Christopher R. Thorn's practice focuses on employment-based immigration matters. Christopher serves corporate clients in a wide variety of industries, including telecommunications, health care, biotechnology, pharmaceutical, engineering and higher education. He works with companies to obtain and maintain temporary and permanent work visas for their foreign national employees. Christopher concentrates much of his practice on the area of employment-based immigration for institutional clients, multinational corporations and universities. His experience includes helping corporations acquire employment-based visas for key employees so they will be authorized for employment in the United States. He advises companies on employee documentation requirements and I-9 compliance issues. He represents clients before federal agencies, including U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Department of Labor and the Department of State through its consular posts abroad. Christopher has significant experience successfully handling matters such as: · Temporary B-1 (business visitor), E (investors/traders), H-1B (professionals), L-1 (intra-company transferees), O (extraordinary) and TN (NAFTA) visas. · Permanent labor certification, both traditional and "special handling" for college or university teachers. · Extraordinary, outstanding researcher/professor and national interest waiver immigrant visa petitions. · Overseas consular processing of nonimmigrant and immigrant visa petitions. · Adjustment of status and U.S. citizenship. · Counseling on I-9 compliance, Social Security no-match and E-Verify issues. Prior to joining the firm, Christopher worked as an immigration specialist for a market research firm in the Philadelphia area. He provided training and reference tools to employees, recruiting staff and business managers on visa issues. He assisted in the pre-screening process of all foreign national candidates in need of visa sponsorship to ensure their eligibility for hire and coordinated all requirements and necessary paperwork for various U.S. consulates abroad in assisting employees with visa applications. This "client-side" experience gives Christopher a unique perspective in the course of his practice. Publications & Speeches 2011 Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery Program Announced
September 30, 2009 USCIS' E-Verify Supplemental Guide Offers Important Guidance for Federal
September 17, 2009 Employers Must Prepare For Increased H-1B, L-1, and I-9 Inspections
September 2, 2009 District Court Affirms E-Verify Federal Contractor Rule
August 27, 2009 Obama Administration Adopts E-Verify Federal Contractor Rule, Drops Social Security No-Match Rule
July 13, 2009 ICE Launches Initiative to Step-Up Audits of Businesses' Employment Records
July 2, 2009 H-1B Visa Numbers Still Available for FY2010
June 25, 2009 Final Rule Requiring Federal Contractors to Use E-Verify Program Delayed Yet Again
June 3, 2009 Final Rule Requiring Federal Contractors to Use E-Verify Program Delayed Further
April 17, 2009 USCIS Announces H-1Bs Remain Available
April 9, 2009 H-1B & Form I-9 Deadlines Fast Approaching
March 26, 2009 U.S. Army Begins Nonimmigrant Recruitment Program
February 24, 2009 H-1B Amendment Included in Final Version of Economic Stimulus Bill
February 16, 2009 Interim Final Rule Implementing I-9 Changes Delayed
February 2, 2009 Final Rule Requiring Implementation of E-Verify Suspended Further
January 28, 2009 USCIS Publishes New Form I-9 Effective February 2
January 23, 2009 Final Rule Requiring Federal Contractors to Use E-Verify Program Suspended
January 12, 2009 Important Reminders Regarding Visa Waiver Program Changes, New Form I-9 and New Travel Document Requirements
January 9, 2009 U.S. Chamber of Commerce Files Suit Challenging E-Verify
January 7, 2009 DHS Expands US-VISIT Requirements to Include Lawful Permanent Residents
December 30, 2008 U.S. Military Starts Pilot Program to Recruit Lawful Nonimmigrants
December 16, 2008 Final Rule Requires Federal Contractors to Use E-Verify System
November 14, 2008 Foreign Nationals Need to Prepare in Advance For Holiday Travel
November 3, 2008 USCIS Increases Period of Stay for TN Nonimmigrants to Three Years
October 16, 2008 2010 Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery Program Announced
October 1, 2008 Update on Department of State PIMS Program
September 2, 2008 President Signs Executive Order Mandating E-Verify for Federal Contractors
June 10, 2008 DHS Announces Changes to Visa Waiver Program
June 3, 2008 USCIS Completes H-1B Lottery
April 15, 2008 DHS Releases Interim Rule Extending Optional Practical Training
April 7, 2008 Urgent Advisory: USCIS Extends H-1B Filing Deadline
April 2, 2008 Urgent Advisory: Last Chance for New H-1B Filings
March 19, 2008 Update to New USCIS Background Check Policy
March 3, 2008 H-1B Visa Cap for New Visas Expected to Be Reached On First Day of Filing
February 6, 2008 DHS Issues Final Rule on REAL ID
January 16, 2008 Latest Update on State Immigration Laws
January 9, 2008 USCIS Releases New Form I-9
November 8, 2007 Federal Judge Blocks DHS 'No Match' Letter Regulation
October 12, 2007 2009 Diversity Visa Lottery Procedure and Deadline
October 8, 2007 Judge Delays Ruling on DHS 'No-Match' Letter Regulation
October 4, 2007 DHS' Final Rule on SSA 'No-Match' Letters Delayed
September 20, 2007 DHS Issues Final Rule on Social Security Administration 'No-Match' Letters
August 15, 2007 USCIS Reverses Policy, Will Allow Employment-Based I-485 Filings Through August 17, 2007
July 18, 2007 Department of State Issues Revised July 2007 Visa Bulletin
July 2, 2007 July Visa Bulletin Released - All Employment-Based Categories Current
June 14, 2007 State Department Temporarily Suspends New Passport Rules
June 8, 2007 Department of Labor Issues Final Rule on Elimination of Labor Certification Substitutions, Immigration Advisory
May 23, 2007 H-1B Visas for Graduates of U.S. Advanced Degree Programs are Unavailable
May 8, 2007 Update on H-1B Petitions Subject to the FY2008 Cap: Advanced Degree Numbers Still Available
April 11, 2007 H-1B Cap Reached for Fiscal Year 2008
April 4, 2007 Latest Developments in I-9 Compliance: What Every Employer Needs to Know
March 13, 2007 Immigration Advisory - January 2007
January 2007 Visa Waiver Program E-Passport Reminder
October 2006 Immigration Lottery Procedure and Deadline
September 25, 2006 USCIS Expands Premium Processing Service
August 22, 2006 H-1B Cap for Graduates of U.S. Advanced Degree Programs Has Been Reached
July 31, 2006 DHS Announces a New Initiative Regarding Unauthorized Employment and Offers 'Best Hiring Practices'
July 27, 2006 Less than 6,000 H-1B Visas Remain For Graduates of U.S. Advanced Degree Programs
July 7, 2006 Immigration News - Foreign Nationals Need to Prepare in Advance for Summer Travel
June 12, 2006 Immigration News - Senate Passes Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill
May 26, 2006 Immigration News - President Bush Announces Five-Point Plan for Immigration Reform
May 16, 2006 Affiliations Philadelphia Chapter USCIS Liaison Committee, American Immigration Lawyers Association | 
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