Overview

• Congress failed to pass spending legislation, triggering a federal shutdown on Oct. 1.
• The Labor Department suspended LCA and PERM processing, stopping new H‑1B filings, transfers, and amendments that require fresh LCAs and delaying employment‑based green‑card steps.
• USCIS continues operations because it is funded by application fees, allowing renewals and cases with required certifications to proceed.
• Embassies and consulates expect to keep visa services running on fee revenue with a risk of local cutbacks if funds tighten, and CBP maintains essential border functions.
• New applicants also face a recently announced $100,000 H‑1B filing fee and bipartisan proposals to restrict H‑1B and L‑1 visas, increasing costs and uncertainty for employers.