2018 Employment-Based Immigration Overview and Likely Impacts on U.S. Businesses

A series of articles nicely describes the current state of the employment-based immigration environment in the U.S., the outlook for 2018, and responses from U.S. high tech businesses and employees.

First, requests for additional evidence and denials of H-1B Petition are at an all-time high. In fact, the CIS denied more than twice as many H-1B petitions in November 2017 compared to the same time last year. Second, Bloomberg summarizes expected trends in employment-based immigration in 2018, including increased enforcement and increased scrutiny of all immigrant and nonimmigrant petitions filed by U.S. employers. Finally, U.S. tech companies are increasingly looking to Canada as a base of operations due to Canada’s more welcoming and more easily navigable employment-based immigration system. 

Timothy R. Bakken
Founder

Canada Wants Highly Skilled Immigrants Discouraged by Trump’s Anti-Immigrant Policies

Canada is looking better and better to immigrants turned off by the anti-immigrant rhetoric and policies of the United States. As Trump rolls out stricter and stricter immigration policies he diminishes U.S. standing in the international community, while Canada streamlines (and speeds up!) the process for technology workers and other highly-skilled workers to immigrate and contribute to the Canadian economy and culture. Read the full article here.

Timothy R. Bakken
Founder

Immigration? While Trump Discourages, Trudeau Encourages

It’s no secret that President Trump is trying to make it as difficult as possible for immigrants to come to the United States.  Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau has been doing exactly the opposite. In fact, Canada has created a fast-track immigration process for high-skilled workers. To maintain a vibrant, innovative, and creative U.S. economy, Trump should follow Trudeau’s lead. Read the whole article here.