The Lozano Law Firm, PLLC Announces Free Webinar on July 30 for Businesses to Learn More About Changes to H-2B Visa Program
SAN ANTONIO, July 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- On July 30 at 12:00 CST, a short, no-nonsense webinar from The Lozano Law Firm, PLLC will explore the ins and outs of the H-2B visa program, including the most recent changes. Business owners can sign up for the live webinar today at http://www.h2bupdate.com/.
Elizabeth Echavarria, associate attorney, will lead the session, with founder and principal attorney Alfredo Lozano in attendance, as part of the firm's mission to help businesses understand how the law affects their operations and bottom lines. The webinar will be tailored to those business owners who have used the H-2B visa program in the past and will highlight some of the top changes in regulations affecting the H-2B visa program.
"This information can be overwhelming to the business owner, we want to prepare them so they can have their work force ready to go when these visas become available," explained Lozano. "The H-2B visa has gone through some major changes, and these visas are in high demand across various industries, such as the leisure, landscaping and construction industries. Unfortunately, too many businesses are having trouble finishing projects because of not having the necessary work force."
United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a component of the Department of Homeland Security, oversees all aspects of the nation's visa programs. H-2B visas are granted to temporary, nonagricultural workers. The employer or agent must first start the process with the Department of Labor (DOL). Anyone requesting an H-2B must prove there are not enough workers in the US willing or able to fill the position, that hiring a foreign national will not negatively affect US workers and that the need for the H-2B visa is in fact temporary.
The DOL has a strict definition of "temporary." Namely, the job must be intermittent, seasonal, peak season or otherwise represent a one-time need. H-2B visas are granted only for the duration of the job in question or a maximum time period of nine months; one-year extensions can keep the visa in good standing for up to three years. In addition, USCIS places a cap on the number of H-2B visas each fiscal year. In 2015, that number is 66,000, divided evenly between the first and second halves of the 12-month period that began October 1, 2014. The cap does not apply to certain exempt workers.
Some have wondered aloud whether H-2B and similar visa programs take away jobs from American workers. Research conducted by the US Chamber of Commerce dispels that notion, instead highlighting the fact that many businesses depend on foreign workers for their very survival. Overall, H-2B visa workers provide a boost to local and state economies by enabling more businesses to stay afloat. The Chamber goes even further, concluding that the annual cap on these visas should be lifted or at least seriously revised in terms of its application.
As a specialist in immigration law, Mr. Lozano regularly conducts seminars throughout Texas as part of educating the community on all aspects of immigration law. The new H-2B visa webinar is a logical extension of this important mission.
About The Lozano Law Firm, PLLC
The Lozano Law Firm is an immigration law firm established in 2006 to serve the communities of San Antonio, Eagle Pass, Del Rio, Austin and San Angelo in business and family-based immigration law.
Alfredo Lozano, founder and principal attorney of the firm, is a member of the State Bar of Texas, the San Antonio Bar Association and the American Immigration Lawyers Association. He is Board Certified in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization.
Contact:
Alfredo Lozano
210-932-3600
Email
SOURCE The Lozano Law Firm, PLLC
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