Seeing as the
ESA,
GDC,
IGDA et al are too busy letting everyone know how the "
Muslim Ban" is terrible, doing very little to actually help those potentially caught in the middle of the controversy. Here's a few things to look into if you are, or might be, one of the unfortunate;
The following is provided for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal or otherwise formal advice. Where appropriate, consult a qualified representative for advice, support or assistance.
- Check if the suspension actually applies to you
- the following Countries are (currently) subject to the Executive Order; Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Sudan. - Check your employment status
- are you a Temporary Worker, a Student, Intern, on Work Placement, a Permanent Worker, or Overseas Worker; the rules differ significantly for each 'status' type so be clear about the conditions under which you are working or providing labour (Overseas Workers, that is individuals that freelance, work-for-hire, or provide otherwise short-term or project-to-project contract based labour outside the United States with no requirements for travel, are not typically subject to Visa requirements UNLESS they intend to enter the United States). - Contact your employer
- if you have not yet been contacted by your employer, their HR department or legal representatives, get in touch with them. Check your employment status with the company/business/venture, especially where H-1B's are concerned ("H-1B Specialty Occupations, DOD Cooperative Research and Development Project Workers, and Fashion Models"). - Get informed
- read through the appropriate section(s) of the U.S.Citizenship and Immigration Services et al website to make sure you understand your duties and obligations with respect to the Visa authorising your working for a U.S. based business, i.e., "Understanding H-1B Requirements". - Do you need to travel to the United States
- determine whether travel to/from the United States is a condition of employment/work; the Executive Order currently only affects travel to/from the Countries listed above, not work by itself, which is controlled by different rules and regulations (per "Check your employment status" above, 'work' as a function is not subject to the ban unless there is a requirement the provider of labour is expected to travel to the United States - providing freelance services from a Country subject to the Executive Order does not necessarily prohibit service provision based in/from those locations). - Contact the appropriate U.S. Embassy
- the U.S. Embassy services represent the United States interests in a given region and will be versed on appropriate actions available; Libya, Somalia, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Iran and Sudan. - Contact local Department of Employment
- advice may also be sought from your regional 'department of employment'.
