Immigration Essentials
This full-day training session will cover the key concepts that all immigration professionals must know: understanding the roles of various government agencies, choosing the best non-immigrant and immigrant visa, preparing for government audits, balancing employment verification, non-discrimination and more. Class exercises will help workshop participants assimilate these concepts into coherent, usable, portable strategies. Topics include:
- Introduction and Overview of the U.S. Immigration System
- Business Visitors, F Visas, J Visas, Intracompany Transfers and Investors
- Specialty Occupations and Special Skills: H-1B, E-3, TN and O Visas
- Class Exercise: What is the Best Visa for This Employee?
- Starting the Permanent Residence Process:
- PERM Labor Certification, PERM Audits, and Form I-140
- Completing the Permanent Residence Process:
- Adjustment of Status vs. Consular Processing
- Class Exercise: Am I Keeping Everyone in Status?
- The I-9 & E-Verify Processes: Documenting the Right to Work.
- Avoiding Discrimination and Auditing Your I-9 Files
- Ask the Experts
Speakers:
Comprehensive Immigration Reform and the 111th Congress
Democratic Leaders have voiced their support for comprehensive immigration reform since the beginning of the Congressional session, but will the upcoming midterm elections and other legislative priorities put comprehensive reform off for years to come? What can employers expect as we head to the close of this Congressional session? Will any immigration legislation have a chance of moving in a lame duck session? Should we anticipate more enforcement on our visa programs? ACIP's Chairman, Austin T. Fragomen, Jr., will lead this panel discussion between counsels from the House and Senate Judiciary Committee's Immigration Subcommittees, the Department of Homeland Security and ACIP.
Speakers:
Interagency Enforcement of US Immigration Laws
In his State of the Union address, President Obama said, "We should continue the work of fixing our broken immigration system - to secure our borders and enforce our laws, and ensure that everyone who plays by the rules can contribute to our economy and enrich our nation." ACIP's Director of Agency Liaison will lead this panel discussion of counsel from the federal agencies responsible for carrying out the President's mandate. Topics will include interagency coordination of employment verification and wage laws, fraud investigations, respecting the civil rights of work authorized immigrants, and implementation of comprehensive immigration reform legislation.
Invited Agencies: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service, Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Office of Special Counsel, and U.S. Department of Labor
Speakers:
USCIS: New Approaches to Adjudicating Immigration Benefits
Like all organizations in this economy, USCIS is challenged to provide more and better services with fewer resources. Officials from USCIS Headquarters will discuss the agency's efforts to standardize benefits processing, improve customer service and to engage the public in developing policies. Topics will include RFEs for H-1B, L-1B, O and EB-1 cases; new services available on the USCIS website; the FY11 H-1B cap; and other hot topics of USCIS processing.
Speakers:
Interagency Security Screening and Tracking of Foreign Employees
In our increasingly wired world, international employees are tracked ever more closely. This interagency panel will discuss how their agencies are screening and tracking your employees in the era of Google, Facebook and Twitter. Come with eyes wide open to see what information officers see at consulates and ports-of-entry, how information is shared across departments like never before, and how the government is making full use of informational resources in the U.S. and abroad.
Invited agencies: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Department of State, Customs & Border Protection
Speakers:
DOL: Protecting US and Foreign Workers
With unemployment reaching 10 percent, employers seeking to hire foreign nationals are under increasing scrutiny. The US Department of Labor is charged with protecting the wages, benefits and working conditions of both US and foreign workers. This panel will discuss recent initiatives related to prevailing wage determinations, labor condition applications and PERM.
Speakers:
Immigration Compliance in Brazil, China, India and the UK
The United States is not the only country more closely scrutinizing the hiring of foreign employees. This panel will examine immigration enforcement trends in four of the global expatriate hot spots and will provide tips for ensuring your organization is in compliance everywhere you are located.
Speakers:
Managing Risks in the Global Movement of Personnel
As the global economy declines, many countries are changing their laws and scrutinizing more closely the foreign workers and their employers. Moreover, the U.S. government is regulating the conduct of U.S. companies abroad through the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. This panel will share best practices for compliance with foreign and U.S. laws to avoid penalties and global workforce planning.
Speakers:
Meet the Investigators
With increased attention on enforcement, employers are challenged to ensure preparedness for government inspections, audits and "raids." Inspectors from several government agencies will provide insight in a pre-established Q&A format, with a view to identifying best practices for compliance.
Speakers:
Indian In-bound Immigration
A comprehensive overview of the current trends surrounding Indian immigration and the recent developments which are proving to be quite a challenge for companies intending to bring foreign skills and know-how into India. Reciprocity and the "grey areas"; taxation and social security in India; long term planning strategies around potential deployments into India.
Speakers:
PERM in a Down Economy: Applicant Evaluations and Intracompany Job Analysis
Employers are required to determine whether there are “able, willing, available and qualified” U.S. applicants. Each requirement has legal and process complexities. All topics will have a digest of BALCA decisions and other authorities to provide especially concrete analysis. Will also analyze the relationship of PERM drafting to flexibility for job changes, AC21 portability, and job change as a strategy to achieve EB2.
Speakers:
Are Your I-9s Ready for a Government Audit?
A panel of two in-house Immigration Managers and an Immigration Attorney will discuss best practices for establishing a compliant I-9 program. The goal of the workshop is to provide tools to enable in-house immigration professionals to be ready when the government comes knocking on their door to inspect their I-9s.
Speakers:
Save Me From Being Confused: Recommended Best Practices for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Programs
This workshop will cover best practices and compliance for academic and private sector J-1 programs. We will discuss compliance from the perspective of the individual exchange visitor, the sponsoring organization and the responsible officers. Key themes to be discussed include health insurance and record retention obligations and potential changes to the J-1 program in light of the new proposed regulations.
Speakers:
The Immigration Pentagon - Keys to Success for 5 Critical Stakeholder Groups
There are many models for navigating the complex relationship between the company, outside counsel and the foreign national. This panel will explore different communication models, best and worst practices, and provide concrete examples of what works and doesn't work in their respective organizations and cultures.
Speakers:
China In-bound Immigration
A comprehensive overview of the current trends surrounding Chinese immigration.
Speakers:
Having Cake & Eating It Too: Helping employees acquire and retain LPR/Citizenship status while working abroad
Overseas assignments are more common than before as companies are expanding outside of the US. Can employees pursue an overseas assignment without giving up their hope for US permanent residence or citizenship? This panel explores the intricate law governing maintaining permanent residence for LPR on overseas assignments and applicable law regarding US citizenship application for someone who does not live in the US. Key tax implications for LPR and USC living outside of the US will also be addressed
Speakers:
Yours, Mine & Ours: Best Practices for Corporate Reorganizations
A workshop on mergers & acquisitions with best practices for handling large numbers of transfers, H-1B petitions, amended petitions and the new successor in interest guidance. Will provide mobility managers with comprehensive understanding of eligibility and compliance concerns that arise in the context of a corporate restructuring.
Speakers:
Beyond Friends and Followers: Technology Tools and Social Networking for Immigration Professionals and their Clients
How are immigration & mobility professionals utilizing online communities and social networking to get the information they need and more meaningfully benchmark with peers? And, where are foreign nationals, expats and transferees meeting online? This session will explore how social media can contribute to best practices.
Speakers:
Navigating USCIS' New Standards for H-1B and L-1B Petition Processing
This panel will provide a comprehensive overview of the current trends surrounding USCIS processing of H-1B and L-1B nonimmigrant visa petitions which are proving to be ever more challenging for ACIP members.
Speakers:
More Than a Fad – The Obama Administration’s continuing support of E-Verify
More than ever before, the stakes are very high for employers, especially for federal contractors. Debarment from future contracts and loss of state licenses are real possibilities. Private sector and representatives will offer the latest news on E-Verify and FAR requirements, as well as advice on how to navigate between the verification and anti-discrimination requirements.
Speakers:
Immigration & Relocation Service Model Options for Expatriates
Employers use a variety of models to deliver immigration services to their expats often as part of a broader relocation program. Whether coordinated in-house, or partially or fully outsourced, what are the roles and responsibilities of the parties? Panelists will discuss best practices for service delivery and compliance, as well as vendor management issues.
Speakers:
Long Arm of the Law: How Can Employers Comply With DHS’ New Enforcement Priorities?
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials and experienced counsel will discuss what the government expects from employers and provide insights on how you can establish productive strategic partnerships between your organization and the government.
Speakers:
Managing Your Career: Identifying Your Skills, Exploring Career Options and Developing an Effective Job Search Strategy
This session explores how to manage your career and plan for your next job even if you are not currently in the job market. Participants will learn how to identify transferrable skills, investigate alternative career paths and make the best of their time and resources when seeking new employment opportunities.
Speaker:
*Invited
Copyright © 2010 American Council on International Personnel, Washington DC
