Category Archives: Deferred Action

Podcast – Employment Authorizations for Immigrants: Who Qualifies and How to Apply?| LEGAL THOUGHTS

Published August 4, 2020

Podcast - Employment Authorizations for Immigrants: Who Qualifies and How to Apply?| LEGAL THOUGHTS

Legal Thoughts is a podcast presentation by Coleman Jackson, P.C., a law firm based in Dallas, Texas serving individuals, businesses, and agencies from around the world in taxation, litigation, and immigration legal matters.

This particular episode of Legal Thoughts is a podcast where the Attorney, Coleman Jackson is being interviewed by Mayra Torres, the Public Relations Associate of Coleman Jackson, P.C.

The topic of discussion is “Employment Authorizations for Immigrants: Who Qualifies and How to Apply?” You can listen to this podcast by clicking here: 

You can also listen to this episode and subscribe to Coleman Jackson, P.C.’s Legal Thoughts podcast on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, Cashbox or wherever you may listen to your podcast.

TRANSCRIPT:

ATTORNEY:  Coleman Jackson
Legal Thoughts
COLEMAN JACKSON, ATTORNEY & COUNSELOR AT LAW

ATTORNEY:  Coleman Jackson

Welcome to Immigration Thoughts

  • My name is Coleman Jackson and I am an attorney at Coleman Jackson, P.C., a taxation, litigation, and immigration law firm based in Dallas, Texas.
  • Our topic for today is: “Employment Authorizations for Immigrants: Who Qualifies and How to Apply?”
  • Other members of Coleman Jackson, P.C. are Yulissa Molina, Tax Legal Assistant, Reyna Munoz, Immigration Legal Assistant and Mayra Torres, Public Relations Associate.
  • On this “Legal Thoughts” podcast our law firm’s Public Relations Associate, Mayra Torres will be asking the questions and I will be giving the answers as she and I will be discussing: “Employment Authorizations for Immigrants: Who Qualifies and How to Apply?”

Mayra Torres Introduces Herself to the Audience:

  • Hi everyone, I am Mayra. I am the Public Relations Associate at the tax, litigation and immigration law firm of Coleman Jackson, P.C. Right here in Dallas, Texas.
  • Now Attorney: this is a follow up on a podcast that we did a couple of weeks ago where you and I were discussing “Green Cards & Work Permits” during this dread…………full pandemic!
  • Let’s go deeper into immigrants and work authorizations in the U.S. First of all:
  • What are the different types of work permits and who qualifies to work in the United States?

Attorney Answers Question 1:

  • Wow Mayra; that is a gigantic question since there are over 50 or 60 different categories of work authorizations defined in the U.S. Immigration Nationality Act, or INA, 8 United States Code. Each of these categories apply to different categories of immigrants, non immigrants, and their family members. Each category has different qualifying criteria. The duration for each category may also differ depending upon the specific authorizing provision of the INA.
  • We might have to address your question in several separate podcast over the next few weeks or even months. Interested listeners should subscribe to our podcast. For now, I intend to cover maybe 10 categories of work permits in this particular podcast. And for the most part I will merely mention the technical references to the applicable INA Section numbers authorizing the particular work permit category. I will also try to leave out the legal jargon and speak in ordinary language to see if I can explain work authorizations so that normal people can understand the different categories of work permits and their specific qualifying requirements.

Mayra Comments on That Approach

  • Oh exactly attorney. Its best to explain this in simple, easy to understand words;so that, people can follow along and understand what you are saying; you know! I mean …talk in language that regular people can understand.
  • And oh yeah; we can have a series of conversations on this topic in future podcast. Anyone who wants to know more about work permits for immigrants can subscribe to our law firm’s podcasts. Okay let’s go… my first question is this:
  • What are the different types of work permits and who qualifies?

Attorney Continues with Answer of Question1:

  • I am going to start by discussing those classes of immigrants who are authorized to be employed in the United States without restrictions as to location or type of employment:
    1. An immigrant who is a Lawful Permanent Resident (with or without conditions pursuant to INA section 216). These are immigrants issued Form I-551 or Green Card by the Department of Homeland Security.
    2. An immigrant who is a lawful temporary resident of the U.S. pursuant to INA section 245A or section 210 of the Immigration Nationalization Act. These temporary residents of the U.S. have been issued an EAD or Employment Authorization Document.
    3. An immigrant who has been paroled into the U.S. under INA section 207 as refugee.Refugees in the U.S. have been issued an EAD or Employment Authorization Document.
    4. An immigrant who has been granted asylum under INA section 208. Asylum seekers whose applications have been pending for more than 90 days can also be granted a work authorization while their asylum applications are pending decision at the Asylum Office.
    5. An immigrant who has been granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS) under INA section 244 has been issued an Employment Authorization Document (EAD).
    6. Any immigrant who has been granted U-1 crime victims status pursuant to 8 CFR 214.4 are issued a work authorization so long as they are in that status.
    7. Any immigrant who has been granted VAWA status under the Violence Against Women’s Act has the authority to work in the United States as long as they are in that status.
  • All immigrants who are authorized employment incident to their status, must apply to U.S.Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for a work authorization with the exception of the Green Card holder and the immigrant granted VAWA status; a VAWA self-petitioner can request authorization to work directly on the Form I-360 Petition. And Green Card Holders or Lawful Permanent Residents have the authority to work anywhere.
  • Again, all work permits discussed so far falls into the category where the immigrant can be employed in the United States without restrictions as to location or type of employment. They can work anywhere. Now less turn to the category of work authorization which are restrictive as to location and employer.

Interviewer:  Mayra Torres, Public Relations Associate

Question 2:

  • You mean some immigrants are restricted as to who they can work for and when!
  • What kind of restrictions are we talking about here? You mean there are immigrants who can’t work for anyone they want and anywhere in the United States … they want?

Attorney Answers Question 2:

  • Yes Mayra; that is exactly right. Some immigrants are issued work permits that restrict who they can work for and where they can work in the United States. I am only going to cover about three in this podcast. These are the most popular types; but again, we might revisit this topic in future podcast. For now, I am going to limit my discussions of immigrants who are restricted by law to work for a specific employer or otherwise restricted to employment authorized in the INA to these three:
  • First: A non immigrant treaty trader in the E-1 category and treaty investor in the E-2 category pursuant to INA section 214.2(e) are restricted to working only for the treaty-qualifying company through which they attained their status. They cannot work for anyone else in the United States.
  • Second: A non immigrant student must have a valid F-1 student status and are restricted pursuant to INA section 214.2(f) to working no more than 20 hours per week when the school is in session or full-time when school is not in session if the student intends to and is eligible to register for the next term or session. Moreover, the INA provides that students can engage in employment in the form of curricular practical training (internships, cooperative training programs, or work-study programs which are part of an established school curriculum) after being enrolled as a full-time student for a full academic year. These employment matters are handled on campus by the Designated School Official at the student’s college or university on Form I-20.
  • Third: An intra-company transferee in the L-1 status pursuant to INA section 214.2(l) is authorized to work only for the employer who filed the petition through whom they obtained the L-1 status.An immigrant on L-1 status cannot work for anyone else in the United States. I might add that the type of work they can perform is also restricted to the representations made by their employer in their petition. They must be high-level managerial or executive level individuals coming to the U.S.to oversee some specified areas or providing expertise in growing the domestic enterprise.

Attorney Interview: By Mayra Torres

QUESTION 3:

  • Wow! Attorney thanks for giving such comprehensive overview of these 10 types of work permit categories.
  • I have so many more questions, such as,
    • What is the duration of each one of these work permits that you have discussed; and
    • Whether the immigrant’s family members, such as, their spouse, children, and parents can work too; and
    • How can an immigrant with a work permit get a Green Card (we might have covered that in our previous podcast on Green Cards, but I can’t remember your answer now)?
  • Maybe we can discuss those questions in future podcast or blogs or something.
  • But a big question right now with this pandemic deals with workers getting sick on their jobs.
  • Question number 3 is this one: Undocumented Immigrants are not authorized to work in the United States; so… what if they catch Covid-19 at work and get sick or …worst…dies…. Are they entitled to receive any money for lost wages or earnings?

Attorney Answers Question 3:

  • That is a very complex question and the law could be in flux because of federal, state, or local rules changes being discussed in many circles. These protections could impact whether employees can recover damages of any kind resulting from injuries allegedly sustained as the result of Covid-19.So, I will limit my answer to Texas law pre-Covid 19.
  • Well established law in Texas says that injured workers and/or contractors are not required to be U.S. citizens nor are they required to possess immigration work authorization permits as a prerequisite to recovering damages for lost earning capacity due to injury on the job. There is case law that goes as far back as 1993 that holds this legal principle.
  • But the law in this area could change as law catch up with legislative and other changes at the federal, state, and local level as it pertains to the response to Covid-19. And let me just say, federal law can be an affirmative defense whenever it conflicts with state or local law. So bottom line; the answer to this question is unclear at this time.

Attorney’s Summary:  Coleman Jackson

  • Mayra thanks for asking some very important questions regarding work permits.
  • I know we did not answer all of the questions you might have on this very important immigration topic. We might revisit it in our future blogs, podcast, or videos on our U-Tube Channel. For now,we have to go.

Attorney’s concluding Remarks:

THIS IS END OF “LEGAL THOUGHTS” FOR NOW

  • Coleman Jackson, Attorney’s concluding remarks:
  • Thanks for giving us the opportunity to inform you about the Immigrant Work Authorizations in the U.S. We might discuss other aspects work permits and their requirements in follow up podcasts or blogs in the near future. If you want to see or hear more taxation, litigation, and immigration LEGAL THOUGHTS from Coleman Jackson, P.C. Subscribe to our podcast and Stay tune! We are here in Dallas, Texas and want to inform, educate, and encourage our communities on topics dealing with taxation, litigation and immigration. Until next time, take care.

Check Your ITIN because it could be Expired or Expiring Soon

By: Coleman Jackson, Attorney, CPA
November 21, 2016

Check Your ITIN because it could be Expired or Expiring Soon

Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, otherwise known as (ITIN) allows taxpayers to meet their tax filing obligations who cannot obtain a Social Security Number.  An ITIN is typically used by nonresident foreigners , undocumented resident foreigners, dependents and spouses of U.S. Citizens and resident foreigners who cannot get a social security number, and nonresident students, professors or researchers filing a U.S. federal tax return or claiming an exception, and anyone else who has a tax reporting obligation but cannot obtain a social security number.  The ITIN, like a social security number, is a nine digit code.  The ITIN begins with the number 9 and has fourth and fifth digits ranging from 50-65, 70-88, 90-92, and 94-99.   These are the middle digits of the ITIN.   The ITIN does not grant the holder any legal rights to reside in the United States.  The ITIN does not grant the holder any right to work in the United States.  The ITIN is issued by the United States Treasury (IRS).  The ITIN is only used for tax reporting purposes.

ITIN holders beware!  Section 203 of the Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (PATH Act), which became law on December 18, 2015 made critical changes to U.S. Tax Law, 26 U.S.C. Section 6109 as it relates to the Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) Program.  Because of these PATH Act changes, every ITIN holder must check their ITIN to determine whether it is expired or expiring soon.  The PATH Act made major changes in the ITIN Program which requires holders of ITINs to renew their ITIN.

Holders of unused ITINs must renew them or they will expire.  Any ITIN not used on a federal tax return for the last three (3) years.  Count back from the current year to the previous three tax reporting periods.  If it has been three years since the ITIN was used; it expires on January 1, 2017.  That means that if you hold an ITIN that was not used in 2015, 2014 or 2013; your ITIN is no longer valid and cannot be used when you file your 2016 federal tax return; unless, you timely renew it.  The IRS began accepting ITIN renewal applications on October 1, 2016 for taxpayers affected by the PATH Act.

ITINs issued before 2013 began expiring in 2016 on a rolling basis.  The mandatory renewal period for these ITINs is on what the IRS is calling a rolling basis.  The key numbers that triggers the expiration and mandatory renewal schedule as to when the pre-2013 ITIN renewal period began are the middle two digits of the ITIN.  For example, beginning October 1, 2016, ITIN holders with middle digits of 78 and 79 began renewing their ITIN. Every ITIN holder must examine their ITIN and the ITIN of family members (household members) to determine when their ITIN expires or expired based on the IRS rolling renewal schedule.

Holders of expired ITINs could have difficulty complying with U.S. tax laws.  They could be prohibited from claiming exemptions and dependents and so forth with expired ITINs.  Moreover, failure to timely file required federal tax returns carry serious consequences under U.S. tax laws, such as, civil negligence penalties, fraud penalties and potential criminal prosecution.  There could also be serious consequences under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) for failure to comply with U.S. federal tax laws (Internal Revenue Code).  Federal tax law abuse violates the terms of immigrant visas under the INA in certain circumstances.   ITIN holders must check their ITIN because the ITIN could be expired or expiring soon.

This law blog is written by the Taxation | Litigation | Immigration Law Firm of Coleman Jackson, P.C. for educational purposes; it does not create an attorney-client relationship between this law firm and its reader.  You should consult with legal counsel in your geographical area with respect to any legal issues impacting you, your family or business.

Coleman Jackson, P.C. | Taxation, Litigation, Immigration Law Firm | English (214) 599-0431 | Spanish (214) 599-0432

U.S. Immigration Petition Prices Set to Increase this December

October 27, 2016
By:  Coleman Jackson, Attorney

U.S. Immigration Petition Prices Set to Increase this December 2016

Have everybody heard?  It is official.  United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) fees are set to increase effective December 23, 2016.  Applications and immigration petitions postmarked or filed on or after December 23, 2016, must include the new fees or be rejected by USCIS.  Some examples of the fee increase effect on some of the more popular applications and petitions are as follows:

Form Number

Form Title

Fee-Effective 12-23-2016

Current Fee

I-90

Application to Replace Permanent Resident Card

$455

$365

I-102

Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document

455

330

I-129/129CW

Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker

460

325

I-129F

Petition for Alien Fiancé(e)

535

340

I-130

Petition for Alien Relative

535

420

I-131 /I-131A

Application for Travel Document

575

360

I-140

Immigrant Petition for Alien Worker

700

580

I-212

Application for Permission to Reapply for Admission into the U.S. After Deportation or Removal

903

585

I-360

Petition for Amerasian Widow(er) or Special Immigrant

435

405

I-485

Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status

1,140

985

I-485

Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status (certain applicants under the age of 14 years)

750

635

I-526

Immigrant Petition by Alien Entrepreneur

3,675

1,500

I-539

Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status

370

290

I-600/600A

Petition to Classify Orphan as an Immediate Relative /Application for Advance Petition Processing of Orphan Petition

775

720

I-800/800A

Petition to Classify Convention Adoptee as an Immediate Relative /Application for Determination of Suitability to Adopt a Child from a Convention Country

775

720

I-601

Application for Waiver of Ground of Excludability

930

585

I-601A

Application for Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver

630

585

I-690

Application for Waiver of Grounds of Inadmissibility

715

200

I-694

Notice of Appeal of Decision

890

755

I-698

Application to Adjust Status From Temporary to Permanent Resident (Under Section 245A of the INA)

1,670

1,020

I-751

Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence

595

505

I-765

Application for Employment Authorization

410

380

I-824

Application for Action on an Approved Application or Petition

465

405

I-829

Petition by Entrepreneur to Remove Conditions

3,750

3,750

I-924

Application for Regional Center Designation Under the Immigrant Investor Program

17,795

6,230

I-924A

Annual Certification of Regional Center

3,035

0

I-929

Petition for Qualifying Family Member of a U-1 Nonimmigrant

230

215

N-336

Request for Hearing on a Decision in Naturalization Proceedings

640

595

N-400

Application for Naturalization

640

595

N-470

Application to Preserve Residence for Naturalization Purposes

355

330

N-565

Application for Replacement Naturalization/Citizenship Document

555

345

N-600/N-600K

Application for Certification of Citizenship/Application for Citizenship and Issuance of Certificate under INA Section 322

1,170

600/550

USCIS Immigrant Fee

220

165

Biometric Fee

85

85

The table of fees above does not list the names or filling fees for all immigrant petitions and applications.  Filing fee increases take effect on or after December 23, 2016.  New submissions must be submitted to the Department of Homeland Security (USCIS) with the payment associated fees attached.

This law blog is written by the Taxation | Litigation | Immigration Law Firm of Coleman Jackson, P.C. for educational purposes; it does not create an attorney-client relationship between this law firm and its reader.  You should consult with legal counsel in your geographical area with respect to any legal issues impacting you, your family or business.