Final Immigration Rule Aligns Regulations on High-Skill Visas, Assists Employers

Immigration

In a final rule aligning several visa categories with existing regulations governing similar visa categories, the Department of Homeland Security asserted that "American businesses continue to need highly skilled nonimmigrant and immigrant workers, and . . .[a]ttracting and retaining highly skilled workers is critical to sustaining our Nation's global competitiveness."  While the effect of the alignment is limited to certain workers from Chile, Singapore and Australia as well as certain professors and researchers, it will minimize employment disruptions and make it easier to attract and retain high-skilled workers in those instances.  Moreover, at a time of gridlock and harsh negative rhetoric on the immigration issue, it is refreshing to hear an affirmation from the Department of the critical role highly skilled immigrants play in meeting our country's economic needs.