THE NEW U.S. TRAVEL BAN

WHAT U.S. EMPLOYERS AND THEIR FOREIGN EMPLOYEES SHOULD KNOW ABOUT THE NEW TRAVEL BAN

There is much uncertainty after the latest visa and travel restrictions announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on September 24, 2017. These restrictions apply to citizens of 8 different countries and could limit the hiring, promotion, business-related trips and other travel for individuals from these countries working for U.S. businesses.

There are waivers potentially available that may allow citizens of the 8 restricted countries to visit or work in the U.S., but it is not yet clear how the waivers will be administered.

Because of this uncertainty, it is recommended that American businesses should pay close attention to the nationality of their employees and keep all paperwork – such as I-9 forms for employee eligibility verification – up to date.

In the new policy, some of the 8 nations have more restrictions than others. For example, businesses should try to keep all Iranian employees from leaving the United States at all, until things change. If a business is not careful, it could have its employees stranded outside of the country.

These business immigration issues have become more complex, it has become more important for business owners and investors to consult immigration specialists instead of leaving these matters to human resources generalists.