{"abstract":"The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is amending its regulations related to certain employment-based immigrant and nonimmigrant visa programs. Specifically, the final rule provides various benefits to participants in those programs, including the following: improved processes and increased certainty for U.S. employers seeking to sponsor and retain immigrant and nonimmigrant workers; greater stability and job flexibility for those workers; and increased transparency and consistency in the application of DHS policy related to affected classifications. Many of these changes are primarily aimed at improving the ability of U.S. employers to hire and retain high-skilled workers who are beneficiaries of approved employment-based immigrant visa petitions and are waiting to become lawful permanent residents, while increasing the ability of those workers to seek promotions, accept lateral positions with current employers, change employers, or pursue other employment options.","action":"Final rule.","agencies":[{"raw_name":"DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY","name":"Homeland Security Department","id":227,"url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/agencies/homeland-security-department","json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/agencies/227","parent_id":null,"slug":"homeland-security-department"}],"body_html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/html/2016/11/18/2016-27540.html","cfr_references":[{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":204,"title":8},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":205,"title":8},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":214,"title":8},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":245,"title":8},{"chapter":null,"citation_url":null,"part":274,"title":8}],"citation":"81 FR 82398","comment_url":null,"comments_close_on":null,"correction_of":null,"corrections":[],"dates":"This final rule is effective January 17, 2017.","disposition_notes":null,"docket_ids":["CIS No. 2571-15","DHS Docket No. USCIS-2015-0008"],"dockets":[],"document_number":"2016-27540","effective_on":"2017-01-17","end_page":82492,"executive_order_notes":null,"executive_order_number":null,"full_text_xml_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/xml/2016/11/18/2016-27540.xml","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2016/11/18/2016-27540/retention-of-eb-1-eb-2-and-eb-3-immigrant-workers-and-program-improvements-affecting-high-skilled","images":{},"images_metadata":{},"json_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/api/v1/documents/2016-27540?publication_date=2016-11-18","mods_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/metadata/granule/FR-2016-11-18/2016-27540/mods.xml","not_received_for_publication":null,"page_length":95,"page_views":{"count":312643,"last_updated":"2026-10-24 12:15:04 -0400"},"pdf_url":"https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2016-11-18/pdf/2016-27540.pdf","presidential_document_number":null,"proclamation_number":null,"public_inspection_pdf_url":"https://public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2016-27540.pdf?1479390331","publication_date":"2016-11-18","raw_text_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/full_text/text/2016/11/18/2016-27540.txt","regulation_id_number_info":{"1615-AC05":{"issue":"201610","html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1615-AC05/retention-of-eb-1-eb-2-and-eb-3-immigrant-workers-and-program-improvements-affecting-highly-skilled-","title":"Retention of EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 Immigrant Workers and Program Improvements Affecting Highly-Skilled H-1B Nonimmigrant Workers","xml_url":"http://www.reginfo.gov/public/do/eAgendaViewRule?pubId=201610&RIN=1615-AC05&operation=OPERATION_EXPORT_XML","priority_category":"Economically Significant"}},"regulation_id_numbers":["1615-AC05"],"regulations_dot_gov_info":{"supporting_documents":[{"title":"Supporting Statement - AC21 (c)","document_id":"USCIS-2015-0008-8208"},{"title":"Tale of Changes - Form 1.22.2016","document_id":"USCIS-2015-0008-8207"},{"title":"Tale of Changes - Instructions 1.22.2016","document_id":"USCIS-2015-0008-8206"},{"title":"Form I-129, Petition for a Nonimmigrant Worker","document_id":"USCIS-2015-0008-8205"},{"title":"Instructions for Petition for Nonimmigant Worker","document_id":"USCIS-2015-0008-8204"},{"title":"Regulatory Impact Analysis (Final Rule)","document_id":"USCIS-2015-0008-20060"},{"title":"Regulatory Impact Analysis","document_id":"USCIS-2015-0008-0270"},{"title":"I- 485, Supporting Statement","document_id":"USCIS-2015-0008-0013"},{"title":"I-765, Supporting Statement","document_id":"USCIS-2015-0008-0012"},{"title":"I-765, Table of Changes - Form 12.24.2015","document_id":"USCIS-2015-0008-0011"}],"regulatory_plan":{"html_url":"https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/1615-AC05/retention-of-eb-1-eb-2-and-eb-3-immigrant-workers-and-program-improvements-affecting-highly-skilled-","title":"Retention of EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 Immigrant Workers and Program Improvements Affecting Highly-Skilled H-1B Nonimmigrant Workers"},"comments_url":"https://www.regulations.gov/docketBrowser?rpp=50&so=DESC&sb=postedDate&po=0&dct=PS&D=USCIS-2015-0008","supporting_documents_count":19,"docket_id":"USCIS-2015-0008","regulation_id_number":"1615-AC05","title":"Retention of EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 Immigrant Workers and Program Improvements Affecting Highly-Skilled Nonimmigrant Workers","checked_regulationsdotgov_at":"2016-12-08T06:00:18Z"},"regulations_dot_gov_url":null,"significant":true,"signing_date":null,"start_page":82398,"subtype":null,"title":"Retention of EB-1, EB-2, and EB-3 Immigrant Workers and Program Improvements Affecting High-Skilled Nonimmigrant Workers","toc_doc":"Retention of EB1, EB2, and EB3 Immigrant Workers and Program Improvements Affecting High-Skilled Nonimmigrant Workers","toc_subject":null,"topics":["Administrative practice and procedure","Adoption and foster care","Aliens","Cultural exchange programs","Employment","Foreign officials","Health professions","Immigration","Penalties","Reporting and recordkeeping requirements","Students"],"type":"Rule","volume":81}