David Fullmer, Immigration Attorney

After a rule increasing H-1B and PERM wages was enjoined in a federal court last year, the Department of Labor has announced a new final wage rule; this rule is set to be put into effect on March 15th, and will phase in new higher wage levels over a timeline of approximately 16 months. The argument against these new wages is that they are higher than the wages paid to US workers and are thus not consistent with the purpose of the wage rules that are part of the H-1B and PERM programs. Requiring artificially high wages would also harm the tech sector, one of the few bright spots in the current US economy. #H1B #DOL #prevailingwage

It has been announced that those flying into the U.S. from international destinations will be required to submit proof of a recent negative COVID test before traveling, starting on January 26; I know this measure will make travel slightly more difficult, but I am surprised that it took nearly a year for this common sense rule to be put into place. #covid19 #travel #airtravel

Recently I posted about Florida, as it is being seen as an attractive place to do business because of the tax benefits and the warm weather. As of January 1, Florida joins Georgia and several other states requiring E-Verify; this article breaks down the exact requirements for public and private employers, as well as potential penalties for noncompliance. #EVerify #employmenteligilibility #florida

Despite recent downturns in the U.S. job market, demand for skilled tech workers remains high, with more than 200,000 job openings posted as of the end of 2020; this data should be encouraging for those in the U.S. tech sector. #tech #jobmarket

Thousands of wealthy individuals have been moving out of South Africa over the past several years, including over 3,000 millionaires in 2020, citing concerns with safety, work opportunities, and an oppressive government among their reasons for leaving. #southafrica #hnwi