sammyb
11-19 12:21 PM
https://egov.uscis.gov/cris/jsps/Processtimes.jsp?SeviceCenter=TSC
because of page cache or they posted it today ... just wondering ... anyway thanks for the info ...
because of page cache or they posted it today ... just wondering ... anyway thanks for the info ...
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fromnaija
07-11 03:24 PM
If you file 485 based on your previous approved 140, you are compelled to go back to your previous employer when your GC is approved.
So the options you have are:
1. File 485 based on previously approved 140. If approved within 180 days, go back to previous employer otherwise use AC21 to change employer to current employer. This presumes that your former employer is willing to continue support of your GC.
2. You could file 485 based on unapproved 140 since concurrent filing is still allowed.
The choice is yours.
So the options you have are:
1. File 485 based on previously approved 140. If approved within 180 days, go back to previous employer otherwise use AC21 to change employer to current employer. This presumes that your former employer is willing to continue support of your GC.
2. You could file 485 based on unapproved 140 since concurrent filing is still allowed.
The choice is yours.
monkeyman
09-27 10:45 AM
Is there anyway we can help the family featured in this thread? Like helping them with funds to hire a good lawyer or something on those lines? Reading all the threads, I am somehow thinking of going for the Indian dream now (Yes, I have the Indian citizenship)!!! 6 years and my wife still does not know if she can live in this country or not!!!
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yanj
12-14 09:38 AM
Now I am working for a company in OPT .
have 24 days GAP.
How can I do to solve it ?
have 24 days GAP.
How can I do to solve it ?
more...
WaldenPond
02-24 11:57 AM
Here is my honest opinion.... you guys need to highlight the fact that IV is equlally concerned about PBEC issue. This is what i have heard and read from a lot of folks... Just to let u guys know that even my app is stuck with PBEC..
The main goal of IV is to bring an end to labor processing delay in the backlog center and I-485 retrogression. We have consistently mentioned this in all possible forums. This has been clearly mentioned on home page. And if there is anybody who has any doubt, could you please request them to please call at (281) 576-7185.
I am beginning to realize that for some people who do not want to contribute, there will always be plenty of reasons and plenty of excuses not to participate & contribute. I think these people are the once who are actually responsible for the problems of all of us. Our problems do not originate in the slow GC process or the existing bad legislation. Our problems originate due to the people who are always looking for reasons to not participate or do anything or these people who are always looking for reasons to feel offended. And these people are sure doing a wonderful job because there will always be plenty of reasons to feel offended or not feel part of the group or not find enough motivation to feel part of the bigger community.
Asking questions or requesting a specific item in the goals is one thing. People beating the drum of transparency �. That is no big deal either. Everybody is entitled for their opinion. But people watching from the sidelines or for the people who want to include agenda as Goals of the IV or for the people putting conditions to their contributions, here is what I have to say to you. I would sincerely request you to never visit Immigration Voice or any other immigration related forum or website. You guys are the real problem because you are the once helping to foster the current system by not participating in brining the change. At the end of the day, know that you are the real culprits not the system which will be shaped by the contribution of each of us.
In last 2 weeks the contributions has really come down drastically. Everybody please note that we are running very low on the funds collection. All of us have two choices. One, contribute for this cause generously and lead the friends and acquaintances by example and tell them to do the same. Secondly, find reasons to not participate or not to contribute due to this, that or whatever �. The choice is entirely yours. But with your choice also understand whether you are being part of the solution or part of the problem. And whatever you do (including posting negative messages), I would sincerely request everybody to ask yourself one question, whether you (or your post) are strengthening or weakening this effort.
I would like to request all the members who have not yet contributed to please contribute generously. Please put your money where your mouth is. This effort or any similar effort for that matter cannot do much without the necessary funds that only come in the form of contributions from its members. And for those of us who have already contributed in the past, its time to please contribute more and help to fuel this effort.
This is not just about the life of the people who started this effort or the core/active members who have taken the initiative and responsibility. This is about all of us whether or not you feel part of it or not. It doesn�t make any difference how you feel about the situation or state of affairs. Why? Because this will be over very soon. And for the people who want to continue to ponder over this idea of whether or not they have a sense of belonging to IV, I would sincerely request you to please understand and know that by any contribution to this effort, you are strengthening your our voices. Know that this is not about anybody else but you.
The main goal of IV is to bring an end to labor processing delay in the backlog center and I-485 retrogression. We have consistently mentioned this in all possible forums. This has been clearly mentioned on home page. And if there is anybody who has any doubt, could you please request them to please call at (281) 576-7185.
I am beginning to realize that for some people who do not want to contribute, there will always be plenty of reasons and plenty of excuses not to participate & contribute. I think these people are the once who are actually responsible for the problems of all of us. Our problems do not originate in the slow GC process or the existing bad legislation. Our problems originate due to the people who are always looking for reasons to not participate or do anything or these people who are always looking for reasons to feel offended. And these people are sure doing a wonderful job because there will always be plenty of reasons to feel offended or not feel part of the group or not find enough motivation to feel part of the bigger community.
Asking questions or requesting a specific item in the goals is one thing. People beating the drum of transparency �. That is no big deal either. Everybody is entitled for their opinion. But people watching from the sidelines or for the people who want to include agenda as Goals of the IV or for the people putting conditions to their contributions, here is what I have to say to you. I would sincerely request you to never visit Immigration Voice or any other immigration related forum or website. You guys are the real problem because you are the once helping to foster the current system by not participating in brining the change. At the end of the day, know that you are the real culprits not the system which will be shaped by the contribution of each of us.
In last 2 weeks the contributions has really come down drastically. Everybody please note that we are running very low on the funds collection. All of us have two choices. One, contribute for this cause generously and lead the friends and acquaintances by example and tell them to do the same. Secondly, find reasons to not participate or not to contribute due to this, that or whatever �. The choice is entirely yours. But with your choice also understand whether you are being part of the solution or part of the problem. And whatever you do (including posting negative messages), I would sincerely request everybody to ask yourself one question, whether you (or your post) are strengthening or weakening this effort.
I would like to request all the members who have not yet contributed to please contribute generously. Please put your money where your mouth is. This effort or any similar effort for that matter cannot do much without the necessary funds that only come in the form of contributions from its members. And for those of us who have already contributed in the past, its time to please contribute more and help to fuel this effort.
This is not just about the life of the people who started this effort or the core/active members who have taken the initiative and responsibility. This is about all of us whether or not you feel part of it or not. It doesn�t make any difference how you feel about the situation or state of affairs. Why? Because this will be over very soon. And for the people who want to continue to ponder over this idea of whether or not they have a sense of belonging to IV, I would sincerely request you to please understand and know that by any contribution to this effort, you are strengthening your our voices. Know that this is not about anybody else but you.
ab2k7
07-04 03:08 PM
Gurus, need a lil help clarifying issue in GC process.
I've a question regarding location of work place for a H1B employee filing GC process.
I've learnt that either after filing I-140 or I-485 stage, one should maintain as an employee at the same job position(job description as mentioned in LC) and also the geographical location. I've learnt instances where if an employee is half way through (lets say approved labor or I-140) his GC process has to start all over if he had to move to another branch of the same company in another city/state.
Is this true? I might be wrong about the infomation above but I'm concerned as being consultant, I might have to move to a different city or state if I find a better project and am contemplating whether this would be an issue in future for my green card.
If I'm right, employer has to file LCA for prevailing wage for current city I'm residing now. What will be the process incase I've to move to another city/state.
I'd really appreciate if someone who has better official info or gone through this can clarify my queries so ppl like me can be better informed.
Thanks in advance.
I've a question regarding location of work place for a H1B employee filing GC process.
I've learnt that either after filing I-140 or I-485 stage, one should maintain as an employee at the same job position(job description as mentioned in LC) and also the geographical location. I've learnt instances where if an employee is half way through (lets say approved labor or I-140) his GC process has to start all over if he had to move to another branch of the same company in another city/state.
Is this true? I might be wrong about the infomation above but I'm concerned as being consultant, I might have to move to a different city or state if I find a better project and am contemplating whether this would be an issue in future for my green card.
If I'm right, employer has to file LCA for prevailing wage for current city I'm residing now. What will be the process incase I've to move to another city/state.
I'd really appreciate if someone who has better official info or gone through this can clarify my queries so ppl like me can be better informed.
Thanks in advance.
more...
go_guy123
01-07 10:32 PM
People who have been paying taxes for 6-10+ years and working in the US economy get only 50,000 Green cards a year, while 50,000 complete strangers in a foreign country get Green card in a year because they happen to be lucky and win a lottery !! :confused:
It doesnt matter who is paying taxes or not. The immigration lobby is all about vote bank
and non-skilled immigration has the upper hand over skilled ones. The senate is still under democratic party and they will roadblock any immigration bill for skilled unless there is something for the "illegals" (more likely theey will try to attach Dream act)
It doesnt matter who is paying taxes or not. The immigration lobby is all about vote bank
and non-skilled immigration has the upper hand over skilled ones. The senate is still under democratic party and they will roadblock any immigration bill for skilled unless there is something for the "illegals" (more likely theey will try to attach Dream act)
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ujjvalkoul
01-18 10:23 AM
Do the Primary Applicant and the Spouse both need to take this Test??
more...
deba
09-09 10:28 PM
Nothing surprising here. I have yet to hear about one desi employer who has not exploited H1b. The system is set up to favor the employer. Employees hardly have a choice. Those in favor of increasing the quota should also lobby for complete portability without any penalty to keep the system fair.
Deb
Contrib $600 so far + $300 for rally
EB2 India PD 03/05
I140 09/07
I485 07/07
Deb
Contrib $600 so far + $300 for rally
EB2 India PD 03/05
I140 09/07
I485 07/07
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gc_chahiye
12-10 11:35 AM
Hi All,
Just posting my experience of traveling on AP as a reference for others:
I traveled to Japan on a business visit with all 3 copies of my AP , and on return stood in the normal visitor line. When I came up to the officer, he said I should go to the "new immigrants" line, since only those officers have the necessary parole stamps.
In the other line, the officer said it was good that I brought all three copies, since they stamp all three, keep one original for themselves and return two back. The next time I travel, they will stamp the two I have, keep one and return one to me. After that, they will stamp the one original I have left, and make copies for themselves.
The officer did not ask any special questions, except which city I stay in, the rest of it was just chit-chat.
Simple process, no hassles.
Enjoy!
thanks for sharing the experience. One more question: which port-of-entry was this at? Interesting that it all completed at the main counter, many people ended up in secondary inspection when they used the AP.
Just posting my experience of traveling on AP as a reference for others:
I traveled to Japan on a business visit with all 3 copies of my AP , and on return stood in the normal visitor line. When I came up to the officer, he said I should go to the "new immigrants" line, since only those officers have the necessary parole stamps.
In the other line, the officer said it was good that I brought all three copies, since they stamp all three, keep one original for themselves and return two back. The next time I travel, they will stamp the two I have, keep one and return one to me. After that, they will stamp the one original I have left, and make copies for themselves.
The officer did not ask any special questions, except which city I stay in, the rest of it was just chit-chat.
Simple process, no hassles.
Enjoy!
thanks for sharing the experience. One more question: which port-of-entry was this at? Interesting that it all completed at the main counter, many people ended up in secondary inspection when they used the AP.
more...
sertasheep
03-16 11:14 AM
The only easy options I see for US educated physicians (of Indian origin) are either the Middle East(where , you can get jobs after min 2+ years of US work experience, not just residency) or back in India.
- Neither Australia or UK recognize US medical education(ironic, isn't it!!!), requiring an arduous recertification process. Not worth it, IMHO.
- Canada claims that the process is simple, but Note that this is not that simple and rosy- jobs aren't that easy to get in Canada.Do a google search for "foreign doctors in Canada". Also, don't go by what migration/immigration agents tell you.
- I have heard of "exchange programs" (you work for a couple of years) in New Zealand or Australia, but you can't settle down there, unless a non-physician spouse is already a permanent resident or citizen
If something has changed in the recent past, or I am wrong, I'd like to hear more.
Here's an email trail from 2003. You can probably talk or contact the organization given below.
>>I hope this can help clarify your situation as concerns your wife's
>>future employment in Canada. If she will be graduating from an
>>accredited medical college in he United States, she will have
>>substantially less difficulty obtaining her license to practice medicine
>>in Canada.
>>
>>She will have to complete the qualifying examinations that are
>>administered by the Medical Council of Canada. There are two of these
>>exams. Information about these exams can be found at http://www.mcc.ca.
>>She should not have to worry about being subjected to the international
>>medical graduate programs since American schools have their degrees
>>recognized by the licensing bodies in Canada.
>>
>>If you would like to speak to me directly please feel free to contact me
>>at the numbers below.
>>
>>Regards,
>>
>>Scott Butler
>>Member Relations/Project Manager
>>Association of International Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (AIPSO)
>>2 Carlton Street, Suite 1004
>>Toronto, ON M5B 1J3
>>
>>Phone: (416) 979-8611 x 4301
>>Fax: (416) 979-9853
>>Email: membershipaipso@cassa.on.ca
>>Web: http://www.aipso.ca
- Neither Australia or UK recognize US medical education(ironic, isn't it!!!), requiring an arduous recertification process. Not worth it, IMHO.
- Canada claims that the process is simple, but Note that this is not that simple and rosy- jobs aren't that easy to get in Canada.Do a google search for "foreign doctors in Canada". Also, don't go by what migration/immigration agents tell you.
- I have heard of "exchange programs" (you work for a couple of years) in New Zealand or Australia, but you can't settle down there, unless a non-physician spouse is already a permanent resident or citizen
If something has changed in the recent past, or I am wrong, I'd like to hear more.
Here's an email trail from 2003. You can probably talk or contact the organization given below.
>>I hope this can help clarify your situation as concerns your wife's
>>future employment in Canada. If she will be graduating from an
>>accredited medical college in he United States, she will have
>>substantially less difficulty obtaining her license to practice medicine
>>in Canada.
>>
>>She will have to complete the qualifying examinations that are
>>administered by the Medical Council of Canada. There are two of these
>>exams. Information about these exams can be found at http://www.mcc.ca.
>>She should not have to worry about being subjected to the international
>>medical graduate programs since American schools have their degrees
>>recognized by the licensing bodies in Canada.
>>
>>If you would like to speak to me directly please feel free to contact me
>>at the numbers below.
>>
>>Regards,
>>
>>Scott Butler
>>Member Relations/Project Manager
>>Association of International Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (AIPSO)
>>2 Carlton Street, Suite 1004
>>Toronto, ON M5B 1J3
>>
>>Phone: (416) 979-8611 x 4301
>>Fax: (416) 979-9853
>>Email: membershipaipso@cassa.on.ca
>>Web: http://www.aipso.ca
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yanj
12-16 12:46 PM
You can not work after 7/9/2007.
The end of the OPT will determine when you must stop working.
The 60 days grace period is only for you to take care of business before you go back home. In your case you must wait for 2 months and 24 days before returning to work otherwise you will be in violation of your status.
andy
THANKS
The end of the OPT will determine when you must stop working.
The 60 days grace period is only for you to take care of business before you go back home. In your case you must wait for 2 months and 24 days before returning to work otherwise you will be in violation of your status.
andy
THANKS
more...
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h1bemployee
02-26 10:43 AM
When was your H1-B amendment denied?
What is your current LCA salary vs. original LCA Salary?
Original LCA salary is like 58k and current one is 40k
What is your current LCA salary vs. original LCA Salary?
Original LCA salary is like 58k and current one is 40k
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arihant
10-26 10:43 AM
last year i applied for H1 transfer in the midweek of Oct-05 and got the approval on mid week of Feb-06. :cool:
Thanks Masti for your response.
Anybody else have any experiences from this year?
Thanks.
Thanks Masti for your response.
Anybody else have any experiences from this year?
Thanks.
more...
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srh1
10-28 10:57 PM
Thanks for your reply it was helpful.
BUt can any one tell me do we have to be on payroll for at least 6 months after you get Gc or can we on and off payroll and still be with the same employer for what ever length of time we stick to the same employer who filed GC..
BUt can any one tell me do we have to be on payroll for at least 6 months after you get Gc or can we on and off payroll and still be with the same employer for what ever length of time we stick to the same employer who filed GC..
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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."
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immi_seeker
07-12 11:57 PM
Hi,
Just wanted to know about your EAD: Which Center you have applied ? NSC/TSC. What date they have received. My EAD Renewal is pending, and I wish to change job. :confused:
Appreciate your reply. Anyways, You should not be worrying too much on EAD, as your PD is current now, and youshoudlget the Card in coming months. :)
Thanks.
Center is NSC. They recieved the Application on june 19th
Just wanted to know about your EAD: Which Center you have applied ? NSC/TSC. What date they have received. My EAD Renewal is pending, and I wish to change job. :confused:
Appreciate your reply. Anyways, You should not be worrying too much on EAD, as your PD is current now, and youshoudlget the Card in coming months. :)
Thanks.
Center is NSC. They recieved the Application on june 19th
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rimzhim
02-09 04:02 PM
Please keep this thread alive ...
sledge hammer:
can you explain if the new labors being cleared in the BEC centers (approximately 150K are still pending) are from 2001-2003?
In 2003, there should be a demand of 23% of 300K (couting spouses)=69K. Total visas are about 140K per annum. So there should be some movement. i dont understand why there will be no movement.
sledge hammer:
can you explain if the new labors being cleared in the BEC centers (approximately 150K are still pending) are from 2001-2003?
In 2003, there should be a demand of 23% of 300K (couting spouses)=69K. Total visas are about 140K per annum. So there should be some movement. i dont understand why there will be no movement.
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myvinbox@gmail.com
08-24 04:30 PM
any updates on status of background processing for your 485 ?
bmoni
12-22 08:42 PM
I thought the same thing when i read it first time ...
see the very next sentence after that statement
once the alien’s Form I-140 petition has been approved, the alien beneficiary retains his or her priority date as established by the filing of the labor certification for any future Form I-140 petitions, unless the previously approved Form I-140 petition has been revoked because of fraud or willful misrepresentation. "This includes cases where a change of employer has occurred"
If you read clearly then it says that you can keep the PD in your new employer GC process. You may loose that opportunity only if there was a fraud in the previous I140 and USICS revokes that I140.
once the alien’s Form I-140 petition has been approved, the alien beneficiary retains his or her priority date as established by the filing of the labor certification for any future Form I-140 petitions, unless the previously approved Form I-140 petition has been revoked because of fraud or willful misrepresentation.
So if your current I140 is clean then you will be able to use the PD in your next application for GC with the new employer.
see the very next sentence after that statement
once the alien’s Form I-140 petition has been approved, the alien beneficiary retains his or her priority date as established by the filing of the labor certification for any future Form I-140 petitions, unless the previously approved Form I-140 petition has been revoked because of fraud or willful misrepresentation. "This includes cases where a change of employer has occurred"
If you read clearly then it says that you can keep the PD in your new employer GC process. You may loose that opportunity only if there was a fraud in the previous I140 and USICS revokes that I140.
once the alien’s Form I-140 petition has been approved, the alien beneficiary retains his or her priority date as established by the filing of the labor certification for any future Form I-140 petitions, unless the previously approved Form I-140 petition has been revoked because of fraud or willful misrepresentation.
So if your current I140 is clean then you will be able to use the PD in your next application for GC with the new employer.
asharda
07-13 10:47 AM
Its a good idea but make sure you guyz are comfortable. It must be hot out there.
Have every one wear white as the color of peace/silent protest/sadness.
Have every one wear white as the color of peace/silent protest/sadness.
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