Congress Extends Four Immigration Programs until March 2009
Congress has extended four immigration programs that were due to expire this fall: the EB-5 immigrant investor regional center program; the E-Verify program, which allows employers to electronically verify an employee’s work eligibility; the religious worker visa program; and the Conrad State 30 program for certain foreign doctors who work in medically underserved areas. The EB-5 regional center and E-Verify programs were included in H.R. 2638, a bill that funds the federal government for the next several months. The religious worker and Conrad State 30 programs were passed in separate bills (S. 3606 and H.R. 5571, respectively). All four extensions last until March 6, 2009.
