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tech giant Google And Apple has advised its employees on H-1B Visa According to one report, currently against traveling abroad, citing concerns that they could face extended delays at embassies while waiting for re-entry stamps.
A memorandum from BAL Immigration Law, representing Google, First reported by business insider, Employees are advised to travel only domestically due to delays in visa processing abroad due to the new US social media Screening Instructions.
Security protocol recently launched by Department of Homeland Security It requires that officials review the past five years of social media activity of travelers wishing to enter the United States before admitting them.
“Please be aware that some U.S. embassies and consulates are experiencing significant delays in visa stamping appointments, currently reported to be up to 12 months,” the memo said.
It advised employees to avoid international travel because they would “risk being outside the U.S. for extended periods of time.”
The firm said the backlog is affecting people with H-1B, H-4, F, J and M visas.
Berry Appleman & Leiden, another firm that works with Google, Said In a similar memo reported by NPR: “We recommend avoiding international travel at this time as you risk remaining outside the US for extended periods of time”.
Fragomen, which represents Apple, issued a similar warning to Apple employees. “Given the recent updates and the possibility of unexpected, extended delays upon returning to the US, we strongly recommend that employees without a valid H-1B visa stamp avoid international travel for now,” it said.
“If travel cannot be postponed, employees should contact Apple Immigration and Fragomen in advance to discuss the risks.”
Meanwhile, American Embassy in India Posted On Monday the social media verification process began on December 15 and said: “We encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible and anticipate additional processing time for these visa classifications.”
According to NPR, the situation is particularly bad news for Google and Apple, as they employ more than 300,000 workers and rely heavily on highly skilled foreign workers.
Independent Google, Apple, the State Department and the White House have been contacted for comment.
There was an uproar regarding H-1B visas in the Trump administration during his tenure as President in September. donald trump suddenly announced A $100,000 fee will be offeredCharging fees to applicants instead of giving them grants through a lottery system.
This led many major corporations, including Amazon, Microsoft and JPMorgan Chase, to instruct their foreign employees to return home as soon as possible to avoid financial penalties.
The White House later clarified that the fee would only apply to new applicants, not existing holders. Yet, by then, the president’s announcement had sent airfare prices skyrocketing.
The visas in question were first introduced under the Immigration Act of 1990 to allow US companies to hire workers with technical skills and qualifications that are difficult to find in the US.
They are not for individuals who wish to reside permanently. Some eventually do so, but only after transitioning to different immigration statuses.
According to Capital Economics commentator Stephen Brown, there are currently “about 700,000 H-1B visa holders and another half-million or more dependents in the country.”
Attempt to make profit by selling prestigious visas The fallout caused a rift between Trump’s MAGA movementThat includes both anti-immigrant constituents like Laura Loomer and Steve Bannon, who hope to stop new arrivals, and entrepreneurs like Elon Musk And Vivek Ramaswamy, who wants to encourage him.
From Big Tech giant, Elon Musk and Apple CEO Tim Cook for meta Mark Zuckerberg And Google’s Sundar PichaiShe has worked hard to ingratiate herself with Trump this year, attending his inauguration ceremony at the Capitol in January and attending several White House events since then.