Weekly Immigration News Roundup: March 31
This week, Manifest immigration attorney Ana Gabriela Urizar offers her insights on some of the latest headlines.
H-1B lottery results for the Fiscal Year 2027 began trickling in
USCIS intends to notify all selected registrants by March 31, 2026. Employers will receive the results through their myUSCIS account.
Urizar: “Don’t assume you haven’t won the lottery if you haven’t received notice yet. As we continue to see results roll out in the coming days, I suggest remaining in contact with either your employer or immigration attorney for updates regarding your registration.”
The Labor Department plans to increase prevailing wage tiers
If implemented, the suggested changes could make it more expensive for employers to hire foreign workers through an LCA‑based category such as the H‑1B or a PERM‑based category like the EB‑2.
Urizar: “This policy could make it harder to hire international talent with salaries that are currently deemed acceptable. Compensation planning will be imperative here, as many U.S. companies will need to offer more competitive salaries to sponsor someone.”
Nearly 250,000 immigration cases remained unopened in FY 2025
USCIS’s frontlog went from zero to nearly a quarter million in 2025, compounding the already-long processing backlogs for employment and humanitarian visas.
Urizar: “This likely has contributed to wait times climbing across popular categories such as the O-1, EB-1A, and EB-2 NIW. There are simply more cases in the queue than the agency is resolving.”
The State Department expanded social media screening to 14 more visa categories
To facilitate the vetting process, applicants affected by this policy must set the privacy settings on their social media profiles to “public” or “open.”
Urizar: “This rule already applies to those seeking an H-1B, H-4, F, M, and J visa through consular processing. This rule has already caused months-long delays at U.S. embassies, and this broadening of the online presence policy may have a similar effect.”
USCIS released Q4 approval data for fiscal year 2025
The latest statistics from the federal government include updated approval numbers for the O-1, EB-1A, and EB-2 NIW categories.
Urizar: “Approval rates data only informs one part of your filing strategy. If you have questions about this data and want to explore your visa or Green Card options, I suggest seeking a consultation with an immigration attorney.”
