign national.

This teleconference in our series for employers and their representatives demystifies the U.S. Department of State Visa Bulletin. Attorneys from the Murthy Law Firm will explain the role of the visa bulletin in the immigration process. We will simplify the complex system of visa numbers that determines the content of the visa bulletin. Employers will receive helpful guidance on the meaning of the visa bulletin cutoff dates, including how cutoff dates determine immigration timeframes and options.