Teri Simmons Quoted in SHRM Discussing Increased Risk of Foreign National Employees Stuck Overseas

Teri Simmons, chair of AGG’s International Immigration & Global Mobility practice, was quoted in a March 21, 2022, article for the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) discussing foreign national employees leaving the U.S. and having challenges returning.

In light of the pandemic, many overseas consulates faced staffing shortages or closures that continue to result in delays for visa approvals, which Teri said continues to be a challenge.

“This has resulted in extraordinary backlogs on adjudication of new E visa applications filed by investors in the U.S., as well as delays in consular processing,” she said.

Consulates can close and open without notice, often canceling appointments suddenly. Employers hiring people outside of the U.S. are having to wait a long time for those employees to arrive in the country start work.

“The problem has eased somewhat since the height of the pandemic but has not improved markedly,” Teri added. “The U.S. is suffering through a shortage of skilled workers and professionals, and the current backlogs in visa processing both in the U.S. and at U.S. consulates abroad are detrimental to the U.S. economy.”

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