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Under the H-1B visa program, an employer may employ foreign workers in occupations requiring theoretical or technical expertise in a specialized field. An H-1B visa holder is issued a Social Security number (SSN) but is only authorized to work for his or her sponsoring employer.

In response to a recent Department of Homeland Security (DHS) study and criminal investigations launched by the Department of Justice (DOJ) concerning visa fraud, the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) set out to assess whether H-1B workers were properly using their SSNs. In its September 2011 Audit Report, H-1B Workers' Use of Social Security Numbers, the OIG estimated that 18% of H-1B workers assigned a SSN in 2007 may have used their SSN to work for a non-approved employer: specifically, 11% posted wages from an employer other than their approved employer, and 7% posted no wages from fiscal years 2007 to 2009.

Based on its findings, the OIG recommended that the Social Security Administration work more closely with DHS and establish a data match agreement to help DHS identify and reduce improper SSN usage by H-1B visa holders.

Photo credit: Aggressive Entertainment

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According to euobserver.com, a proposal in the European Union (EU), if adopted, would require the collection of Passenger Name Record (PNR) data of travelers flying internationally into or out of the EU. The proposal does not apply to travelers flying between EU member states.

PNR data include an individual’s home address, mobile phone number, credit card information and email address. The data are collected in the departure country, then forwarded to the arrival country for security screening purposes. Such a procedure exists in the United States: airlines flying into and over the United States must provide authorities with all passengers’ PNR data.

Support among EU member states is mixed. The proposal’s supporters point to reports that data collection resulted in 1,800 individuals being denied entry to the United States in 2008 based on data revealing links to terrorist cells or organized crime. Opponents express concerns about infringements upon civil liberties and contend that the burden on governments to maintain another huge information database (and on businesses to collect and supply this information) is onerous.
 

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In connection with the implementation of a new automated immigration system, there was a brief period (March 30 to April 4, 2010), during which Kuwait’s Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor did not process transactions related to the issuance of work permits or the transference of expatriate residence, reports Arab Times. The new system, which has been delayed since 2007, took effect on April 4, 2010. The system aims to ease the exchange of information between the Ministry of Social Affairs and Labor and other ministries, reduce paper usage, and connect the government with local banks, according to KuwaitSamachar.com.

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Khaleej Times reports that the United Arab Emirates is leveraging technology to expedite residency permit applications. Specifically, physical fitness test results, a requirement for new and renewed residency permits, are being delivered electronically by the Dubai Health Authority directly to the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD). Previously, applicants had to manually retrieve and deliver the results. The new system notifies applicants via text message that their results have been delivered and that they should proceed to DNRD to complete further paperwork.

Officials estimate that the system can process 40,000 tests a month, with each result taking approximately five days to process. Nevertheless, applicants with an urgent need can apply for test results to be transferred within 24 hours.

Photo credit: Niklas Bildhauer

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As reported at KableNET.com, the UK Border Agency plans to work with the United States, Canada and Australia to “introduce a system of appropriate data protection arrangements for fingerprint checks and data sharing.” This system, which is intended to help identify and bar foreign criminals from entering the UK, is one of the programs discussed in the agency’s business plan  issued on April 1.

Other highlights of the business plan include:

• As of December 2008, the agency had enrolled more than 3.6 million sets of fingerprints from visa applicants, finding more than 5,200 cases of identity swaps.
• By December 2009, the agency will open its National Border Targeting Centre, checking 60% of all international passenger movements (with the goal of checking 95% of movements by the end of 2010).
• By 2011, all new applicants coming to the UK for more than six months, or extending their stay, will need to have a biometric identity card.
   

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