Request to Attend the 2018 Symposium – Talking Points
We have prepared some talking points in a draft memorandum format that can help you articulate the importance and benefits of attending the Council for Global Immigration’ Symposium when requesting authorization to attend. Need more help? Feel free to contact Patricia Spetz .
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Subject: Request to Attend the Council for Global Immigration’s 2018 Symposium
I would like to participate in the Council for Global Immigration’s2018 Symposium in Arlington, VA from June 10-13. The Symposium will provide[Insert Employer Name]with the vital tools and knowledge we need to stay compliant and define our organization’s immigration strategy in this challenging environment, and I would like your permission to take advantage of this opportunity for the organization by registering for the Symposium.
The Council for Global Immigration (CFGI) is a not-for-profit trade association whose mission for over 40 years has been to educate on immigration and global mobility issues and advocate for common sense and workable U.S. and global immigration policies. In addition to providing a platform for advocacy, CFGI’s Annual Symposium is the professional development and training event for in-house global mobility professionals in corporate, non-profit, legal, university, and government organizations.
The primary benefits of my attending the Symposium include:
- Learning how [Insert Employer Name] can improve immigration policies and procedures to navigate the current climate;
- Helping to protect [Insert Employer Name] by understanding global compliance risks and developing best practice strategies; and
- Developing a network of resources who can help [Insert Employer Name]benchmark issues and solutions
Below is further detail on the benefits to [Insert Employer Name] from my attending the Council for Global Immigration’s 2018 Symposium:
1) Meet with the key leaders of U.S. government agencies and Congressional representatives to gain the latest information on immigration programs and learn how we can work together to improve our immigration policies and procedures.
The 2018 Symposium will provide a forum to discuss and learn about developments regarding important immigration policy and legislative developments within the Trump administration and on Capitol Hill. I will get the very latest news about immigration compliance, visas, employment verification and legislation that could change the entire immigration landscape.I will have an opportunity to hear directly from government officials about where our immigration programs stand and how we can best work together to improve processing for our employees. For example:
- Keynote speakers from U.S. Government agencies will speak on topics impacting my daily employment responsibilities.
- Representatives from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Department of State (DOS), and U.S. Department of Labor (DOL)will speak about the latest regulations and policies that immigration professionals need to know about; and
- I will have the opportunity to engage with government officials on critical issues in the current immigration landscape, including I-9 compliance and potential changes to the H-1 B and OPT programs.
[OPTIONAL]: In addition, I would plan to attend the advocacy day meetings with Congressional representatives on Capitol Hill on Wednesday, June 13
2) Understanding global compliance risks and developing best practice strategies to protect [Insert Employer Name].
Over 20 workshop sessions will be offered on topics involving both U.S. and global immigration, with a particular focus on best practices. Examples of workshop topics that will be covered include:
- Avoiding and responding to H-1B requests for evidence
- Worksite enforcement: I-9s, E-Verify and FDNS
- STEM-OPT, H-4 and other categories at risk
- Global Business Travel Strategies and Compliance
- Brexit and other hot global immigration topics
3) Networking, benchmarking, and strategizing with other global mobility and immigration professionals to develop a network of resources for [Insert Employer Name].
Symposium activities will present many opportunities for formal and informal networking, benchmarking of policies and sharing of best practices among professionals across a wide range of industries. The connections I will make with other immigration professionals will benefit [Insert Employer Name] by providing a network of resources that can help guide our own policies and practices and ensure they are in line with how other employers are handling immigration issues.
I appreciate you taking the time to consider this request and hope I am able to attend the Council for Global Immigration’s Symposium in June to help [Insert Employer Name] further its immigration and global mobility efforts. Please contact me should you have questions.
Sincerely,