Welcome Back Academic Colleagues

Welcome back to the fall semester 2024. It is going to be an active one with the Elevate project implementation, growing requests for international faculty and researchers and a Presidential election. I am writing to provide you with an update on ISSS Faculty/Scholar Advising activities along with reminders for best-practices. 

I also write to share our excitement over the increased number of new international faculty and scholars at the University of Maryland, who bring new perspectives to research and teaching and increase diversity in their respective fields.

For the 2023/2024 fiscal year, we had a 34% increase from the last reporting period. 

TOP COUNTRIES

TOP HOSTING COLLEGES

Within these colleges, the top five hosting departments are Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering, Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center, Department of Physics, and the Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering.

Engagement among scholars is a key goal of ISSS. To support this, the Faculty & Scholar team has prioritized activities that promote inclusion and enhanced our services with pre-arrival and welcome videos, as well as kick-off meetings. These initiatives have become a hallmark of our customer service.

This year, we conducted 12 training workshops for departments across campus, hosted 71 pre-arrival and orientation sessions, and organized 10 scholar engagement and skill-building activities. This fall, we launched a new engagement plan that includes a partnership with career services to help international visiting students and postdocs develop their professional skills. We’re also spotlighting a unique J-1 experience, showcasing how their professional journey led them to UMD, and hosting a dedicated coffee hour to foster community connections among scholars.

The Faculty and Scholar team in ISSS also concentrated on enhancing our services for the J-1 student intern population. This program aims to support the educational, cultural, and research goals of foreign students pursuing bachelor’s and master’s degrees abroad. To facilitate this, we created an orientation workshop specifically for interns and organized luncheons to connect interns from different departments across campus.

This past year has not been without challenges. Due to the loss of two highly experienced International Faculty/Scholar Advisors and the budget climate, we continue to face difficult processing times. With more than 65% of the cases submitted to ISSS with acute deadlines and an urgent need for ISSS to expedite the case, we struggle to meet the needs of the campus. ISSS continues to process until the positions are filled. We will do our best to meet your requests and we request your patience.

Best,

Connie Jesse Lira

PROCESSING TIMES

During this period, we require additional time to process departmental requests.

• H-1B employment: Without Premium processing, USCIS is adjudicating H-1B petitions in approximately 3-4 months. We ask that H-1B petitions be submitted with a 6-month lead time to provide the new employee a smooth transition to UMD. This time frame is especially important when the H-1B applicant is outside the U.S. and will need to undertake the visa application and plan for travel to begin employment.  We do require that initial requests be submitted with a minimum of 3-months lead time. These cases will most likely require premium processing which means USCIS will adjudicate the petition within 15 business days and take an additional 10 days to mail the approval notice to UMD.
• Initial J-1 DS-2019s: Initial requests for a J-1 DS-2019 must be submitted to ISSS 3- 4 months before the start date. This processing time allows time for visa applications, travel time, departmental request processing, and ISSS processing. Please plan to begin J-1 visitors with this 3-4-month lead time as this allows the employee sufficient time to apply for a US visa, undergo background checks (4 - 6 weeks), handle their personal matters and travel to the US to find housing and settle-in before starting their position. Once the request is received at ISSS, please allow for 2 - 3 weeks for DS-2019 processing. ISSS prefers to process requests in the order that they are received to create equity in the application process.
• Extensions/Transfers: Please submit J-1 Extension and Transfer requests 2 months before the DS-2019/appointment end date. This will allow sufficient time to review and approve the request, which may require collecting additional information prior to issuing the DS-2019. The J-1 participant may need to renew security clearances and driver’s licenses. Early completion of the extension request can facilitate the continuity of the research project and payroll. 

ELEVATE AND iTERP

At ISSS, we are preparing for the implementation of Workday. With the release of Elevate’s last day activities guidance, we would like to bring to your attention three dates that will assist you in your planning for international hires this fall. 

• October 25, 2024 is the deadline for requesting new positions or changes to position numbers in e-Terp. If this is for an international hire, we recommend adding additional time to process ECO clearance and obtain appointment approval from the Provost’s office in PHR.
• November 2, 2024 is the last day to approve future transactions in PHR. If this is an international hire, please note that the employee will need time to enter the U.S. and present their I-94 record before this date to allow time for ISSS to approve appointments before November 1, 2024.
• November 15, 2024 - Elevate - Go Live

This means that the departments will not be able to submit new visa requests between October 25 - November 15; data transfer between PHR and iTerp will cease at this time. iTERP has no black out days. Any faculty hire that is approved by the Provost office by 11/1 will enter the data feed to iTerp on 11/2. This is the last day for ISSS to receive a feed from PHR. ISSS will continue working on the immigration application after 11/2. No new data will be received in iTERP until the go live date of 11/15. The data feed between Workday and iTERP should begin on the evening of our Go Live date.

Because of these deadlines, please consider not using a start date between November 2 and 15. During this period, the international employee’s transition to UMD may prove challenging as they will not have access to email services, buildings, ID card, etc. Please plan carefully around these periods. 

If the appointment for your international hire is approved by November 1st or earlier, it will be in Workday when it goes live. Appointments that do not get approved in PHR by November 1st will need to be recreated in Workday after it goes live on November 15, 2024.

Please contact ISSS if you need assistance to determine a feasible start date.

J-1 Exchange Visitor Program

• New: The minimum funding for the J-1 exchange visitor program is determined using the Faculty Assistant's 12-month salary set by UMD's Faculty Salary Guidelines. Effective October 1st, all new requests submitted in iTerp will be required to demonstrate a minimum funding amount of $44,986 per year.

Effective January 1, 2025, FLSA salary threshold will increase to $58,656. The rising cost of living in the MD-VA-DC area is a concern for our scholars. WTOP ranks the DC area as one of the 10 most expensive cities for cost of living. We have also seen a significant increase in the cost of health care coverage, which is a requirement for our J-1 exchange visitors. Once the University has finalized a plan for implementation, we will review its impact on the J-1 program and send out a second communication.

New: J-2 Dependent Funding Requirements: Effective January 1, 2025, the minimum funding for J-2 dependents will increase to $10,000 per year for the spouse and $7,500 per year for dependent children. 

• Reminder: As of July 1, 2023, scholars and interns (J-1) are permitted to telework 1 - 2 days per week. The Department of State requirement is in sync with UMD telework policy. Please remember that scholars appreciate meeting with their host faculty members. Meeting regularly and mentoring the scholar as they work towards their programmatic goals is an important part of the exchange program and in building a TerrapinStrong community.
• J-1 Start Dates: When possible, we ask that new paid J-1 exchange visitors receive start dates on the first of the month in order to simplify the health insurance process for the exchange visitor. When the J-1 scholar does not have coverage at the start of their position, they can receive coverage under the UMD SHIP policy at a daily premium rate until they can be added to the State of Maryland's insurance plan. Please refer your new J-1 scholars and interns to ISSS to enroll in this coverage.
• Use of Faculty Titles: The J-1 Research Scholar and Professor categories are limited to temporary position titles: postdoctoral associate, faculty assistant, and visiting scientists and visiting professors. J-1 regulations prohibit the use of the visa for tenure-track, tenured, and permanent positions.
• J-1 Online Check-in: Upon arrival to the U.S., all J-1 scholars will check-in online through iTerp. The login instructions for iTerp are posted on the ISSS website. In some cases, the scholar may require assistance with uploading documents into iTerp. Please note that a digital photo or a scan can be used for uploading documents into iTerp. J-1 scholars receive information about the check-in process in the information sent to them prior to arriving in the U.S.

H-1B, E-3, O-1 and TN Employment Visas

• Reminder: To be eligible for an H-1B, part-time teaching positions require a minimum of 10 hours; research positions require a minimum of 20 hours.
• Reminder: Only teaching positions may hold 9-month appointments 

U.S. Consulates/Embassies - Visa Issuance

• Reminder: The State Department is extending its policy to waive visa interviews for nonimmigrant visa holders. The policy, issued in 2021, is effective through 2024 and permits select H-1B, O-1 and J-1 applicants with a previously approved visa to request a waiver of the visa interview. Visa applicants must apply for a visa while physically present in their country of nationality or residence. The foreign national will be required to complete the DS-160, visa application, and pay all associated visa fees when applying. The visa applicant will be responsible for emailing the consulate to request the waiver. 
• We continue to monitor U.S. government entry restrictions and the operations of U.S. embassies and consulates with regard to visa issuance. Please visit the Department of State - Bureau of Consular Affairs website for visa wait times. This website provides information on the time required in advance of the visa interview. 

Training Workshops for Fall 2024

F-1 Student Employment - CPT & OPT

Tuesday, October 1, 2024 at 1:30p.m.

Please register here!

How to Reach an ISSS Faculty/Scholar Advisor

Chat online with ISSS for quick inquiries - M-F, 10:30am-12:30pm

Visit our website. It contains most of the information you need to submit requests to ISSS

Make an appointment with an ISSS advisor.

Call us directly on our dedicated phone line. 301.405.1617. Our program specialists are your main points of contact for international faculty/scholar questions.

ISSS Faculty/Scholar News is your source for the latest immigration and processing updates on international faculty and scholar advising activities. Stay informed with key reminders and best practices to support international faculty and scholars.