By: ISSS The Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) guidance issued for Fall 2020 will remain the same for the Spring 2021 semester. We would like to remind you of this guidance and address what SEVP will permit in certain key areas based on when and/or if you have come to the U.S. in F-1…
By: ISSS On December 1, a federal judge vacated the US Department of Labor (DOL) rule which had temporarily raised the required wage for almost all H-1B petitions. The DOL rule, which was published and went into effect on October 8, 2020, amended how prevailing wage rates are calculated for H-1B and Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) programs,…
By: ISSS As part of International Education Week 2020, our director Dr. Rudie Altamirano appeared as part of a NAFSA Association of International Educators panel to discuss how international educators can advocate for social justice on university campuses and create spaces for international students that go “beyond immigration”: “We’re not just dealing with international students as demographics,…
By: Penn Today
By: ISSS As we approach the Thanksgiving break and the transition of the University to fully remote instruction, we would like to provide information and reminders about travel outside of the United States. Due to the continued unpredictability of COVID-19’s impact on travel, we do not recommend international travel for those currently in the United States.…
By: International Student & Scholar Services There have been reports of Penn international students and scholars being targeted by scammers impersonating officials from IRS (Internal Revenue Service), ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement), CBP (Customs and Border Protection), FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), a U.S. Consulate, law enforcement, or other government agencies. These scammers, who manipulate…
By: ISSS On October 8, 2020, the US Department of Labor (DOL) published a rule amending how prevailing wage rates are calculated for H-1B and Permanent Labor Certification (PERM) programs. A prevailing wage rate is the average wage paid to similarly employed workers in a specific occupation in the area of intended employment, and the…
By: ISSS On Friday, September 25, 2020, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security proposed a rule that would eliminate “duration of status” (D/S) for international students and scholars holding F and J visas, as well as their dependents. If the rule is adopted, students and scholars with F or J visas would be admitted to…
By: ISSS During the week of August 24, ISSS and its campus partners hosted two events to welcome new international undergraduate and graduate/professional students to Penn. During both sessions, we introduced current international students, played a variety of interactive games, and gave new students an opportunity to pose their immigration-related questions to ISSS advisors. On Monday, August…
By: ISSS On Wednesday, August 5, ISSS hosted a virtual workshop on “Visa Interview Dos and Don’ts.” The workshop featured a discussion of best practices for visa interview success, followed by a Q&A with ISSS advisors. You can view the recording below. Timestamps with links to questions asked during the Q&A portion will be added…