International entrepreneurs, along with highly-skilled international workers and the employers who hire them, stand to benefit from the new immigration policies announced in November by President Obama.
Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson said in a memo to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that, “These new policies and regulations will be good for both U.S. businesses and workers by continuing to grow our economy and create jobs.”
If you are an employer in the greater Las Vegas area, or if you are a highly-skilled international worker or entrepreneur already in Las Vegas or arriving there soon, have your concerns and questions about the new policies answered by an experienced Las Vegas immigration attorney.
Secretary Johnson’s memo opens several new possibilities for international entrepreneurs to enter the U.S. and launch new businesses here. One route for international entrepreneurs may be the “national interest waiver,” which permits non-citizens with advanced degrees or exceptional abilities to seek green cards without employer sponsorship if their admission to the U.S. is in the national interest. Secretary Johnson is directing USCIS to clarify precisely the standards by which a national interest waiver may be granted.
Another possible route for foreign entrepreneurs: “parole” (or “parole-in-place” for those already in the U.S.) for highly-skilled workers and the founders of start-up enterprises. DHS would grant parole status on a case-by-case basis, according to Secretary Johnson’s memo, “to inventors, researchers, and founders of start-up enterprises who may not yet qualify for a national interest waiver, but who have been awarded substantial U.S. investor financing or otherwise hold the promise of innovation and job creation through the development of new technologies or the pursuit of cutting-edge research.”
Parole would allow individuals to work in the United States before they become eligible for a visa if they meet certain income and resource thresholds to qualify.
Comprehensive, permanent reform to our nation’s immigration system will require congressional action; meanwhile, executive action is giving entrepreneurs and others a chance to bring their skills now to the United States. If you are an international entrepreneur, investor, or highly-skilled individual with questions about how the executive action impacts you, or if you simply need to discuss your immigrations options with someone knowledgeable and trustworthy, contact an experienced Las Vegas immigration lawyer as quickly as possible.
