Join us Thursday, January 11th at 9 AM, via zoom, to hear Andrew Palhof speak about the New England Collaborative Advocacy for Rights, Equity, and Safety Group (CARES).
Andrew is a Regional Compliance Assistance Specialist with OSHA, conducting outreach training programs and providing technical support for OSHA’s compliance and outreach efforts.
Andrew recently started CARES as a collaborative initiative in the region that unites government and non-government organizations to protect and advocate for the workplace rights of immigrants and underserved populations.
Andy previously worked as an OSHA Compliance Officer, and a Safety Consultant for the NH OSHA Consultation program and has more than a decade of experience performing inspections and outreach sessions.
Andy received his Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Safety Studies from Keene State College and an Associate Degree in Applied Science, fire Science from Laconia Technical College.
We’ll also be hearing updates from table members who work with, provide services for, and support immigrants in NH. Updates will include the Digital Equity planning taking place in NH for the work to be done over the next 4 years.
If you aren’t on the Welcoming NH Table mailing list and would like to be added or to just join us via zoom for this event email:
Register for the Building Belonging Through Art, Sports, and Advocacy webinar series
January 11, 18, and 25 at 3 p.m. ET
This webinar series will explore the transformative potential of art, sports, and advocacy in building belonging between immigrants and U.S.-born residents. Over the course of three sessions, we’ll uncover inspiring stories of individuals using these avenues to break cultural barriers, foster unity, and create inclusive spaces. From the emotional appeal of art to the universal language of sports to the powerful impact of advocacy, this series is an engaging exploration of diverse tools that can build unity and community. Don’t miss the opportunity to be part of these insightful conversations on fostering a more connected and welcoming society.
In a recent development, the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced an increase in visa application processing fees across various categories, including the student and the H-1B visa.
Details of the new USCIS application fees
As outlined on the USCIS website, premium processing fees have been raised for forms I-129, I-140, I-539, and I-765. Specifically, the premium processing fee for I-129, which pertains to petitions for nonimmigrant workers like those on H-1B and L-1 visas, has increased by 12% to $2,805, up from $2,500.
Additionally, the premium processing charges for Form I-539, used by international students, spouses, and dependents of H-1B visa holders to upgrade their non-immigrant status, have risen to $1,965 from the previous $1,750. Moreover, the fee for Form I-765, designed for seeking employment authorisation, such as for F-1 students during optional practical training (OPT), has been adjusted to $1,685 from $1,500.
What is the U.S student visa?
The US student visa is the F-1 visa, and it is a non-immigrant visa designed for individuals seeking to pursue academic or language programs at accredited institutions in the United States. With the F-1 visa, a student can remain in the US for the duration of their program and avail the opportunities for optional practical training (OPT) after completion of studies. This will enable the students to gain work experience too.
Under the new changes, student visa applications are going to go through higher scrutiny, in order to rule out fraudulent applications. From now on, student visa applicants for the visa type F, M, and J, the applicant (student) will have to input their passport details at the time of creating profile and scheduling visa appointment.
Rebrand aims to expand community educational opportunities
CONCORD, NH – NHTI – Concord’s Community College is introducing Workforce Education, a new collaborative educational department to expand the college’s efforts in providing essential skillsets and continuing education. The goals include increased opportunities and empowerment for community members looking to expand their career knowledge and learn a new skill.
Previously known as the Business Training Center, the new Workforce Education department has undergone the rebrand to further encourage career and personal exploration with NHTI.
“The new Workforce Education brand communicates more clearly how NHTI delivers on its mission to foster economic and community development in the Greater Concord region,” says Dr. Patrick Tompkins, NHTI president. “With low unemployment in the Granite State and worker shortages in critical areas like healthcare, education, public safety, manufacturing, and trades, NHTI’s role is to provide the education that recent high school graduates and career switchers need to enter those fields with essential skills.”
Workforce Education, or “WE,” signifies NHTI’s commitment as a solutions provider for New Hampshire’s employers, employees, and prospective students. The department’s tagline, “Together, WE can help you succeed” expresses NHTI’s commitment to helping to local workforce upskill and evolve with the needs of the community.
In 2023, New Hampshire signified the priority of workforce education by providing $2 million to fund the delivery of new programs and support for students enrolled in these programs. NHTI recently received seed funding to develop a new education certificate program and expand health programs in medical assisting, licensed nursing assisting, and phlebotomy.
“The new Workforce Education brand illustrates NHTI’s commitment to fully integrate workforce education and programs with all educational programming at NHTI,” says Kathy Taylor, NHTI’s Director of Workforce Development and Community Education. We will do this through the co-development of programs with academic departments and by creating shared pathways and outcomes.”
To browse WE’s current course offerings, visit us online at NHTI.edu/workforce.
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NHTI – Concord’s Community College
NHTI is a dynamic public institution of higher learning that provides accessible, rigorous education for students, businesses, and the community. We create pathways for lifelong learning, career advancement, and civic engagement, offering 80+ academic programs to 4,600+ students annually. NHTI is a member of the Community College System of New Hampshire and since 1969 has been accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education, a nongovernmental, nationally recognized accrediting agency.
Lawmakers push to make it illegal for undocumented Mass. license holders to drive in N.H.
January 02, 2024
Gabriela Lozada, Report for America Corps Member, NHPR
Several Republican state legislators are proposing bills that would limit undocumented immigrants’ access to work and mobility in New Hampshire.
The first bill comes from seven state senators who are pushing to prohibit the use of out-of-state driver’s licenses issued specifically for undocumented immigrants. Senate Bill 358 aims to push back on a law passed in Massachusetts earlier this year that allows undocumented immigrants to drive lawfully in that state, issuing them licenses that don’t show their immigration status.
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Rhode Island, Vermont and Connecticut have also passed similar legislation.
If the New Hampshire bill were to pass, it would be unlawful for an undocumented immigrant who lives in Massachusetts or Vermont to drive in New Hampshire, and that person would face a class B misdemeanor. The proposal would require the Division of Motor Vehicles to keep an updated list on their website of out-of-state class licenses that are invalid in New Hampshire. A state employee would be paid up to $66,000 to do that work.
Republican representatives want to revive the use of E-verify
In New Hampshire when a new employee is hired, the employer has no obligation to report that person’s immigration status to any government agency. A group of representatives aims to change that with a bill similar to one that failed to pass two years ago.
House Bill 1110 is supported by six Republican legislators. The bill says employers with 25 or more employees will have to use E-verify, a system that serves to match a person’s identity with the U.S Citizenship and Immigration Service database.
E-verify is used in at least 22 states and prevents employers from hiring people who are not eligible to work lawfully in the U.S without a resident card, citizenship, or a working visa.
A similar bill, also sponsored by Republican representatives, was tabled in the 2022 legislative session. At the time, advocates said the bill was discriminatory and questioned the accuracy of the system, noting it could throw false results that could wrongfully mark a worker as undocumented.
White House and congressional negotiators are discussing steps that officials say could potentially fill detention centers and halt the apprehension of migrants at the border.
We need everyone to Tell Senators: Do NOT trade asylum for emergency funding. Currently, a bipartisan group of Senators are negotiating a deal to pass funding for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan in exchange for extreme, permanent changes to U.S. immigration and asylum law. This tradeoff would destroy refugee protections for people seeking safety and increase chaos at the US-Mexico border. We need your help to urge Senators to reject bad-faith deals meant to make it impossible to seek safety in the U.S. and deport people back to danger. Here is a call-in script that you can use to contact your senators to reject bad-faith deals meant to make it impossible to seek safety in the U.S. and deport people back to danger.
USCIS Expands myProgress to Form I-485 and Form I-821
On Nov. 21, we announced the availability of myProgress (formerly known as personalized processing times) for Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status, and Form I-821, Application for Temporary Protected Status. myProgress will initially only be available for family-based or Afghan special immigrant Form I-485 applicants.
Applicants with a pending Form I-485 or Form I-821 can now log in to their USCIS online account to view confirmation of completed steps and estimated wait times until the next step in their case processing is completed, including:
Confirmation that the application was received;
Movement of the application through preprocessing and adjudicative steps; and
The case decision.
This is an important step in our efforts to improve the experience of the people we serve, increase transparency in adjudications, and reduce Contact Center wait times.
myProgress updates will be available for applications filed online or for paper-filed cases later linked to a USCIS online account using an online access code. Visit our How to Create a USCIS Online Account webpage for instructions on linking a paper-filed form to a USCIS online account.
All applicants and petitioners must still use the Check Case Processing Times webpage to determine eligibility to file an Outside of Normal Processing Times service request.
For more information on myProgress, see the full announcement. We will hold outreach activities to ensure applicants, petitioners, and interested parties are familiar with myProgress.
The BEAD Plan is for the physical extension of Broadband into every house, we heard from Dr McLaughlin regarding the Digital Equity Plan which is focused on 8 marginalized communities’ in NH and on Language, Culture, Wealth etc.
You can find the draft BEAD Plan here along with how to submit your comments:
You are subscribed to the announcements from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC). See the latest updates here: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/foreign-labor
November 17, 2023. The Departments of Labor and Homeland Security Publish Rule Increasing the Number of H-2B Visas Available in Fiscal Year 2024
The U.S. Departments of Labor and Homeland Security (DHS) have published a temporary final rule (TFR) increasing the numerical limitation on H-2B nonimmigrant visas to authorize the issuance of no more than 64,716 additional visas for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 positions to employers that are suffering irreparable harm or will suffer impending irreparable harm without the ability to employ all of the H-2B workers requested under the cap increase. Of the 64,716 visas available, up to 44,716 are limited to H-2B returning workers, and up to 20,000 are reserved for nationals of Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Haiti, Colombia, Ecuador, or Costa Rica. The TFR provides additional protections for U.S. workers, flexibility for foreign workers, and additional recruitment requirements for certain employers.
In support of this rule, the Office of Foreign Labor Certification (OFLC) has posted the new Form ETA-9142-B-CAA-8 and the accompanying instructions. The TFR requires an employer to attest, among other things, to the fact that it is suffering irreparable harm or will suffer impending irreparable harm without the ability to employ all of the H-2B workers requested under the cap increase. This attestation must be submitted to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) along with Form I-129, in support of an H-2B application subject to the H-2B cap. DHS will not accept any H-2B petitions under provisions related to the FY 2024 supplemental numerical allocations after September 16, 2024, and will not approve any such H-2B petitions after September 30, 2024. The attestation is also available on the Forms page of the OFLC website at: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/foreign-labor/forms.
PLEASE NOTE: The TFR requires employers with a certified start date which is 30 or more days prior to the submission of their visa petition to USCIS to engage in additional recruitment of U.S. workers. Employers required to conduct additional recruitment must provide OFLC with the case number for each temporary certification which will be used in support of a visa petition to USCIS concurrently with their placement of new job orders with the State Workforce Agency. Employers who must conduct this concurrent notification requirement are encouraged to notify OFLC National Processing Center by sending an email to H2Bsupplementalvisas@dol.gov, and including the words “H-2B TFR 2024 Recruitment” followed by the unique temporary labor certification case number in the subject line of the email.
