The Catholic University of America

Welcome to the Immigration section of our webpage. This front page will reflect our most current information on immigration law affecting educational institutions.

DHS Reforms to Attract and Retain Highly Skilled Immigrants
Jan. 31, 2012 Release by Homeland

The announcement includes a description of the following initiatives: 

  • Allow for additional part-time study for spouses of F-1 students and expand the number of Designated School Officials (DSOs) at schools certified by DHS to enroll international students.
  • Expand eligibility for 17-month extension of optional practical training (OPT) for F-1 international students to include students with a prior degree in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). 
  • Provide work authorization for spouses of certain H-1B holders.
  • Allow outstanding professors and researchers to present a broader scope of evidence of academic achievement.
  • Harmonize rules to allow E-3 visa holders from Australia and H-1B1 visa holders from Singapore and Chile to continue working with their current employer for up to 240 days while their petitions for extension of status are pending and
  • Launch Entrepreneurs in Residence initiative.

University of Texas at Brownsville on behalf of Murat Karabulut, BALCA case No. 2010-PER-00887, Issue Date July 20, 2011.

Employer university placed an advertisement for job in the national professional journal *Inside Higher Ed* which is only available electronically. This was to comply with PERM regulations, 20 CFR 656.17 and 18. An FAQ on the OFLC website on the Dept. of Labor had indicated electronic journals did not meet the regulatory requirement. The Board of Alien Labor Certification Appeals disagreed with the FAQ, and stated that FAQ responses cannot create a substantive rule adverse to an applicant without notice and rulemaking. The ad in the electronic only professional journal was found to be permissible.

Georgetown University H-1B Request Form with Deemed Export Language included for compliance with new I-129 rules

Employment Authorization for Libyan F-1 Non-Immigrant Students, Notice of Suspension of Applicability of Certain Requirements; 76 Fed. Reg. 33970 (June 10, 2011).
The Notice suspends the requirement that limits on- and off-campus employment of such students to 20 hours per week; and also suspends the requirements that students seeking authorization of off-campus employment must have been in F-1 status for one full academic year and demonstrate that the employment will not interfere with the student’s ability to carry a full course of study. Undergraduate students granted employment authorization under the terms of the Notice will be deemed to be engaged in a full course of study for the duration of their employment if they remain registered for a minimum of six semester/quarter hours of instruction per academic term; graduate students must remain registered for a minimum of three semester/quarter hours. The Notice is effective June 10 and will remain in effect until December 31st.

NACUANOTES Export Compliance During the Visa Application Process (Feb. 11. 2011)