PHISHING SCAM: Fake IRS E-mails

The phishing scams have already started.  Each year, millions of people receive an email “from the IRS” that looks very real and asks the person to click on a link in order to get their refund electronically deposited into their bank account.  The person is asked to enter his or her SSN/ITIN and bank information and told that the refund will be there in about 24 hours. 

Please be aware of the following:

FIRST – the IRS DOES NOT and CANNOT send emails to taxpayers.

SECOND – if the person clicks on the link, a virus will likely be launched onto their computer. IF they actually enter the information, it is likely that money will be deducted from their bank account within a matter of hours. 

May 2013 Visa Bulletin

EB-3 Will Advance Significantly for Most Countries

According to the State Department’s May Visa Bulletin, the EB-3 subcategory for professionals and skilled workers will advance by more than seven months for China and five months for most other countries, to December 1, 2007. EB-3 India will advance a modest two weeks, however, to December 22, 2002. In the EB-2 category, priority date cut-offs for China will advance six weeks, to May 15, 2008, and will remain unchanged for India, at September 1, 2004. 

May 2013 Visa Bulletin, Employment-Based Immigrant Visas

See the entire bulletin here: http://www.travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_5927.html. 

Sequestration Update: What Immigration Agencies Will Have Furloughs?

From ACIP, 04/10/2013

Department of State: The Department of State is not furloughing employees at this time, but has retained the option to furlough employees beginning June 30.

 

Customs and Border Protection:  On March 7, furlough notices were sent to all CBP employees.  This decision faced considerable opposition from Congress.  On April 1, CBP postponed furloughs until further notice.

 

Department of Labor: DOL has issued furlough notices to 4,700 employees.  Employees must take their furlough days between April 15 and September 21.  We are doing outreach with the Office of Foreign Labor Certification to determine the impact furloughs will have on the processing of prevailing wage determinations, PERM and LCAs.

 

Department of Homeland Security: DHS law enforcement personnel will be furloughed for up to 14 days.

 

USCIS: At this time, USCIS has not announced any furloughs.  While USCIS is a fee based agency, we have been informed that the fee account is subject to the sequester and furloughs are possible.