Sachiyo Isoda Peterson
Practice Areas
Industries
Education
- The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law, J.D., 2010
- University of Kentucky, B.A., 2007, summa cum laude
Bar & Court Admissions
Sachiyo is a partner in the Vorys Columbus office. She counsels and assists clients in the highly complex area of immigration, nationality, and employer sanctions (I-9) law. She focuses her practice on employment-based immigrant and nonimmigrant visas for her clients’ global workforces. She helps clients maintain seamless business processes, including the attraction and the retention of international talent. Her practice spans various industries, including manufacturing, retail, universities, health care, agriculture and other corporations. At times, she also assists in family-based immigration matters.
Her experience includes:
- Counseling clients on all major employment-based temporary and permanent visa categories.
- Advising clients on important immigration-related employment issues, such as employment eligibility, verification, and recordkeeping requirements.
- Helping clients establish new compliance programs, assess the effectiveness of existing compliance programs, and helping with on critical improvements.
- Helping clients plan strategically to avoid immigration-related problems.
Sachiyo is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and is a past president and current board member of the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Central Ohio. Sachiyo is also a board member of the Japan-America Society of Central Ohio (JASCO).
Sachiyo received her J.D. from The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law. She received her B.A. summa cum laude from the University of Kentucky.
Sachiyo is fluent in Japanese.
Professional and Community Activities
- Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Central Ohio, President, 2014; Board of Directors, 2013-Present
- Japan-America Society of Central Ohio, Board of Directors, 2017-Present
Honors & Awards
- Chambers and Partners, Leading Lawyer in Immigration, 2021
News
- 5/20/2021Vorys is pleased to announce that 33 of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized among the leading practitioners in the country in the 2021 edition of Chambers USA .
- 11/5/2020Sachiyo Peterson, a partner in the Vorys Columbus office, was recently featured in a Columbus Dispatch story about the 2021 Women for Economic and Leadership Development (WELD) “WELDing the Way” honorees.
- 1/2/2020Vorys is pleased to announce that Cory Catignani, Brent Craft, Blake Finney, Liam Gruzs, Rex Miller II, Sachiyo Peterson and Anthony Spina became partners on January 1, 2020.
- 10/31/2018Sachiyo Peterson, an attorney in the Vorys Columbus office, was interviewed for a WBNS-10TV news story about immigration law and birthright citizenship.
- 5/6/2011
- 1/3/2011
Events
- 10/12/2020Vorys was proud to host a weeklong virtual program providing insights and updates for HR professionals from October 12-15, 2020.
- 7/21/2020Sachiyo Peterson, a partner in the Vorys Columbus office, presented a webinar on COVID-19 related immigration issues to members of the Japan America Society of Ohio (JASCO) on July 21, 2020.
- 6/18/2020Vorys Partner Sachiyo Peterson participated in a NAPABA panel conversation on June 18, 2020 surrounding strategies to develop and promote Asian and other attorneys of color in the workplace.
- 10/8/2019Vorys Attorneys Bob Harris and Sachiyo Peterson presented at A Restaurateur’s Guide to Immigration: A Three-Part Webinar Series on October 8, 2019.
- 10/1/2019Vorys Attorneys Bob Harris and Sachiyo Peterson presented at A Restaurateur’s Guide to Immigration: A Three-Part Webinar Series on October 1, 2019.
- 9/24/2019Vorys Attorneys Bob Harris and Sachiyo Peterson presented at A Restaurateur’s Guide to Immigration: A Three-Part Webinar Series on September 24, 2019.
- 8/21/2019Vorys Attorney Sachiyo Peterson served as the moderator for the 2019 Women for Economic and Leadership Development (WELD) Columbus August Leadership Series Panel on August 21, 2019.
- 4/11/2019Sachiyo Peterson, an associate in the Vorys Columbus office, was a panelist at the Asian Pacific American Law Students Association’s (APALSA) annual banquet on April 11, 2019.
- 3/19/2019On March 19, 2019, Vorys Associate Sachiyo Isoda Peterson was a panelist at the 2019 Columbus Women in Leadership Symposium.
- 7/25/2018On July 25, 2018, Vorys Associate Sachiyo Isoda Peterson spoke at the WELD Columbus New and Renewing Member Breakfast event, In Our Shoes.
- 5/17/2018On May 17, 2018, Vorys hosted a joint program between JASCO and WELD on Business Communication Styles for Women Engaged with the Japanese Community
- 9/12/2017Vorys attorney Sachiyo Peterson presented at the Greater Columbus Chinese Chamber of Commerce Employment Panel Discussion on September 12, 2017 at Ohio State University.
- 4/21/2016Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP and the Ohio Chamber of Commerce hosted a half-day program focused on labor and employment updates.
- 11/21/2013Vorys attorneys David Cook and Sachiyo Peterson spoke at the International Law Committee Meeting on November 21.
Insights
- 8/31/2021Starting October 1, 2021, applicants for Lawful Permanent Resident status in the U.S. (commonly known as Green Cards) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
- 5/12/2021There have been several U.S. immigration developments over the past few weeks. We highlight all developments of note in this alert.
- 3/11/2021On Wednesday, March 10th, the House passed the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, the third major federal COVID-19 relief act following the CARES Act and the December 2020 Consolidated Appropriations Act. President Biden is expected to sign it into law Friday.
- 2/5/2021On February 5, 2021, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that the initial registration period for the H-1B lottery process will open at noon ET on March 9, 2021 and run through noon ET on March 25, 2021.
- 1/5/2021On December 31, 2020, President Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation extending the suspension of entry of certain nonimmigrant visa holders to March 31, 2021.
- 12/27/2020Late on December 27, the President signed a $900 billion relief package that will provide aid to individuals and businesses still struggling with the economic impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Both the House and the Senate passed the proposal last week.
- 10/2/2020Last week, the Department of State released the October Visa Bulletin. With October being the beginning of the federal government’s new fiscal year, and with COVID-19 and associated visa and travel bans leading to a reduced usage of immigrant visa numbers, there was significant movement in the priority dates.
- 8/5/2020On August 3, 2020, President Trump signed an Executive Order instructing the Secretaries of Labor and Homeland Security to take action to ensure all H-1B employers comply with labor condition and wage requirements.
- 6/23/2020On June 22, 2020, President Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation suspending the entry of certain nonimmigrant visa holders from June 24, 2020 to December 31, 2020.
- 6/17/2020The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced on June 16, 2020 that it will extend the previously announced policy to defer the physical presence requirements associated with the Employment Eligibility Verification process (Form I-9) to July 19, 2020.
- 5/29/2020The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it will resume Premium Processing service for eligible nonimmigrant visa petitions (Form I-129) and immigrant visa petitions (Form I-140).
- 4/23/2020On April 22, 2020, President Trump issued a proclamation suspending the entry of certain immigrants into the United States for 60 days.
- 4/23/2020The new Presidential Proclamation does not apply to nonimmigrant temporary workers including agricultural workers who enter the U.S. on the H-2A Temporary Agricultural Worker Program.
- 4/8/2020With international travel coming seemingly to a halt, employers may be concerned about visa status expirations for their employees who typically extend their status through travel or the consulate, including those in E, Blanket L-1, and TN visa status.
- 4/6/2020The Department of Labor and the U.S. and Citizenship and Immigration Services have yet to issue any special guidance or relax any statutory or regulatory requirements regarding the treatment of nonimmigrants amid COVID-19 workplace implications.
- 3/23/2020The Department of Homeland Security announced on March 20, 2020 that it will exercise discretion to defer the physical presence requirements associated with Employment Eligibility Verification (Form I-9).
- 3/20/2020See the latest U.S. employment and immigration updates related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
- 3/16/2020
- 2/4/2020The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) released a new version of Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification.
- 6/20/2019For those clients with foreign national workers who may have plans to travel abroad this summer, this brief advisory provides some basic guidance and reminders for international travel.
- 2/7/2019The U.S. DHS anticipates that the new procedures will result in granting more H-1B visas to beneficiaries with advanced degrees (U.S. master’s degree or higher), thus rewarding the “most-skilled and highest-paid” in support of the Buy American and Hire American Executive Order.
- 1/4/2019Due to the well-publicized impasse between President Trump and Congress, a partial government shutdown is currently in effect.
- 1/4/2019Due to the well-publicized impasse between President Trump and Congress, a partial government shutdown is currently in effect. Approximately 25 percent of government functions are shut down.
- 1/22/2018At the beginning of each government fiscal year, which starts October 1, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) makes available an allocation of new H-1B visas.
- 1/18/2018The Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986 (IRCA), as amended by the Immigration Act of 1990, makes it unlawful for an employer to knowingly hire or continue to employ any person who is not authorized to work in the United States.
- 1/12/2018On April 18, 2017, President Trump signed an Executive Order titled, “Buy American and Hire American.”
- 3/6/2017The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced that it will temporarily suspend Premium Processing (which guarantees adjudication in 15 calendar days) for all H-1B visa petitions filed on or after April 3, 2017.
- 1/24/2017At the beginning of each government fiscal year, which starts October 1, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) makes available an allocation of new H-1B visas.
- 11/18/2016This week, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a revised Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 for use by employers.
- 5/9/2016The Department of Homeland Security’s new rule on the STEM Optional Practical Training extension goes into effect on May 10, 2016. Some of the changes that impact employers are highlighted in this Immigration Alert.
- 2/16/2016At the beginning of each government fiscal year, which starts October 1, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) makes available an allocation of new H-1B visas. In general, the H-1B visa classification permits a foreign national to work in the United States for a temporary period in a “specialty occupation.”
- 12/23/2015The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices recently released guidance for employers conducting internal I-9 audits. The guidance covers topics including how to define the scope of an internal audit, how to communicate to employees regarding the audit, how to fix specific errors discovered during the audit, and other related questions.
- 2/26/2015Effective May 26, 2015, certain H-4 dependent spouses of H-1B nonimmigrants will become eligible for their own employment eligibility.
- 11/21/2014On November 20, 2014, President Obama announced a number of executive actions (also known as the Immigration Accountability Executive Actions). One of the executive actions focused on policies supporting U.S. high-skilled businesses and workers. A link to this executive action can be found here. In this action, President Obama directs new policies and regulations that will support our country’s high-skilled businesses and workers by improving the ability of U.S. businesses to hire and retain highly skilled foreign-born workers, while also providing the workers with increased flexibility to make natural advancements with their current employers or seek similar opportunities elsewhere.
- 3/3/2014At the beginning of each fiscal year, which for the federal government starts October 1, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) makes available an allocation of new H-1B visa numbers.
- 10/1/2013The failure of the U.S. Congress to reach a budget deal is causing a partial shutdown of U.S. government offices and services. The full extent to which the government shutdown will affect various aspects of the immigration process is not yet clear.
- 7/8/2013On June 26, 2013, the Supreme Court of the United States held in United States v. Windsor that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) violated the equal protection clause of the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution.
- 5/3/2013The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently published an interim final rule indicating its intention to automate its Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record.
- 4/29/2013The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently published a revised Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 for use by employers.
- 4/5/2013The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) published an interim final rule on March 27, 2013, indicating its intention to automate its Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record. Form I-94, among other purposes, provides documentation of the admission and approved length of stay for individuals in a temporary immigration status.
- 4/5/2013The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced today that it has received a sufficient number of H-1B petition to reach the statutory cap for the fiscal year 2014. USCIS will use a computer-generated random selection process (commonly known as the “lottery”) for all FY 2014 cap-subject petitions received through April 5, 2013.
- 3/20/2013At the beginning of each fiscal year, which starts October 1, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) makes available an allocation of new H-1B visas. The number of these new visas that are available each year is capped at approximately 65,000 (plus an additional 20,000 that are exempt from the cap for individuals with advanced degrees from an accredited U.S. college or university). Applications for these new visas can be filed as soon as April 1.
- 3/12/2013On March 8, 2013, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a revised Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 for use by employers.
- 3/5/2013At the beginning of each fiscal year, which starts October 1, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services makes available an allocation of new H-1B visas. The number of these new visas that are available each year is capped at approximately 65,000.
- 6/18/2012On June 15, 2012, the secretary of homeland security announced that effective immediately, certain young people who were brought to the United States as young children will be considered for relief from removal or from entering into removal proceedings.
- 4/19/2012Effective April 13, 2012, the Department of State adjusted the visa processing fees applicable to beneficiaries applying for a new visa stamp at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate. Most nonimmigrant visa applications and Border Crossing Cards will increase, except for the E visas (treaty-traders and treaty-investors) and K visas (for fiancés of U.S. citizens).
- 4/9/2012U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services updated its count of FY2013 cap-subject H-1B petitions and advanced degree cap-exempt petitions receipted. As of April 9, 2012, nearly 17,400 H-1B cap-subject petitions were receipted.
- 3/1/2012The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced the expansion of TSA Precheck, a passenger pre-screening initiative. Under this initiative, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) focuses its efforts on passengers the agency knows less about, while providing expedited screening for travelers who volunteer information about themselves before flying.
- 2/29/2012As you may know, the annual cap for the current fiscal year allocation of H-1B visas was reached on November 22, 2011. Since that time, employers have not been able to file H-1B visa petitions subject to the annual cap.
- 11/30/2011
- 10/28/2011
- 10/11/2011
- 6/23/2011
- 1/28/2011