PJohnson

About Patty Johnson-Vazquez

I write about immigration policy news, workplace diversity and recruitment strategies.

STEM OPT students now eligible for 2 years of additional work authorization

By |May 18, 2016|

Update: The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Optional Practical Training (OPT) work program extension began May 10. Companies across the country may now employ international students, skilled in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields, for 24 additional months. This program helps recruiters and HR managers overcome skills gap setbacks by hiring burgeoning talent from U.S. universities and colleges. Learn more about the new OPT extension in the blog post below, which was first published in early March.  

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The STEM Talent Shortage: Health care

By |May 17, 2016|

In our STEM Talent Shortage series, we examine four industries impacted by a lack of available workers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.

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Adapting vs. Staying Authentic: How to help foreign nationals succeed in the U.S. workplace

By |May 12, 2016|

For HR, managing the U.S. immigration process can be tough — but imagine being a foreign national moving to a new country and settling into a new workplace at the same time. As an HR professional, it’s up to you to develop an onboarding program that gives each employee his or her best chance at succeeding in your organization. As you fine-tune your new hire orientation process, keep in mind that your foreign national worker may need some extra attention.

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USCIS considers raising H-1B, green card filing fees

By |May 11, 2016|

Every two years, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reviews its Immigration Examinations Fee Account (IEFA). In fiscal year 2015, IEFA funded 94 percent of the agency’s initiatives, showing a heavy reliance on the account.

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[White paper] Skills Gap to Skills Surge: How foreign workers fuel talent pipelines

By |May 9, 2016|

The skills gap is real, and it’s not going away. At a company level, employers search for qualified talent and find themselves falling short. But what are the implications of skilled worker shortages on the U.S. economy and at the industry level? And what immediate solutions will truly help companies meet their goals?

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Attorney Q&A Series: PERM Labor Certification

By |May 6, 2016|

In this installment of our attorney Q&A series, we’ve enlisted Karen Gillespie, an attorney from Global Immigration Associates (Envoy’s exclusively affiliated law firm) to answer common PERM process questions, collected from the attendees of our recent How to Master the Green Card Process webinar.

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Why Immigrants Make a Big Impact for Small Businesses

By |May 4, 2016|

As a small business owner, return on investment is top of mind. One of your biggest (and most important) investments is in the team of people you work alongside every day – so it’s important to hire smart.

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Attorney Q&A Series: the green card process

By |April 25, 2016|

You ask, we answer. In this installment of our attorney Q&A series, we’ve enlisted Karen Gillespie, an attorney from Global Immigration Associates (VISANOW’s exclusively affiliated law firm) to answer some of the most pressing green card process questions, collected from the attendees of our recent How to Master the Green Card Process webinar.

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May 2016 Visa Bulletin Update

By |April 19, 2016|

The U.S. Department of State (DOS) released its May 2016 Visa Bulletin. For more information regarding the format, read Introducing the new Visa Bulletin.

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Pool of H-1B cap petitions barely grows, signaling distrust

By |April 14, 2016|

Faith in the H-1B visa program may be diminishing as applications for the temporary worker immigration program slow significantly compared to the program’s historic trend.

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VISANOW is now Envoy.

As part of our mission to create opportunities for organizations and global talent, we’ve updated our brand and how we communicate our message. In a time when thinking globally is how organizations grow and progress, we help businesses build world-ready workforces.

Envoy’s workforce management platform features premiere tools for navigating the immigration process for all your sponsored employees; knowledgeable Envoy-affiliated attorney and customer support; and resources to help you learn how to become an expert in the global immigration process.

You will be redirected shortly. Go to EnvoyGlobal.com to see the new changes.