D CEO Magazine features article about the current state of business immigration in its September 2024 issue.
The article interviews North Texas immigration experts like Karen Lee Pollak about the adverse impact that antiquated regulations are having on growth of local businesses by preventing them from bringing in the talent they need. Here is an excerpt from the article:
Working Within The System
Pollak was born and raised in South Africa and came to the U.S. after attending law school there. She has personal experience navigating the H-1B visa system and was fortunate to secure one to be able to obtain a job as a lawyer in America and eventually open her own practice in the United States. The experience helps her empathize with her clients and the employees they are bringing in. “I have been through the gamut and can understand what they are going through from a mental and psychological perspective,” Pollak says.
She remembers questions about whether she would have to return to her home country while in the U.S. Even though she had a job lined up in America, she lived in fear that she would have to uproot everything she had worked so hard for. However, she was able to get an H-1B visa on her first try and has since gone on to become a U.S. citizen. She is one of the lucky ones. “My whole life was at stake,” Pollak says. “It caused a lot of sleepless nights.”
Others aren’t so fortunate. Many people will continue to stay in school and obtain more degrees to stay in the U.S. on a student visa, which is easier to obtain than an H-1B. Many foreigners spend years being educated in American schools only to have to return to their home country because they can’t get a H-1B visa, despite having American job offers. The increasingly important science, technology, engineering, and math professions are suffering the most. Between 1988 and 2017, STEM degrees obtained by foreign students grew by 315 percent. There are more foreign students who graduate with master’s and doctoral degrees from American schools each year than there are available visas. Immigrants earned nearly half of all doctoral degrees issued in the U.S. in 2022, according to the Center for Immigration Studies.
Those who cannot continue to study and don’t get a visa must return to a country they may not have been back to for years. Other workers try other approaches to stay in the country and keep their jobs. A green card can get a worker out of limbo, but those are also tough to get and are limited by country quotas. Sometimes, the wait for a green card can be as long as eight or nine years.
In recent years, conservative administrations, traditionally the party of free markets, have been more restrictive toward foreign immigration, and the political fluctuations create an added layer of uncertainty.
This past summer, President Joe Biden announced that individuals who were illegally brought to this country as children, so-called Dreamers, would not be separated from their families if one of the family members was married to a U.S. citizen and they had been in the country for at least 10 years.
Read MoreAre you interested in securing U.S. Permanent Residency through the EB-5 Visa Program? We are excited to invite you to an exclusive webinar presented by FirstPathway Partners (FPP). This informative session will cover everything you need to know about the legalities of EB-5, the benefits of the program, and FPP's latest investment opportunities.
Read MoreThe firm is pleased to announce that Karen-Lee Pollak has been named for the 10th consecutive year to the list of D Magazine’s Best Lawyers in Dallas for 2023. “We are grateful and humbled to be acknowledged by our peers and to be included in this elite list which includes some of the best and brightest attorneys in Dallas, Texas.” Said Pollak PLLC’s Managing Attorney Karen-Lee Pollak. Our immigration team is passionate about what we do. We know how critical and life-changing it is to move employees, investors, entrepreneurs and family to the United States in the most cost-effective and timely manner. We pride ourselves on our excellent client service and this recognition illustrates both our dedication and talent and our firm’s commitment to immigration law.”
Read MorePollak PLLC Named a 2022 Law Firm 500 Honoree for Fastest Growing Law Firms in the U.S.
Over the past 6 years, our team at Pollak PLLC, have been dedicated to providing excellence in customer service resulting in many happy clients. In doing so, our commitment and focus has taken us on a fabulous journey of growth – both personally and for our business.
We are pleased to announce that our law firm has been named a 2022 Law Firm 500 Honoree awarded to the Fastest Growing Law Firms in the US. Although this recognition is calculated on growth, it could not be possible without the continued operational excellence and commitment to client service exhibited by our team each and every day.
We are ranked 144th on the 2022 Law Firm 500 and have grown 70% year over year!
Thank you so much to our loyal clients, and partners who have supported us as we have grown. Managing Attorney, Karen-Lee Pollak, commented “We are grateful and humbled to be acknowledged to be included in this elite list of the fastest growing law firms in the United States. Our immigration team is passionate about what we do. We know how critical and life-changing it is to move employees, investors, entrepreneurs and family to the United States in the most cost-effective and timely manner. We pride ourselves on our excellent client service and this recognition illustrates both our dedication and talent and our firm’s commitment to immigration law.”
Pollak PLLC specializes in providing comprehensive immigration solutions to corporations, small businesses, investors and families interested in obtaining immigrant and non-immigrant visas to live and work in the United States.
The Law Firm 500 Award is an honor for our firm to receive and a tribute to our team. Of course, we could not have achieved this truly remarkable accomplishment without our devoted team members. Each in their own way has contributed to making this possible.
As we continue to grow we encourage you to follow our progress and stay in touch! You can view the full list of 2022 Law Firm 500 Honoree firms here: Law Firm 500 Honoree List 2022
Read MoreWe are excited to share that our blog, "When Immigration Matters" has been selected by Feedspot as one of the Top 100 Immigration Blogs on the web. This is the most comprehensive list of on the internet and we are honored to be part of this! We are thrilled that our thoughts and insights are valued and helping those seeking to immigrate to the United States.
The Biden Administration has announced that it is reviving the International Entrepreneur Program, which provides foreign-born entrepreneurs a temporary immigration pathway for up to five years. Primarily aimed at start-ups, the program will be accessible to individuals who have founded new companies within the three years prior to applying and that has attracted at least $250 000 in capital from American Investors or at least $100 000 in grants from Federal, State or local government agencies.
The program was first introduced by the Obama administration in 2017 but was blocked from being implemented by President Trump shortly after his inauguration. In reviving the program, the Biden administration hopes to attract promising entrepreneurs to the USA since the program not only allows its beneficiaries to legally work for their start-up companies, but it also provides work authorization for accompanying spouses.
Today January 25, 2021, President Biden issued a “Proclamation on the Suspension of Entry as Immigrants and Non-Immigrants of Certain Additional Persons Who Pose a Risk of Transmitting Coronavirus Disease.” In regard to both immigrants and non immigrants:
Read MoreDALLAS – Managing Attorney Karen-Lee Pollak from the Dallas law firm Pollak PLLC, once again has earned recognition as a Texas Super Lawyer in 2020 by Texas Monthly Magazine based on her work in Immigration Law.
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