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EMPLOYMENT IMMIGRATION NEWS UPDATES


With ongoing discussions around employment immigration reform, it’s important to stay up to date on the latest employment immigration updates.

 DACA Recipients Can Now Access Healthcare Coverage

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) beneficiaries have long faced formidable obstacles when trying to obtain healthcare coverage. However, recent modifications to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have given DACA participants fresh chances to get the necessary medical treatment. For a long time, people who are legally present in the country could sign up for healthcare coverage using the Health Insurance Marketplace under the ACA.  DACA participants were ineligible for health coverage.Tthe government did not consider them to be lawfully present in the country. Nevertheless, the Biden administration said in 2021 that it will provide DACA participants more access to healthcare coverage. That is exactly what they have recently done.

With these new reforms in place for immigrants, DACA holders who reside in states with their own health insurance marketplaces may now sign up for coverage during the yearly open enrollment period. In addition, DACA recipients who reside in states that utilize the federal health insurance market may sign up for coverage during a special enrollment period that is open year-round. For DACA participants, who for a long time had trouble getting access to healthcare services, this development represents a big step in the right direction. In the past, many people postponed receiving necessary medical treatment due to a lack of coverage, which negatively impacted their health and well-being.

Currently, the Biden administration is assisting in ensuring that DACA participants can obtain the treatment they need to be healthy and prosper through enhancing access to healthcare coverage. This is a crucial step in developing a universal healthcare system that is fair and adequate for everyone.

 Expedited Asylum Screening Tests

The United States government has developed a new method for rapidly determining whether those who have just entered the US qualify for asylum. This is the expedited asylum screening exam. These exams intend to speed up the asylum procedure. They enable immigration officers to decide who remains in the country and who gets deported. The process becomes more efficient and more certaint. 

As part of the expedited asylum screening process, officials conduct various tests and interviews within a few days of an individual’s arrival in the United States. Based on certain elements, including the asylum-seekers country of origin, the circumstances of their departure, and the reasons they are seeking refuge in the United States, the test determines whether the migrant is eligible for asylum. The ability of accelerated asylum screening tests to help immigration officers swiftly identify those who are most likely to qualify for asylum is one of its main benefits. This lessens the likelihood that these people will stay in custody for protracted periods of time. This occurs while their cases are being handled. It lessens the likelihood that they will return to unsafe or unstable conditions in their native countries.

Although the expedited asylum screening tests seem helpful overall, some critics are concerned that these quick exams will not give asylum seekers the proper amount of time to build their cases. However, experts expect that faster asylum screening tests will be crucial in shaping the United States’ future immigration policy, despite concerns about their impact. As the number of asylum applicants increases, immigration authorities will need new tools and technology to manage the influx of people and ensure that eligible individuals receive timely protection.

 Extension of Somalia TPS

A program known as Temporary Protected Status (TPS) enables people from nations that have gone through war, natural catastrophes, or other humanitarian crises to lawfully reside and work in the United States. The United States administration recently announced that it will extend TPS for Somali individuals who are already residing in the country. While they wait for a long-term solution to their immigration status, this extension will enable these people to live and become employed lawfully in the nation. 

After conducting a thorough examination of Somalia’s current circumstances, which are characterized by significant political instability and ongoing violence, officials made the decision to extend TPS for Somali citizens. The US government is saving thousands of lives by extending TPS and preventing the deportation of individuals to hazardous and chaotic environments.The continuation of TPS for Somalia also acknowledges the significant contributions made by Americans of Somali descent. Many Somalis have made themselves a positive contribution to their communities by working in a variety of professions and enhancing the political and economic systems of the nation.

Extending the Temporary Protected States is a significant step in the right direction even if it is not a long-term solution for the difficulties that Somali people face in the United States. TPS gives a measure of stability and hope to those who are most in need by offering a temporary respite from deportation and enabling people to keep working and helping their communities.

 Employment-Based Immigration Reform 

The United States’ immigration system includes employment-based immigration, which gives foreign workers a method to enter the nation and fill essential job positions. One of the most well-known employment-based immigration programs is the H-1B visa program which allows companies to sponsor talented foreign workers for temporary employment in specialized fields.

Foreign employees under the H-1B program must have A bachelor’s degree or its equivalent in a specialist subject, such as science, engineering, or computer programming. Additionally, they must be provided with a work offer from a US firm and compensated at least at the local going rate for that position. Other employment-based immigration schemes exist that provide doors for foreign employees to enter the United States in addition to the H-1B visa. Programs for businesspeople, investors, and people with special skills or talents are among them.

In recent years, there have been debates surrounding the H-1B program.Some opponents claim that it is utilized to replace American employees with cheaper, foreign labor. However, the program’s proponents point out that it is crucial for filling key employment positions in industries like technology and healthcare, where there is a dearth of competent domestic workers. All things considered, employment-based immigration is a fundamental tool for filling skills shortages and making sure that U.S. firms have access to the talent they need to be successful. It’s essential to plan and implement these initiatives in a just and equitable manner that does not harm or exploit foreign workers.

Call Shepelsky Law today to get answers on your questions about employment-based immigration reform updates.

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