sury
11-06 09:24 AM
I see that for EB2 the PD is 01 APR 2004 now. I want to know if I-485 approvals is linked to this PD date or they will work independent to these days.
Thanks,
Sury
-------------------------------
PD : Feb'07
I-140 - Pending
I-131 - Approved
I-485 - Pending
Center: TEXAS SERVICE CENTER
Recieved EAD Card and FP done.
-------------------------------
Thanks,
Sury
-------------------------------
PD : Feb'07
I-140 - Pending
I-131 - Approved
I-485 - Pending
Center: TEXAS SERVICE CENTER
Recieved EAD Card and FP done.
-------------------------------
wallpaper amorphous silicon (black
sunny1000
07-24 10:19 PM
Hi all,
My I-140 was approved 2.5 years back and I-485 was also approved more than an year back.
But, today the status on my I-140 got changed to "REQUEST FOR INITIAL EVIDENCE SENT, CASE PLACED ON HOLD". I am not sure, why did they reopen the case again. I checked with my company and they assured me that they didn't revoke my I-140.
Could anyone suggest me what's happening to my case. Has anyone seen an similar kind of an issue and suggest me how to proceed ?
Thanks in advance !
HI,
Don't panic. USCIS rarely reopens an approved GC (only in cases of fraud or misrepresentation). If you are talking about the online status, I would not pay too much attention to it as it gives incorrect info sometimes.
If you or your company did actually receive a RFE in the snail mail, get in touch with a good attorney and contact USCIS to see what is going on.
Alternatively, you can contact USCIS customer service yourself, to put your mind at ease.
Good luck.
My I-140 was approved 2.5 years back and I-485 was also approved more than an year back.
But, today the status on my I-140 got changed to "REQUEST FOR INITIAL EVIDENCE SENT, CASE PLACED ON HOLD". I am not sure, why did they reopen the case again. I checked with my company and they assured me that they didn't revoke my I-140.
Could anyone suggest me what's happening to my case. Has anyone seen an similar kind of an issue and suggest me how to proceed ?
Thanks in advance !
HI,
Don't panic. USCIS rarely reopens an approved GC (only in cases of fraud or misrepresentation). If you are talking about the online status, I would not pay too much attention to it as it gives incorrect info sometimes.
If you or your company did actually receive a RFE in the snail mail, get in touch with a good attorney and contact USCIS to see what is going on.
Alternatively, you can contact USCIS customer service yourself, to put your mind at ease.
Good luck.
BMS1
08-21 07:07 PM
You are saying ur PD was Sec 2005? Mine is Dec 2005. Should I also expect it sometime soon :)?
If it is Dec 2005 you must be from non-retro and going by the many approvals for non-retro, you should certainly expect it soon (especially if other checks are complete)
If it is Dec 2005 you must be from non-retro and going by the many approvals for non-retro, you should certainly expect it soon (especially if other checks are complete)
2011 crystalline vs amorphous
kpchal2
03-03 11:55 AM
chanduv
thanks for the encouraging reply. it seems like some people are getting denials without any NOIDs and are going out of status due to that. my previous company is not going to revoke my I-140 so that is not a problem. however i am concerned about any other stupid reasons that these people might put in a denial and make us go through the suffering process. do you know of any such situations or do you think that the USCIS is completely aware of this AC21 clauses and that they do not simply deny the cases. I know i am asking a completely insane question but just wanted to try any ways.
thanks a lot in advance.
thanks for the encouraging reply. it seems like some people are getting denials without any NOIDs and are going out of status due to that. my previous company is not going to revoke my I-140 so that is not a problem. however i am concerned about any other stupid reasons that these people might put in a denial and make us go through the suffering process. do you know of any such situations or do you think that the USCIS is completely aware of this AC21 clauses and that they do not simply deny the cases. I know i am asking a completely insane question but just wanted to try any ways.
thanks a lot in advance.
more...
amitjoey
01-26 11:18 AM
Congrajulations! to all the toppers.
.png "amorphous solid. crystalline")
qualified_trash
11-15 01:27 PM
you have a expired I-94 and a h1B which is valid
How can you have an expired I94 and valid H1B? It is technically not possible.
When your H1B expires when you are in the US and you apply for an extension of the H1B along with an extension of the stay of the person(s) since they now hold this status, you get a I797 where the right bottom part is your NEW I94. You are supposed to staple this to the old I94 in your passport and surrender the same when you fly out of the country to a non contiguous territory
That is how you were able to travel!!!!!!!
As for Automatic revalidation here is the link to the State Dept site:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/laws/telegrams/telegrams_1441.html
How can you have an expired I94 and valid H1B? It is technically not possible.
When your H1B expires when you are in the US and you apply for an extension of the H1B along with an extension of the stay of the person(s) since they now hold this status, you get a I797 where the right bottom part is your NEW I94. You are supposed to staple this to the old I94 in your passport and surrender the same when you fly out of the country to a non contiguous territory
That is how you were able to travel!!!!!!!
As for Automatic revalidation here is the link to the State Dept site:
http://travel.state.gov/visa/laws/telegrams/telegrams_1441.html
more...
sachug22
12-10 02:31 PM
deleted
2010 for Amorphous Solid
Eternal_Hope
02-27 02:49 PM
About 25,000 PERM labors were approved in 2007 for Indian nationals. Assuming a 2.5:1 ratio of 'GC filed:Labor approved', implies that each year 62,500 GC are demanded by Indians under EB. Since only 10,000 are available (across all EB classes), this implies each year a backlog of 50,000 cases is created for Indians.
Since PD are essentially retrogressed from Nov. 2005, we can assume that since then another 100,000 Indians have joined the GC backlog. It can also be assumed that between 2001 and Nov. 2005 there must be another (atleast) 50,000 waiting for GC.
Assuming these numbers are correct, a person filing for labor today is looking to wait for atleast 15 years before getting a GC (150,000/10,000).
As for those wth PD prior to Nov. 2005 - well..... probably anywhere between 1 to 5 years .....
Comments on the analysis.........?
Since PD are essentially retrogressed from Nov. 2005, we can assume that since then another 100,000 Indians have joined the GC backlog. It can also be assumed that between 2001 and Nov. 2005 there must be another (atleast) 50,000 waiting for GC.
Assuming these numbers are correct, a person filing for labor today is looking to wait for atleast 15 years before getting a GC (150,000/10,000).
As for those wth PD prior to Nov. 2005 - well..... probably anywhere between 1 to 5 years .....
Comments on the analysis.........?
more...
needhelp!
08-31 12:50 AM
You guys are the experts.. I am a newbie. Good I asked, I would have never known!!
Am I missing something here. Isn't it via country of birth and not country of citizenship. There might be better ways to get around the system. EB2 Indians should marry EB3 ROW folk and apply cross-chargeability! I have yet to think of a way out for EB3 India!
Am I missing something here. Isn't it via country of birth and not country of citizenship. There might be better ways to get around the system. EB2 Indians should marry EB3 ROW folk and apply cross-chargeability! I have yet to think of a way out for EB3 India!
hair solid. crystalline
chanduv23
06-19 10:15 AM
Here is a recap from Murthy bulletin
USCIS Errors in Denying a Case
AILA Liaison requested that, where the USCIS denies a case in error, then the filing fee for a Motion to Reopen or appeal should be waived. It was suggested that the Ombudsman�s office needs to intervene in emergency cases, where time is of the essence.
Although the Ombudsman's office cannot adjudicate or approve a case, it believes that these channels may help in obtaining resolution via internal communications that recommend specific solutions.
It is important that the entire process with USCIS be followed in terms of filing the appeal or motion to reconsider (MTR) or other process. The CIS Ombudsman's office may attempt to intervene to resolve particular matters, but the individual or employer needs to follow the particular agency's guidelines and not miss any deadline or assume that the Ombudsman will resolve all legal concerns within a particular timeframe.
Folks - if we are not willing to help ourselves, we will have to go through these burden. So plese come forward.
If Authorities know about issues that are common and widespread - then necessary steps will be taken to correct them - otherwise we are all bound to suffer
USCIS Errors in Denying a Case
AILA Liaison requested that, where the USCIS denies a case in error, then the filing fee for a Motion to Reopen or appeal should be waived. It was suggested that the Ombudsman�s office needs to intervene in emergency cases, where time is of the essence.
Although the Ombudsman's office cannot adjudicate or approve a case, it believes that these channels may help in obtaining resolution via internal communications that recommend specific solutions.
It is important that the entire process with USCIS be followed in terms of filing the appeal or motion to reconsider (MTR) or other process. The CIS Ombudsman's office may attempt to intervene to resolve particular matters, but the individual or employer needs to follow the particular agency's guidelines and not miss any deadline or assume that the Ombudsman will resolve all legal concerns within a particular timeframe.
Folks - if we are not willing to help ourselves, we will have to go through these burden. So plese come forward.
If Authorities know about issues that are common and widespread - then necessary steps will be taken to correct them - otherwise we are all bound to suffer
more...
Green.Tech
08-05 06:09 PM
I am not sure this will count as an illegal behavior. Of course, I am not a lawyer. But companies typically ask for relocation reimburesement and lawyer expenses, etc. to be paid back pro-rated, in case the employee leaves within a year or so.
Again, this is not really asking for money for labor, but just making sure that the company gets their expenses back in case employee leaves within an year.
Btw, I do not have any such agreement with my company. But I think this is standard. Unfair, maybe. Illegal? I dont know....
Good point!
For one, my employer contract (which I haven't signed yet) says that I will need to reimburse for ALL GC related fee that they have incurred on my behalf if I leave ANYTIME during my GC application is pending. I know such contracts are common (or are they?) but I am not sure if they can ask me to reimburse them for labor cert fee (which as per DOL is employers responsibility) or even for that matter any other application fee (which I understand are employers responsibility as well?). So, basically they can contract me for all the legal fee (attorney fee) but not ALL fee.
More thoughts?
Again, this is not really asking for money for labor, but just making sure that the company gets their expenses back in case employee leaves within an year.
Btw, I do not have any such agreement with my company. But I think this is standard. Unfair, maybe. Illegal? I dont know....
Good point!
For one, my employer contract (which I haven't signed yet) says that I will need to reimburse for ALL GC related fee that they have incurred on my behalf if I leave ANYTIME during my GC application is pending. I know such contracts are common (or are they?) but I am not sure if they can ask me to reimburse them for labor cert fee (which as per DOL is employers responsibility) or even for that matter any other application fee (which I understand are employers responsibility as well?). So, basically they can contract me for all the legal fee (attorney fee) but not ALL fee.
More thoughts?
hot uses of amorphous solids.
adobe howm
09-23 11:50 AM
09/22/2008: USCIS Ombudsman Assistance Available for EAD Delay Cases
If your EAD applications are pending more than 90 days and you need ombudsman's assistance, the following steps should be take:
Step 1: Call USCIS National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at 1-(800) 375-5283 and record the time/date of the call and the name/number of the customer service representative: Explain to the customer service representative that your EAD has been pending more than 90 days and ask for a �service request.� You should receive a response to your service request within a week.
OR Ask the customer service representative to request an interim card for you. You should receive an EAD or response within a week.
Step 2: If you choose to visit a local USCIS office, schedule an INFOPASS appointment to visit that office on www.infopass.uscis.gov. At the appointment, ask to apply for an interim EAD. Note that USCIS local offices no longer issue interim EADs. The local office can review your case and determine eligibility. The local office will forward your request to the USCIS service centers. You should receive an EAD or response within a week.
Step 3: If you have tried both Step 1 and Step 2 and have still not received your EAD or an interim card, please email the ombudsman's office at cisombudsman.publicaffairs@dhs.gov with the details of your efforts. Please include the date and time of your call to the NCSC and the name of the customer service representative. If you visited a USCIS office, please provide that information. The office will look into your case and review how we may be of assistance.
Source: www.immigration-law.com
Thanks for the effort. this indeed reaches where it suppose to be - helping someone with similar need. appreciated. not sure how to give you my green though.
If your EAD applications are pending more than 90 days and you need ombudsman's assistance, the following steps should be take:
Step 1: Call USCIS National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at 1-(800) 375-5283 and record the time/date of the call and the name/number of the customer service representative: Explain to the customer service representative that your EAD has been pending more than 90 days and ask for a �service request.� You should receive a response to your service request within a week.
OR Ask the customer service representative to request an interim card for you. You should receive an EAD or response within a week.
Step 2: If you choose to visit a local USCIS office, schedule an INFOPASS appointment to visit that office on www.infopass.uscis.gov. At the appointment, ask to apply for an interim EAD. Note that USCIS local offices no longer issue interim EADs. The local office can review your case and determine eligibility. The local office will forward your request to the USCIS service centers. You should receive an EAD or response within a week.
Step 3: If you have tried both Step 1 and Step 2 and have still not received your EAD or an interim card, please email the ombudsman's office at cisombudsman.publicaffairs@dhs.gov with the details of your efforts. Please include the date and time of your call to the NCSC and the name of the customer service representative. If you visited a USCIS office, please provide that information. The office will look into your case and review how we may be of assistance.
Source: www.immigration-law.com
Thanks for the effort. this indeed reaches where it suppose to be - helping someone with similar need. appreciated. not sure how to give you my green though.
more...
house solid. crystalline
kumar1
12-08 12:16 PM
Do not come to software if you do not have a interest in it. This field has its own set of stress and problems. I know people who moved from manufacturing to software because of (a.) good money and (b) chance to see USA/Europe. They are the most frustrated guys around. After 2-3 rounds of lay off, they want to go back to their old job but after 5-6 years, they are not fit for their old job either.
Last but not the least, I can not imagine someone making 200k and coming to forum with these set of questions.
Last but not the least, I can not imagine someone making 200k and coming to forum with these set of questions.
tattoo amorphous solid. crystalline
gccube
04-21 03:19 PM
Congratulations on getting your GC !!!
I need to ask you a question as I don't see on LUD after FP in 485. However LUD changed on my approved I-140.
Was there any LUD on I-140 case after your FP?
Regards
last summer. The only two LUDs I have noticed on my I-485 are
1. 8/22/2007 :: This is after my FP
2. 04/21/2008 (Today) :: This is after my I-485 is approved.
I have not noticed an LUD even late last night.
Interestingly, the TSC processing dates have moved to June 29 2007 in the newly released processing times and my RD (06/21/2007) fall with in this period. So my approval could be a result of the progressed processing dates for this month.
I need to ask you a question as I don't see on LUD after FP in 485. However LUD changed on my approved I-140.
Was there any LUD on I-140 case after your FP?
Regards
last summer. The only two LUDs I have noticed on my I-485 are
1. 8/22/2007 :: This is after my FP
2. 04/21/2008 (Today) :: This is after my I-485 is approved.
I have not noticed an LUD even late last night.
Interestingly, the TSC processing dates have moved to June 29 2007 in the newly released processing times and my RD (06/21/2007) fall with in this period. So my approval could be a result of the progressed processing dates for this month.
more...
pictures Sodium Chlorite Solid amp; Liquid
waitnwatch
05-30 01:42 PM
Ideally all H1B people who are interested in immigrating will apply for GC around the 2nd or 3rd year of H1B.
If you are in EB2/EB3 you will and apply for Labor and/or I140 during the 3rd year, by the time you reach the 6th year you will be surely be able to apply for extension as by then you will be eligible even if your I140 is not approved as it will cross 365 days in pending state by then. If its approved then all the more you are safe.
The problem comes only for those who delay their GC process till the end of the H1B visas 5th or 6th year and those who are stuck in BEC.
Otherwise having this rule actually wont affect many people in future. So I would not worry about this rule.
Please see my previous post. I am talking about the new system which does not have the EB1/2/3 classification. Please do not confuse it with the existing system. Also under the new system you have 6 points for employer recommendation and 10 points for experience. So 1st year employees may not get either an employer recommendation or any points for work experience.
If you are in EB2/EB3 you will and apply for Labor and/or I140 during the 3rd year, by the time you reach the 6th year you will be surely be able to apply for extension as by then you will be eligible even if your I140 is not approved as it will cross 365 days in pending state by then. If its approved then all the more you are safe.
The problem comes only for those who delay their GC process till the end of the H1B visas 5th or 6th year and those who are stuck in BEC.
Otherwise having this rule actually wont affect many people in future. So I would not worry about this rule.
Please see my previous post. I am talking about the new system which does not have the EB1/2/3 classification. Please do not confuse it with the existing system. Also under the new system you have 6 points for employer recommendation and 10 points for experience. So 1st year employees may not get either an employer recommendation or any points for work experience.
dresses Daily to see the solid is
ilikekilo
06-11 06:14 PM
again u r out of ur mind
more...
makeup mostly crystalline solids;
vin13
09-30 01:10 PM
Any idea what these LUDs may be which you had
LUD on 09/22, 09/23 ,09/29 and 09/30.
EB2 India Mar 2005 NSC
No idea...these were just soft LUD....the last updated date was changed online.
LUD on 09/22, 09/23 ,09/29 and 09/30.
EB2 India Mar 2005 NSC
No idea...these were just soft LUD....the last updated date was changed online.
girlfriend non-crystalline solids in
jasonalbany
07-04 12:28 PM
Access to Job Market in U.S. a Matter of Degrees
Foreign workers with high-tech skills are in demand, but visa quotas snarl the hiring process.
By Anna Gorman, Times Staff Writer
July 3, 2006
This spring, a U.S. high-tech company recruited British citizen Gareth Lloyd for a possible engineering job.
But before the Irvine office made its hiring decision, the number of available visas for skilled workers ran out, in a record time of less than two months.
Lloyd, who has degrees in applied physics and electrical and electronics engineering, found another job in Germany.
"I was a little bit incredulous," Lloyd, 34, said in a phone interview. "It seems arbitrary to put some kind of quota on this."
Much of the national debate on immigration has centered on undocumented workers who fill agriculture, construction and service jobs. But highly skilled foreign scientists, engineers and computer programmers recruited by U.S. companies to work here legally also have a lot at stake in the outcome. "The major focus for all the laws and all the bills has mainly been for illegal immigrants," said Swati Srivastava, an Indian software engineer who lives in Playa del Rey and is waiting for her green card. "We kind of get pushed to the sidelines."
The Senate's sweeping immigration bill that passed in May calls for increasing the number of H-1B visas, which are available for professional foreign workers, from 65,000 to 115,000 annually. Foreigners with certain advanced degrees would be exempt from the cap.
Despite President Bush's urging to increase such quotas, however, the House bill that passed late last year does not include any provisions for skilled-worker visas. And a conference committee, which would negotiate a compromise, has yet to be selected. U.S. companies complain that they are losing prospective employees to other countries because of a shortage of highly skilled and educated foreign workers. As a result, companies are either outsourcing science and engineering jobs or making do with fewer employees.
"There aren't enough U.S. citizens pursuing those types of degrees," said Jennifer Greeson, spokeswoman for Intel Corp. in Santa Clara, Calif., where about 5% of the company's U.S.-based employees are on H-1B visas. "U.S. companies being able to have access to talent, no matter where it originates, is key to our continued competitiveness."
But critics of the H-1B program argue that there are enough Americans qualified for the jobs. Companies just prefer to hire younger, less expensive workers from other countries, such as India and China, instead of more experienced American workers at higher salaries.
"The bottom line is cheap labor," said UC Davis computer-science professor Norman Matloff, who has studied the H-1B program.
The six-year visas are available to foreigners with at least a bachelor's degree. Firms must pay foreign workers the prevailing wage.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency begins accepting H-1B visa applications on April 1 each year. The agency received enough visas to hit the congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 at the end of May this year, compared with August in 2005 and October in 2004. Those who receive the visas can begin work Oct. 1, the start of the fiscal year.
There are also 20,000 additional visas available for foreign workers who earned a master's or higher-level degree in the U.S. The Citizenship and Immigration Services is still accepting applications for those visas.
Because the H-1B cap is reached more quickly each year, many companies prepare their paperwork ahead of time so they can be at the front of the line. But they say it's often difficult to make hiring decisions six months before the start date.
Orange County immigration attorney Mitchell Wexler has a courier ready on the first day to take his clients' completed applications to Citizenship and Immigration Services.
"The whole white-collar business community is kind of crossing our fingers" that the number of visas is raised, Wexler said. Highly skilled foreign workers, he said, are "the best and brightest" and should be invited into the economy.
"If we can't get them," Wexler added, "they will go to a country that will accept them, and they will get jobs in Canada, Australia and England and will compete against us."
One of Wexler's clients, Massachusetts-based Skyworks Solutions, develops and manufactures integrated circuits for cellphones. Connie Williams, senior human resources specialist at the company's Irvine office, said her firm was effectively cut off from a foreign labor pool that included Lloyd of Britain when the government stopped accepting H-1B applications.
Williams said she worries that if Congress fails to pass reform legislation, the door will slam shut even earlier next year. The company has just over 2,000 U.S.-based employees, roughly 100 of whom have H-1B visas.
"We need these highly skilled, highly educated, highly qualified engineers," said Williams. "These people are a needle in a haystack."
Once foreigners have H-1B visas, they face another hurdle � becoming permanent legal residents. Applicants are often forced to wait years because there are only 140,000 employment-based green cards available annually. A backlog at Citizenship and Immigration Services adds to the delays.
Swati and Aradhana Srivastava, 34, both Indian software engineers working in the U.S. on H-1B visas, began the green card process with their employer in November 2001. Since then, the sisters said they have not been able to change jobs, positions or salaries.
They have taken film classes and are eager to pursue second careers in filmmaking but cannot do so until after they get their green cards. They also are reluctant to buy property or start a business. If they don't get their green cards by the time they finish film school, the sisters may return home.
"It's like living in a holding pattern continuously," said Swati Srivastava, 28, a member of Immigration Voice, a new grass-roots organization of skilled foreign workers pushing for immigration reform. The Internet-based group formed late last year and has about 5,000 members scattered around the country.
"We work in [the] U.S. legally in high-skilled jobs, but we still get penalized for playing by the rules," Immigration Voice co-founder Aman Kapoor said in an e-mail. "Since no one was working on our issues, we decided to organize."
Sandy Boyd, vice president of the National Assn. of Manufacturers, said there is an urgency to fixing the problems facing highly skilled foreign workers, whether they're seeking temporary or permanent legal status. The Senate's proposed immigration bill would increase the number of available employment-based green cards.
If compromise legislation cannot be reached on the broader issues, Boyd said, Congress should pass a separate, more narrow reform bill.
"This is not an issue that can be put off until comprehensive immigration reform is passed," Boyd said, "because once we lose these jobs, it's very difficult for them to come back."
But industry lobbyists arguing against increases in H-1B visas say the program hurts U.S. citizens by lowering wages and increasing job competition. They cite a recent report by the Government Accountability Office that says the program lacks sufficient oversight from the Department of Labor.
"We feel for the most part there are not shortages of U.S. engineers and computer scientists that have the skills these companies are looking for," said Chris McManes, spokesman for the U.S. sector of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. "If the cap is increased, that will further hamper the ability of a U.S. engineer to find a job."
David Huber, a network engineer in Chicago and U.S. citizen by birth, said he twice lost out on jobs to foreign workers. He was passed over for one job and replaced at another, he said. Huber, who testified before the House in March, said he could not find work for nearly three years, despite his education and experience. "Too many of us cannot find jobs because companies are turning to H-1B workers as a first choice," Huber said in written testimony to the House.
Swadha Sharma, who lives in Arcadia, said she is not trying to replace U.S. workers. Sharma earned an electronics engineering degree in India but has long dreamed of becoming a math teacher. So while her husband worked here on an H-1B visa, she earned her teaching credential at Cal Poly Pomona.
Sharma, 30, started applying for teaching jobs early this year, but she said only one of three interested districts was willing to sponsor her for an H-1B visa. And that offer, from a Los Angeles charter school, came after the visa cap had been reached. Sharma now plans to pursue a master's degree but said the U.S. is "missing out on a catch."
"I am really qualified," she said. "Hopefully, I will be able to teach soon."
As for Lloyd, his plans to come to the United States are now on indefinite hold. He started his job in Germany but still laments the U.S. immigration system for limiting workers like himself from coming here.
"The H-1B scheme seems a little bit ridiculous," he said. "I would certainly be an asset to the American economy."
Foreign workers with high-tech skills are in demand, but visa quotas snarl the hiring process.
By Anna Gorman, Times Staff Writer
July 3, 2006
This spring, a U.S. high-tech company recruited British citizen Gareth Lloyd for a possible engineering job.
But before the Irvine office made its hiring decision, the number of available visas for skilled workers ran out, in a record time of less than two months.
Lloyd, who has degrees in applied physics and electrical and electronics engineering, found another job in Germany.
"I was a little bit incredulous," Lloyd, 34, said in a phone interview. "It seems arbitrary to put some kind of quota on this."
Much of the national debate on immigration has centered on undocumented workers who fill agriculture, construction and service jobs. But highly skilled foreign scientists, engineers and computer programmers recruited by U.S. companies to work here legally also have a lot at stake in the outcome. "The major focus for all the laws and all the bills has mainly been for illegal immigrants," said Swati Srivastava, an Indian software engineer who lives in Playa del Rey and is waiting for her green card. "We kind of get pushed to the sidelines."
The Senate's sweeping immigration bill that passed in May calls for increasing the number of H-1B visas, which are available for professional foreign workers, from 65,000 to 115,000 annually. Foreigners with certain advanced degrees would be exempt from the cap.
Despite President Bush's urging to increase such quotas, however, the House bill that passed late last year does not include any provisions for skilled-worker visas. And a conference committee, which would negotiate a compromise, has yet to be selected. U.S. companies complain that they are losing prospective employees to other countries because of a shortage of highly skilled and educated foreign workers. As a result, companies are either outsourcing science and engineering jobs or making do with fewer employees.
"There aren't enough U.S. citizens pursuing those types of degrees," said Jennifer Greeson, spokeswoman for Intel Corp. in Santa Clara, Calif., where about 5% of the company's U.S.-based employees are on H-1B visas. "U.S. companies being able to have access to talent, no matter where it originates, is key to our continued competitiveness."
But critics of the H-1B program argue that there are enough Americans qualified for the jobs. Companies just prefer to hire younger, less expensive workers from other countries, such as India and China, instead of more experienced American workers at higher salaries.
"The bottom line is cheap labor," said UC Davis computer-science professor Norman Matloff, who has studied the H-1B program.
The six-year visas are available to foreigners with at least a bachelor's degree. Firms must pay foreign workers the prevailing wage.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency begins accepting H-1B visa applications on April 1 each year. The agency received enough visas to hit the congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 at the end of May this year, compared with August in 2005 and October in 2004. Those who receive the visas can begin work Oct. 1, the start of the fiscal year.
There are also 20,000 additional visas available for foreign workers who earned a master's or higher-level degree in the U.S. The Citizenship and Immigration Services is still accepting applications for those visas.
Because the H-1B cap is reached more quickly each year, many companies prepare their paperwork ahead of time so they can be at the front of the line. But they say it's often difficult to make hiring decisions six months before the start date.
Orange County immigration attorney Mitchell Wexler has a courier ready on the first day to take his clients' completed applications to Citizenship and Immigration Services.
"The whole white-collar business community is kind of crossing our fingers" that the number of visas is raised, Wexler said. Highly skilled foreign workers, he said, are "the best and brightest" and should be invited into the economy.
"If we can't get them," Wexler added, "they will go to a country that will accept them, and they will get jobs in Canada, Australia and England and will compete against us."
One of Wexler's clients, Massachusetts-based Skyworks Solutions, develops and manufactures integrated circuits for cellphones. Connie Williams, senior human resources specialist at the company's Irvine office, said her firm was effectively cut off from a foreign labor pool that included Lloyd of Britain when the government stopped accepting H-1B applications.
Williams said she worries that if Congress fails to pass reform legislation, the door will slam shut even earlier next year. The company has just over 2,000 U.S.-based employees, roughly 100 of whom have H-1B visas.
"We need these highly skilled, highly educated, highly qualified engineers," said Williams. "These people are a needle in a haystack."
Once foreigners have H-1B visas, they face another hurdle � becoming permanent legal residents. Applicants are often forced to wait years because there are only 140,000 employment-based green cards available annually. A backlog at Citizenship and Immigration Services adds to the delays.
Swati and Aradhana Srivastava, 34, both Indian software engineers working in the U.S. on H-1B visas, began the green card process with their employer in November 2001. Since then, the sisters said they have not been able to change jobs, positions or salaries.
They have taken film classes and are eager to pursue second careers in filmmaking but cannot do so until after they get their green cards. They also are reluctant to buy property or start a business. If they don't get their green cards by the time they finish film school, the sisters may return home.
"It's like living in a holding pattern continuously," said Swati Srivastava, 28, a member of Immigration Voice, a new grass-roots organization of skilled foreign workers pushing for immigration reform. The Internet-based group formed late last year and has about 5,000 members scattered around the country.
"We work in [the] U.S. legally in high-skilled jobs, but we still get penalized for playing by the rules," Immigration Voice co-founder Aman Kapoor said in an e-mail. "Since no one was working on our issues, we decided to organize."
Sandy Boyd, vice president of the National Assn. of Manufacturers, said there is an urgency to fixing the problems facing highly skilled foreign workers, whether they're seeking temporary or permanent legal status. The Senate's proposed immigration bill would increase the number of available employment-based green cards.
If compromise legislation cannot be reached on the broader issues, Boyd said, Congress should pass a separate, more narrow reform bill.
"This is not an issue that can be put off until comprehensive immigration reform is passed," Boyd said, "because once we lose these jobs, it's very difficult for them to come back."
But industry lobbyists arguing against increases in H-1B visas say the program hurts U.S. citizens by lowering wages and increasing job competition. They cite a recent report by the Government Accountability Office that says the program lacks sufficient oversight from the Department of Labor.
"We feel for the most part there are not shortages of U.S. engineers and computer scientists that have the skills these companies are looking for," said Chris McManes, spokesman for the U.S. sector of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. "If the cap is increased, that will further hamper the ability of a U.S. engineer to find a job."
David Huber, a network engineer in Chicago and U.S. citizen by birth, said he twice lost out on jobs to foreign workers. He was passed over for one job and replaced at another, he said. Huber, who testified before the House in March, said he could not find work for nearly three years, despite his education and experience. "Too many of us cannot find jobs because companies are turning to H-1B workers as a first choice," Huber said in written testimony to the House.
Swadha Sharma, who lives in Arcadia, said she is not trying to replace U.S. workers. Sharma earned an electronics engineering degree in India but has long dreamed of becoming a math teacher. So while her husband worked here on an H-1B visa, she earned her teaching credential at Cal Poly Pomona.
Sharma, 30, started applying for teaching jobs early this year, but she said only one of three interested districts was willing to sponsor her for an H-1B visa. And that offer, from a Los Angeles charter school, came after the visa cap had been reached. Sharma now plans to pursue a master's degree but said the U.S. is "missing out on a catch."
"I am really qualified," she said. "Hopefully, I will be able to teach soon."
As for Lloyd, his plans to come to the United States are now on indefinite hold. He started his job in Germany but still laments the U.S. immigration system for limiting workers like himself from coming here.
"The H-1B scheme seems a little bit ridiculous," he said. "I would certainly be an asset to the American economy."
hairstyles (Solids in which there is
abcdefgh
01-16 03:24 PM
Whats a good score for Immigration purposes on the IELTS. Looks like the scale is 1 to 9.
for each section.
7-9 gives 4 points
5-6.9 gives 2 points
I (MS from US university and 6 yrs of experience, still they asked me) appeared for IELTS this saturday without any preparation, it is not that bad. Only thing you need to prepare is concentrate while listening and time management for reading and writing section. For speaking try to prepare about your home country and popular game in your home country.
It is very easy.
Just try to appear for this, as you all of us have already invested $ 1000.00 for canada filing. Another $ 140.00 would not hurt.
for each section.
7-9 gives 4 points
5-6.9 gives 2 points
I (MS from US university and 6 yrs of experience, still they asked me) appeared for IELTS this saturday without any preparation, it is not that bad. Only thing you need to prepare is concentrate while listening and time management for reading and writing section. For speaking try to prepare about your home country and popular game in your home country.
It is very easy.
Just try to appear for this, as you all of us have already invested $ 1000.00 for canada filing. Another $ 140.00 would not hurt.
sands_14
09-23 09:59 AM
I e-filed my EAD and AP;but when I sent the supporting documentation to the PO Box in Mesquite,Texas;it was not delivered on Friday,a notice was left.I am very anxious if it comes back.Is there a Phone Number I can call to ask them Reason for Non-delivery;what should I do???Is there an address different from the PO Box where I can FEDEX
shan74
01-12 07:49 PM
Thanks and wait for ur response. Also i wanted to know whether my employer or lawyer will come to know if i apply for FOIA, and will it affect my application. Another thing is my employer is not responding whether my 140 is approved or not. so i really don;t know the status of my application and he is not willing to give me the receipt #.
So please let me know will it affect my application.
thanks
So please let me know will it affect my application.
thanks
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