Efren Hernandez, a life long USCIS policy leader, now working in the private sector sits down with Tahmina to discuss the shocking $100,000 fee imposed on H-1B visas. Efren Hernandez is the Founder of EH3 Immigration Consulting. He is an immigration lawyer with 32 years of experience in the field, the vast majority at the former INS and at USCIS. While he has seen and done just about everything in the immigration realm, for the last 24 years he has focused on business/employment-based i...
Senator Vandana Slatter helped pass state funding for a Washington State immigrant entrepreneur program, one of a handful in the entire country. Tahmina sits down to speak with her. Senator Vandana Slatter (D–WA 48th District) is a pharmacist, biotech professional, and trailblazing lawmaker who brings science, compassion, and equity to public service. Currently Vice Chair of the Senate Environment, Energy & Technology Committee, she also serves on the Health and Higher Education c...
Given the various challenges in the United States, many U.S. residents are seeking information on how to immigrate to Canada. Tahmina speaks with David Kika, an immigration expert practicing Canadian immigration law. David Kika is a seasoned business immigration professional based in North Vancouver, BC, with deep expertise in Canadian and international immigration pathways. He supports clients with LMIA applications, work permits (including NAFTA/CUSMA, CPTPP, and CETA), and both provi...
This is an episode shared from The Startup Visa podcast that will be useful for our listeners. In this episode, our guest is Chris Bloomquist. He is a 20-year veteran of the technology industry, a 2-time startup founder, and expanding into the climate and environmental recruiting industries. He has a passion to tell the stories of impactful environmental organizations, leveraging his executive level recruitment expertise to put inspiring people to work, and believes that equitable...
In this episode, Jordan Lawrence is the EB5AN Director of Business Development. In this role, he structures EB-5 project offerings and develops new strategic relationships. Jordan most recently served as the Director of Operations at Houston EB5. He has over five years of experience in the real estate finance and development industries, online marketing, and international business development. You can learn more about him at https://eb5affiliatenetwork.com/ Tahmina Talks Immigration and The...
In this episode of Tahmina Talks Immigration, I speak with Clive Stafford Smith- British American Human Rights Lawyer who is an expert on Guantanamo Bay detained cases having represented over 80 detainees held at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. He specialises in the areas of civil rights and working against the death penalty in the United States of America. He worked to overturn death sentences for convicts, and helped found the not-for-profit Louisiana Capital Assistance Center in N...
Amanda DuBois is the founder and managing partner of DuBois Levias Law Group, a woman-owned boutique family law firm in Seattle. Before practicing law, she was a high-risk labor and delivery nurse at the University of Washington Medical Center, a background that informs her legal work and fuels her passion for social justice. Over the past thirty years, DuBois has represented thousands of clients in divorce and medical malpractice cases, argued hundreds of motions, and taken multiple ca...
Thank you so much for tuning into Tahmina Talks Immigration, with your host, Tahmina Watson. In this episode, I am honored to speak with Melanie Gladstone, director of Lakewood Playhouse's performance of The Diary of Anne Frank, and Nicole Lockett, cast member playing Edith Frank. The show runs April 15th to May 8th on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and select Thursdays at the Lakewood Playhouse in Lakewood, Washington. Tickets are available for order HERE. Melanie and Nicole discus...
Thank you for tuning in to The Startup Visa Podcast. In this episode, I am honored to speak with Sridhar Katta, CEO and Founder of TruVs.com. TruVs Inc, is a modern business and technology consulting company. They help their customers modernize their business operations using world class business processes and cutting edge technologies. Hear Sridhar share about his immigrant entrepreneur experience and why he believes we need a #startupvisa! The Startup Visa Podcast is a podcast on US...
Thank you for tuning in to The Startup Visa Podcast. In this episode, I am honored to speak with Marko Issever, CEO and Founder of America EB5 Visa. America EB-5 Visa aims to connect international investors aiming to immigrate to the United States while making a meaningful financial contribution in the form of an investment, typically on a real estate project with seekers of these investments. The Startup Visa Podcast is a podcast on US immigration for startups, investors, and entrepreneurs....
Thank you for tuning in to The Startup Visa Podcast. In this episode, I am honored to speak with Gavin Johnson, Attorney at Immix Law. As both an entrepreneur and business attorney with an active presence within the Washington State startup scene, Gavin assists clients from early concept stage to clients navigating complex mergers and acquisitions. With his legal and business experience, Gavin focuses on protecting and empowering his clients across an array of industries. The Startup Visa Pod...
Thank you for tuning in to The Startup Visa Podcast (all episodes linked here). In this episode, I am honored to speak with Jeremy L. Neufeld, Senior Immigration Fellow at Institute for Progress. Previously, he was an immigration policy analyst at the Niskanen Center. His work has been cited in numerous outlets including the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, and MSNBC. He graduated with a B.S. in economics from the University of Maryland, College Park and is currently an ec...
Thank you for tuning in to The Startup Visa Podcast (all episodes linked here). In this episode, I am honored to speak with William Dean, VP of Immigration at Masterplans. William has frequently been a featured panelist at the EB-5 Investors Conference, having spoken on direct investment, business visa options, and franchising. He is also a contributing author to the magazine, writing about job calculations for EB-5 petitioners and the hurdles of the L-1 visa platform. The Startup Visa Podcas...
Thank you for tuning in to Tahmina Talks Immigration. In this episode, I am honored to speak with Shashi Vijay, Principal Attorney at VJ Law Firm, and friends Ravi Bulusu and Venkatram Reddy Ravi. Shashi founded VJ Law Firm in Fall 2010 with a simple vision: Provide fast, affordable legal services to individuals, families and small-businesses in the Seattle Eastside. She is also the founding member of Washington State Bar Assoication's Low Bono section and offer probono services to local non-...
Thank you for tuning in to Tahmina Talks Immigration. Today I have the honor of speaking with Jordan Lawrence, Business Development Associate as Houston EB-5. Developing new relationships with partners in the immigration investment industry is at the heart of what Jordan Lawrence does. Cultivating a network that spans attorneys, wealth managers, international realtors, private bankers and more, Mr. Lawrence is tasked with helping promote awareness of immigration solutions. Check out Houston E...
Thank you for tuning in to Tahmina Talks Immigration. This episode is a clip taken from Gener8or's webinar on the International Entrepreneur Rule. Gener8tor is a turnkey platform for the creative economy that connects startup founders, musicians, artists, investors, universities, and corporations. The gener8tor platform includes pre-accelerators, accelerators, corporate programming, conferences, and fellowships. Check out their work at their website linked here https://www.gener8tor.com/ Art...
Thank you for tuning in to Tahmina Talks Immigration. This episode is a clip taken from the University of Washington's CoMotion webinar on Fundamentals for Startups. An overwhelming number of American startups and enterprises have immigrant founders/co-founders. The US immigration system is complex and can present as a barrier for entrepreneurs, founders, and investors looking to bring their ideas to America. Learn more about different visa types and immigration pathways to the US in st...
Thank you for tuning in to Tahmina Talks Immigration. I am excited to announce that my 2nd Edition Startup Visa book is out now and available here. The Startup Visa Series is also out with interviews from experts on the topic such as Brad Feld, Jason Wiens, Troy Vossellor, John Dearie, and many more. In this episode, I have the honor of speaking with Social Justice Advocate, Mark M. Bello. Mark Bello is an attorney and author of the Zachary Blake Legal Thriller Series. Mark is passio...
The Startup Visa Series is a series of interviews of thought leaders on startups, entrepreneurship, and immigration from around the world. Hear more about why they argue for the need for a startup visa. Guests include startup founders, venture capitalists, investors, policymakers, and others. This interview series coincides with the launch of the 2nd Edition of my book, The Startup Visa, available for order now here! In this episode of the Startup Visa Series, I speak with Jason Wiens, Polic...
The Startup Visa Series is a series of interviews of thought leaders on startups, entrepreneurship, and immigration from around the world. Hear more about why they argue for the need for a startup visa. Guests include startup founders, venture capitalists, investors, policymakers, and others. This interview series coincides with the launch of the 2nd Edition of my book, The Startup Visa, now available for purchase here! In this episode of the Startup Visa Series, I speak with Danish So...