Inside Immigration with Nadia Yakoob

Hosted by Nadia Yakoob

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Sep 2024

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About the show

Nadia Yakoob has over 20 years of experience in US immigration law and is an immigrant herself. She understands the need for information that is clear and concise. She created Inside Immigration to provide foreign nationals with accurate and expert information on obtaining temporary visas, permanent residence and citizenship for the US.

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20 recent

September 24, 2024Episode 2023 min

Episode 20: Creative Expression of the Immigrant Experience: A Discussion with Poet Renzo Del Castillo

In this episode, we look at expressing the immigrant experience through creative work, such as poetry and writing. I invited Renzo del Castillo, author of a collection of poems titled Still, to discuss how he used poetry to process his experiences immigrating to the United States. Writing about our experiences can give us a better understanding of our past, present and future. I hope this conversation inspires you to write about your journey to the United States!

May 30, 2024Episode 1942 min

Episode 19: Immigration and Mental Health: A Conversation with Dr. Lorraine Ehlers-Flint

Moving to a new country can be stressful, even if we are excited about the change. In this episode of Inside Immigration, I invited Dr. Lorraine Ehlers-Flint, a psychologist and immigrant, to discuss the impact of immigration on mental health and ways to improve mental well-being.

January 19, 2024Episode 1812 min

Episode 18: Understanding the monthly Visa Bulletin

In this episode, I discuss the monthly Visa Bulletin, which is issued by the U.S Department of State every month and provides information on which immigrant visa applications the government is working on. I go over the various categories of immigrant visas, the annual limits to the green cards available, what a priority date is and why there are different tables in the monthly visa bulletin. With this podcast, I hope to help you understand the monthly visa bulletin so you can plan your permanent residence process better.

February 3, 202315 min

Episode 17: Interning in the United States

In this episode, I discuss the J-1 visa for interns and trainees. The J-1 can be used for a variety of cultural exchange programs, and provides a pathway for foreign nationals to visit the United States to teach, study, conduct research, or receive on the job training. I spoke with a Senior Associate of People Operations and a Product Design Intern from Verkada, a fast-growing startup in the Bay Area, about their experiences with the J-1 visa program. They share insights on recruiting interns from international schools, confirming that the intern is eligible for the J-1 visa, and the overall internship experience.

November 18, 2022Episode 1616 min

Episode 16: Facing A Layoff? A Discussion of Visa Options

In this episode, we discuss options for foreign nationals on temporary employment-based visas whose employment has been terminated or who are concerned about possible termination. For common employment-based visas, including the H-1B, E, L, O and TN, employees have 60 calendar days from the last day of employment to find a new employer that can sponsor them for a visa or to apply for a change of status. I spoke with Leyla Mostafavi, an associate at my firm, on factors to consider when finding a new job, exact timing of the grace period, and options to consider if the employee is unable to find a new sponsoring employer. While losing a job can feel very stressful, another job, most likely a better one, is around the corner. Let this be a time to reflect on where you want to land next and set your goals accordingly.

November 2, 2022Episode 1517 min

Episode 15: Becoming a US Citizen

In this episode, I discuss the process and requirements for becoming a United States citizen through naturalization. For lawful permanent residents, there are several advantages to becoming a US citizen, including access to federal benefits, protection from deportation, ability to live and work abroad, and the right to vote. Most countries now allow for dual citizenship, so I highly recommend considering naturalization.

March 21, 2022Episode 1440 min

Episode 14: Green Cards Based on Extraordinary Ability

In this episode, I discuss the requirements for getting a green card based on extraordinary ability. I invited a former client to share his experience with this process, including tips for when to get started, building a portfolio of evidence, deciding between self or employer sponsorship, and responding to a request for evidence.

September 3, 2021Episode 1355 min

Episode 13: Testing the Labor Market For Employment-Based Green Cards

In this episode, we will discuss how employers should test the US labor market in order to sponsor a foreign national worker for permanent residence ("green card"). I interview a former DOL attorney who worked at the agency for over 30 years before retiring to get his expert insights on the most common reasons for denial of the applications to fill a position with a foreign national worker, what options employers have to overcome these denials, and the challenges employers face today in testing the US labor market.

July 15, 2020Episode 1235 min

Episode 12: A Deep Dive into DACA

DACA was introduced by the Obama administration in June 2012 as a temporary program until Congress could pass a law that would provide a pathway to citizenship for foreign nationals who had been brought to the United States as young children and who had been living here without authorization ("Dreamers"). The program stands for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Since its introduction, DACA has been at the center of several hotly contested lawsuits. The legal battle recently enjoyed a victory at the US Supreme Court, which found that the Trump administration's decision to end the program in September 2017 was "arbitrary and capricious," which is legal speak for saying it didn't make any sense. In this episode of Inside Immigration, Nadia Yakoob interviews a Dreamer about his experiences and a senior lawyer at the University of California who has been heavily involved in the litigation to preserve DACA to get a deeper understanding of DACA and all that it stands for.

February 24, 2020Episode 1131 min

Episode 11: Finding an Employer Open to Visa Sponsorship

Many foreign nationals seeking employment in the United States are nervous about discussing the need for visa sponsorship. I wanted to get the inside scoop on how job-seekers can make their applications and profiles stand out, and overcome employer resistance to visa sponsorship. I decided to interview an extremely seasoned professional recruiter who has 30 years of experience to tell me what she looks for in candidates, how she finds them, and how to approach the need for visa sponsorship during the interview process.