On January 8, 2015, the Department of Homeland Security is considering a “Known Employer” pilot program to streamline adjudication of certain types of employment-based immigration benefit requests filed by eligible U.S. employers.
On January 8, 2015, the Department of Homeland Security is considering a “Known Employer” pilot program to streamline adjudication of certain types of employment-based immigration benefit requests filed by eligible U.S. employers.
The “Known Employer” pilot, which the Department expects to commence by late 2015, is intended to test a program designed to make adjudications more efficient and less costly, while reducing paperwork and delays for both the Department and U.S. employers who seek to employ foreign workers.
The pilot would be jointly implemented by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. A goal of the pilot would be to expedite or otherwise facilitate legitimate cross-border business travel along the Northern border ports of entry, which is a bi-national commitment under the North American Free Trade Agreement as well as the U.S.-Canada Beyond the Border initiative.
In particular, one specific commitment made by the U.S. and Canadian governments under the Beyond the Border initiative is to “explore the feasibility of incorporating a trusted employer concept in the processing of business travelers between Canada and the United States.”
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