Matthew Webster

Overview

Matthew assists employers and individuals in meeting their unique immigration objectives by providing trusted and compassionate counsel and by zealously advocating for clients through every stage of the immigration process.

Matthew practices in the field of employment-based immigration and nonimmigrant visas for diverse employers of all sizes, with a special focus on immigration strategies for healthcare organizations, international physicians, and medical device manufacturers. Matthew also assists clients with family, naturalization, asylum, and humanitarian immigration matters. With extensive experience in employment law, Matthew has expertise in immigration compliance issues, including I‑9 audits, structuring and implementing immigration policies, and training on I‑9 compliance. He also draws on his experience in litigation and appeals to advocate for his clients.

Matthew is a frequent speaker at regional meetings, workshops, CLEs, and conferences on immigration and healthcare recruiting. He serves on the National Verification & Documentation Committee of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and is also the Immediate Past Chair of the Minnesota/Dakotas Chapter of AILA. Matthew teaches immigration law at the University of St. Thomas and was previously adjunct faculty at the University of Minnesota Law School.

Services

Experience

Health Care/Higher Education

J‑1 Conrad Waivers
HHS Waivers/Regional Commission J-1 waivers
Nurses and Allied Health Staff
Outstanding Professors and Researchers

Corporate

H‑1B Petitions
PERM
Self-Sponsored Cases for Permanent Residence
EB‑1 Extraordinary Abilities
O‑1
Nonimmigrant Visa Strategies
L‑1A/L‑1B
TN
E‑3

Individuals and Families

Marriage
Asylum
Naturalization
Deportation Defense
I‑9 Trainings/Audits
Consular Processing

Credentials

Education

University of Minnesota Law School, J.D., magna cum laude
Pennsylvania State University, Schreyer Honors College, B.A.

Admissions

Minnesota, 2011
U.S Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit
U.S. District Court for the District of Minnesota
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas

Languages

Spanish

Recognition

Associate Volunteer of the Year, Fredrikson & Byron, 2023
Minnesota Super Lawyers Rising Star, Immigration: Business, 2020-present
North Star Lawyer, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2014-present
Pro Bono All Star, Minnesota State Bar Association, 2020
Human Rights Volunteer Award (Somali 92 Team Member), The Advocates for Human Rights, 2019
Arthur C. Helton Memorial Human Rights Award (Somali 92 Team Member), American Immigration Lawyers Association, 2019
Order of the Coif

Civic & Professional

Professional Activities

American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), MN/Dakotas Chapter – Immediate Past Chair (2024-present), Chair (2023-24), Vice Chair (2022-23), Secretary (2021-22), Treasurer (2020-21)
AILA National Verification & Documentation Committee (2024-present)
University of St. Thomas School of Law, Adjunct Professor of Immigration Law (2020, 2024-present)
University of Minnesota Law School, Adjunct Instructor (Legal Writing), 2012-2017
University of Minnesota Law School, Adjunct Instructor (Immigration Law), 2012-2016
Minnesota State Bar Association Immigration Section, Council Secretary and Treasurer, 2013-2015
The Advocates for Human Rights, Volunteer Attorney
Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota, Volunteer Attorney
Volunteer Lawyers Network, Volunteer Attorney
Minnesota State Bar Association Member
Hennepin County Bar Association Member
Federal Bar Association Member

Community

St. Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church, President and Vice President, 2016-2020
Minnesota Justice Foundation, Board Member, 2015-2017

News & Insights

Publications & Presentations

Panelist, “Workforce Panel: Immigrant Staffing,” 39^th Annual Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health, June 2, 2024

Moderator, “Creating a State of Welcome: Minnesota’s New Investment in Refugee & Immigrant Communities,” Upper Midwest Immigration Law Conference, May 17, 2024

Co-Presenter, “Ready, Set, Negotiate! Best Practices for Recruiters,” Association for Advancing Physician and Provider Recruitment (AAPPR) Annual Conference, March 26, 2024

Co-Presenter, “Hiring & Firing: The Basics and Best Practices of I-9 Compliance – Including the New Form I-9 and New Remote Inspection Rule,” Minnesota Continuing Legal Education, December 19, 2023

Co-Presenter, “Immigration Issues and Tax Laws: Unexpected Interactions,” The 83^rd Annual Tax Institute, December 11, 2023

Speaker, “Immigration Pathways for Recruitment,” Maine Rural Health and Primary Care Program, October 17, 2023

Speaker, “Healthcare Immigration Prescriptions – Immigration Strategies for Physicians and Allied Health Staff in both Clinical and Academic Healthcare Practices,” September 28, 2023

Speaker, “CLE: Taxing Questions for Foreign Nationals: Tax Law Basics Every Immigration Attorney Should Know,” AILA MN/Dakotas Chapter, September 27, 2023

Speaker, “How Not to Get A-NOID When Responding to RFEs, NOIDS & Denials on Employment-Based Cases,” AILA MN/Dakotas Upper Midwest Immigration Law Conference, Minneapolis, MN, May 19, 2023

Moderator, “Xenophobia Past and Present: A Conversation with Author Erika Lee,” AILA Minnesota/Dakotas Chapter, January 18, 2023

Co-Presenter, “CLE: Expediting in the Days of Delays – A Discussion of Agency, AILA, Judicial, and Congressional Expedite Requests,” AILA Minnesota/Dakotas Chapter, November 30, 2022

Presenter, “ND Healthcare Immigration Strategies: Immigration Solutions for Recruitment and Retention,” North Dakota Recruiter Network, July 13, 2022

Co-Presenter, “Life in the Slow Lane: Employment-Based Immigrant Visa Backlogs,” AILA Minnesota/Dakotas Chapter Upper Midwest Immigration Law Conference, May 20, 2022

Co-Presenter, “NM Healthcare Immigration Strategies: Immigration Solutions for Recruitment & Retention in the Land of Enchantment,” New Mexico Health Resources, May 18, 2022

Presenter, “Healthcare Immigration Strategies,” Pennsylvania Primary Care Career Center, May 17, 2022

“Healthcare Immigration Strategies,” New Mexico Health Care Workforce Committee, April 11, 2022

Co-Presenter, “Two Timely Topics for 2/22/22: EB-2 Downgrades and H-1B Registration,” AILA MN/DAK Chapter CLE, February 22, 2022

Co-Presenter, “Healthcare Immigration Strategies: Docs, Dentists, Nurses, Allied Health Staff,” North Dakota Center for Rural Health- Primary Care Office, January 20, 2022

Co-Presenter, “Utah Department of Health – From J-1 to Day One: A Conversation about the Benefits and Process of Hiring International Medical Professionals,” Utah Department of Health, November 17, 2021

Co-Presenter, “Demystifying the Immigration Process for Maine’s Physician Recruiters,” Maine Rural and Primary Care Office, May 18, 2021

Co-Presenter, “Demystifying the Immigration Process,” 3RNET, April 20, 2021

Co-Presenter, “Captaining the H-1B Cap Season: Background, Updates and Tips on Registration, and the Latest Developments on the 2021 H-1B Cap Season,” AILA MN/DAK Chapter CLE, February 25, 2021

Co-Presenter, “A New Dawn: A Look at U.S. Immigration Policies and Practices at the Start of the Biden Administration,” Fredrikson & Byron Immigration Webinar, February 23, 2021

Co-Presenter, “Breaking the Blockade: Strategies for Essential Foreign Workers,” Fredrikson & Byron Immigration Webinar, October 8, 2020

Co-Presenter, “International Physicians: A Guide to Expanding Healthcare Access Webinar,” Fredrikson & Byron Immigration Webinar, May 12, 2020

Co-Presenter, “Play Offense: Be Prepared for I-9 Audit/Enforcement Trends and the SSA No Match Letters,” Fredrikson & Byron Immigration Webinar, August 27, 2019

Co-Presenter, “Non-Immigrant Visas & Unlawful Presence,” Fredrikson & Byron Immigration Seminar, May 8, 2019

Co-Presenter, “Immigrant Visas, Travel and Compliance,” Fredrikson & Byron Immigration Seminar, May 8, 2019

Moderator, “Conversation with Foreign Consular Officials,” AILA CLE, March 14, 2019

Panelist, “Federal Litigation for Employment-Based Practitioners,” AILA Seminar, February 6, 2019

Co-Presenter, “Immigration Issues for Employers Under the Buy American and Hire American (BAHA) Executive Order,” Fredrikson & Byron’s Annual North Dakota Employment Law Seminar, October 19, 2018

Co-Presenter, “Anatomy of an I-9 Audit,” Upper Midwest Employment Law Institute, May 21-22, 2018

Co-Presenter, “Anatomy of an I-9 Audit,” Fredrikson & Byron Immigration Seminar, May 9, 2018

Co-Presenter, “What Now? What Next? Hiring Foreign Nationals in Uncertain Times,” Fredrikson & Byron Immigration Seminar, May 9, 2018

Matthew P. Webster