USCIS Reaches H-2B Cap for First Half of FY 2027

What changed

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has initiated a proposed rulemaking to introduce substantial new fees for Optional Practical Training (OPT) for F-1 nonimmigrant students. This measure, announced on 8 October 2026, aims to enhance the integrity of the immigration system by deterring fraud and protecting the interests of U.S. workers. Under the proposal, an initial OPT application would incur a fee of $70,000, while any subsequent OPT would cost $30,000. Stakeholders have until 9 November 2026 to submit comments on these proposed changes.

What changed

On 26 October 2026, the US Department of Homeland Security issued an official notice confirming certain immigration fines that had been imposed under an earlier government procedure. The fines were issued between 27 June 2025 and 13 October 2026. They concern people who were fined for failing to leave the United States after being ordered to do so, failing to leave within the time allowed under a voluntary departure order, or entering or attempting to enter the country unlawfully in certain circumstances. The notice does not introduce a new type of fine. The fines already existed under US immigration law. What changed in June 2025 was the process the government used to issue and review them. DHS has now formally confirmed the earlier decisions made under that process. In simple terms, the department is saying that it stands by those decisions and wants to remove doubts about how they were made.

What changed

On 20 October 2026, new provisions of Canada's Canada Labour Code came into force, introducing stronger protections against certain fees charged by temporary help agencies and establishing equal-treatment requirements for workers in federally regulated employment. The federal government has published two complementary guidance documents: Temporary Help Agencies – IPG-123 and Equal Treatment – IPG-122. These explain how the new requirements apply, which workers are covered, when differences in pay may be permitted, and how employees can raise concerns.

What changed

Japan's Immigration Services Agency updated the operational guidelines for its Specified Skilled Worker (SSW) programme on 19 October 2026, alongside revisions to official guidance on the documentation required for certain applicants under the Specified Skilled Worker (ii) category. The most clearly documented change concerns how applicants and employers demonstrate that a worker's duties include supervising or instructing other workers. The revision addresses situations in which an employer temporarily lacks the required number of people to be supervised, as well as circumstances in which appropriate supervision may take place across different departments or work locations.