sobers
07-04 12:06 PM
"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."
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-skilledvisa3jul03,1,1670817.story?page=2&cset=true&ctrack=1
"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."
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-skilledvisa3jul03,1,1670817.story?page=2&cset=true&ctrack=1
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Ann Ruben
04-23 10:48 AM
If you are subject to the two-year home residence requirement, you cannot be granted H-1 status until a 212(e) waiver is granted. However, your employer can file an H-1 petition for you now. Once the petition is approved, AND the waiver is granted, you can either file with USCIS for a change of status, or you can apply for an H-1 visa abroad.
Sachin_Stock
02-03 10:42 AM
I have a question.
I am EB3 with priority date Oct. 2006. My qualification from India is 3 years (B.Com) plus 1 year of M.com (I didn't complete the 2nd year) plus Intermediate ICWA and Chartered Accountancy. I got here in the USA in December 1999 on H1B and always maintained the status. I completed CPA in 2002 in the USA.
I did some research to port to EB2 (based on Bachelors degree plus 5 years experience) but it seems that USCIS wants 4 years continuous degree to be considered for EB2.
Is that true? Is there anyone in my situation who has done this porting successfully?
Any help will be greatly appreciate.
Thank you,
That is correct. Mixing and matching with certifications doesn't work. Although I don't know about CPA, if it goes towards professional degree.
I am EB3 with priority date Oct. 2006. My qualification from India is 3 years (B.Com) plus 1 year of M.com (I didn't complete the 2nd year) plus Intermediate ICWA and Chartered Accountancy. I got here in the USA in December 1999 on H1B and always maintained the status. I completed CPA in 2002 in the USA.
I did some research to port to EB2 (based on Bachelors degree plus 5 years experience) but it seems that USCIS wants 4 years continuous degree to be considered for EB2.
Is that true? Is there anyone in my situation who has done this porting successfully?
Any help will be greatly appreciate.
Thank you,
That is correct. Mixing and matching with certifications doesn't work. Although I don't know about CPA, if it goes towards professional degree.
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ilangocal
04-07 10:41 AM
Hi
I have given up hopes of getting an H-1B through the Master's quota. I applied on April 4. So there are no hopes anyway.
Now how can one get an H-1B through a non-profit organization. My understanding of this process is not very clear. I was under the impression (wrong impression!!) that if I can get a job at a Non-Profit place through a consulting company(I am an employee of the consulting company and not the Non-Profit org) and because my workplace is at a non-profit organization, I can get an H-1B that qualifies as one that belongs to the Non-Profit H-1B category.
Please clarify. I am trying to understand this clearly.
Thanks very much
I have given up hopes of getting an H-1B through the Master's quota. I applied on April 4. So there are no hopes anyway.
Now how can one get an H-1B through a non-profit organization. My understanding of this process is not very clear. I was under the impression (wrong impression!!) that if I can get a job at a Non-Profit place through a consulting company(I am an employee of the consulting company and not the Non-Profit org) and because my workplace is at a non-profit organization, I can get an H-1B that qualifies as one that belongs to the Non-Profit H-1B category.
Please clarify. I am trying to understand this clearly.
Thanks very much
more...
agupta_13
04-22 07:32 PM
I am employeed in IT consultancy, and wants to change my employement as a permenent employee of the client.
When i told this to my employeer he is telling me that he can file a lawsuite against my Client(New Employeer) on the bases of Small Business Administantion laws, stated below
Although the contract does not specifically state that the client cannot hire the contractor (you) on a permanent job, it also does not state that the client can. Current Employeer comes under the category of the 'Small Business Administration' under the State and the Federal Governments. Both governments fully support the growth and looks after the interests of small businesses in the country. They have always done it and are even more supportive lately as a result of the struggle small businesses are undergoing in these bad economic times. I have been advised by the company attorney that I contracted you to the client purely on professional and ethical grounds for the benefit of Current Employeer business. If a giant company like Client just takes you away to their advantage, it may not be looked upon favorably by a small business court.
Below is what is in the contract between my Employeer and Client.
1. This agreement is for the sole purposes of providing the services of the Contractor�s employee XXX to (Client).
2. Contractor will be an independent contractor of Company and will work on a Client assignment.
3. Company will pay $XX.00 per hour to Contractor for all the hours of work and expenses approved by Client.
4. All time and expenses should be entered into client�s system and should be approved by the concerned manager or project manager.
5 Company will not pay contractor for any time and expenses not authorized and not approved by Client.
6. Contractor shall be solely responsible for the quality of work performed.
7. Payment terms shall be XX days net and will be made on a bi-weekly basis.
8. The start date and the length of assignment will be determined by Client, and Company shall let the Contractor know in writing before the date on which the consultant starts working for the Client.
9. Contractor reserves the right to offer consultant�s services to other clients until such time the Company and the Contractor executes this agreement as well as a project work order.
10. This is the only agreement between the Contractor and the Company. Changes can be made in writing only and have to be signed by both parties to be effective.
11. This agreement is subject to the laws of the State of Texas.
12. Either party can terminate this contract by giving 2 week�s written notice, via email or physical mail. The notifying party must obtain proof of delivery of such notification to the other party.
Can any one tell if there is any possibility of that
When i told this to my employeer he is telling me that he can file a lawsuite against my Client(New Employeer) on the bases of Small Business Administantion laws, stated below
Although the contract does not specifically state that the client cannot hire the contractor (you) on a permanent job, it also does not state that the client can. Current Employeer comes under the category of the 'Small Business Administration' under the State and the Federal Governments. Both governments fully support the growth and looks after the interests of small businesses in the country. They have always done it and are even more supportive lately as a result of the struggle small businesses are undergoing in these bad economic times. I have been advised by the company attorney that I contracted you to the client purely on professional and ethical grounds for the benefit of Current Employeer business. If a giant company like Client just takes you away to their advantage, it may not be looked upon favorably by a small business court.
Below is what is in the contract between my Employeer and Client.
1. This agreement is for the sole purposes of providing the services of the Contractor�s employee XXX to (Client).
2. Contractor will be an independent contractor of Company and will work on a Client assignment.
3. Company will pay $XX.00 per hour to Contractor for all the hours of work and expenses approved by Client.
4. All time and expenses should be entered into client�s system and should be approved by the concerned manager or project manager.
5 Company will not pay contractor for any time and expenses not authorized and not approved by Client.
6. Contractor shall be solely responsible for the quality of work performed.
7. Payment terms shall be XX days net and will be made on a bi-weekly basis.
8. The start date and the length of assignment will be determined by Client, and Company shall let the Contractor know in writing before the date on which the consultant starts working for the Client.
9. Contractor reserves the right to offer consultant�s services to other clients until such time the Company and the Contractor executes this agreement as well as a project work order.
10. This is the only agreement between the Contractor and the Company. Changes can be made in writing only and have to be signed by both parties to be effective.
11. This agreement is subject to the laws of the State of Texas.
12. Either party can terminate this contract by giving 2 week�s written notice, via email or physical mail. The notifying party must obtain proof of delivery of such notification to the other party.
Can any one tell if there is any possibility of that
eb3India
05-15 09:45 AM
being current means nothing, belive me, I filed 485 in March 2004 when everything was current for almost an year, we need IV reform the system to better work for Highly skilled professionals,
I know in coming months many of us might get GC, including many in IV-core team, but I would like to IV go further after getting GC to continue their effort to put a closure by passing SKILL as a law which is our goal
I know in coming months many of us might get GC, including many in IV-core team, but I would like to IV go further after getting GC to continue their effort to put a closure by passing SKILL as a law which is our goal
more...
ksahmed
11-15 04:31 PM
Service Center NSC
I-131
Primary Applicant:
10/22: Soft LUD
11/6: Document Mailed
11/7: Document Mailed (Soft LUD)
11/15: Phisically Received (The AP says I-131 was approved on 10/22)
Secondary Applicant
10/12: Soft LUD
10/31: Document Mailed
11/1: Document Mailed (Soft LUD)
11/6: Phisically Received (The AP says I-131 was approved on 10/12)
I-131
Primary Applicant:
10/22: Soft LUD
11/6: Document Mailed
11/7: Document Mailed (Soft LUD)
11/15: Phisically Received (The AP says I-131 was approved on 10/22)
Secondary Applicant
10/12: Soft LUD
10/31: Document Mailed
11/1: Document Mailed (Soft LUD)
11/6: Phisically Received (The AP says I-131 was approved on 10/12)
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vxg
01-02 09:35 AM
I asked the same question to my attorney as last time my wife was stuck in name check in H-4 stamping. This time she was on H-1 and I asked the attorney that if she goes for H-1 and H-1 get's delayed or denied can she use AP without affecting the GC and his answer was Yes. The AP should have an approval date before she left the country i.e. AP should be approved while she was in US.
Happy New Year!
My new year begins with another immigration issue..need some urgent advice.
My wife went to the US Consulate in Chennai today for her first time H-1 stamping. She completed her Phd in Biology from the US and has been working for almost a year for a US biotech company. The consular officer has asked her to submit additional information -221(g); mostly about her job and the company. I can't understand it! Most of the information asked has already been submitted to the INS in reponse to a H-1 RFE.
My wife has an Advance Parole document and EAD based on my I-485 application.
Can you suggest options for her?
1. can she forget about the H-1, not respond to the 221(g) and travel back on advance parole and start working on EAD?
2. If after submission of 221(g) her visa gets rejected, can she still use the Advance Parole to travel to US and work on her EAD?
3. Any other options/advice?
Happy New Year!
My new year begins with another immigration issue..need some urgent advice.
My wife went to the US Consulate in Chennai today for her first time H-1 stamping. She completed her Phd in Biology from the US and has been working for almost a year for a US biotech company. The consular officer has asked her to submit additional information -221(g); mostly about her job and the company. I can't understand it! Most of the information asked has already been submitted to the INS in reponse to a H-1 RFE.
My wife has an Advance Parole document and EAD based on my I-485 application.
Can you suggest options for her?
1. can she forget about the H-1, not respond to the 221(g) and travel back on advance parole and start working on EAD?
2. If after submission of 221(g) her visa gets rejected, can she still use the Advance Parole to travel to US and work on her EAD?
3. Any other options/advice?
more...
ilikekilo
04-19 05:21 PM
Hi Folks,
My fiancee is a MS student and currently has student loan in India being charged at 13.5%. I am wondering if there is any loan that i can get here with a lower interest rate to repay off the one in india.
I would appreciate any pointers or suggestions here.
try this
not sure what your situation is with credit cards, I mean, what is the amount of credit limit you ahve.
watch out for the offes inthe mail for LIFE TIME balance transfers. generally you could call them and negotiate the APR they offer, based on my experience.
BUt keep in mind, b4 U jump in to all this banks here CAN rescind the offer anytime for any reason (when you are late even one month, etc) although there was a law that has passed recently by Obamas administration that they gave more protection to consumers.
lastly crunch some numbers, i know 13 % is high but at the same time its in Rupees Vs Dollars, so do some number crunching of intersest payment in dollards Vs rupees...good luck
My fiancee is a MS student and currently has student loan in India being charged at 13.5%. I am wondering if there is any loan that i can get here with a lower interest rate to repay off the one in india.
I would appreciate any pointers or suggestions here.
try this
not sure what your situation is with credit cards, I mean, what is the amount of credit limit you ahve.
watch out for the offes inthe mail for LIFE TIME balance transfers. generally you could call them and negotiate the APR they offer, based on my experience.
BUt keep in mind, b4 U jump in to all this banks here CAN rescind the offer anytime for any reason (when you are late even one month, etc) although there was a law that has passed recently by Obamas administration that they gave more protection to consumers.
lastly crunch some numbers, i know 13 % is high but at the same time its in Rupees Vs Dollars, so do some number crunching of intersest payment in dollards Vs rupees...good luck
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vad
09-17 11:53 PM
Arnets reply is pretty comprehensive.
The main point is the are looking at 8-10 years fro nowto settle. Are they willin to look at short term difficulties in ordder to move? Also the usual waiting time for GC after all the hassles. So they have to judge what they have there against what they might get in 10 years:eek:
vinay
disclaimer: i'm nt an immigration attroney, so please consult one for exact situation, as laws and procedures are constantly changing.
I'm NOT in medical field but writing based on what i heard..thought might be useful for you.....below is the most common way of coming to US for MBBS degree holders in india....
they can write USMLE exam (check www.usmle.org) and if they pass the step1, step2, step3 exams they can apply to US universities (atleast few of them based on the score) for MD residency programs which is usually four years course.
some say step1 and step2 is enough to apply but step3 gives more advantage but nt sure. BUT CHECK THE ELIGILIBITY FOR EXAM AND DO RESEARCH ON THESE COURSE AND OTHER TOPICS TO GET EXACT DETAILS...
they can come here in H1 or J1 visa if they get into residency programs but check the procedures. but in general, after residency program, they need to work 3 yrs in underreserved areas (mostly 30-50 miles away from city, nt bad, oppurtunites are good there).
writing USMLE and getting into residency programs is really very very tough as more competition now and need very top score and their previous experience, degree/diplomas, research, etc helps.
if they both try and one get it through, then the one who get it into residency program can come into J1 or H1 visa and others can come in H4 visa (dependents-children and spouse).
they will be paid atleast 40-50k per yr during the residency (four yrs) and after that based on their work and experience, they will paid more atleast >100k per yr.
regd greencard, i think, they can apply only after 3yrs of working in under-reserved areas. some say they wont have to do labor because they get waiver because they worked 3 yrs in under-reserved areas but for this you need to consult an immigration lawyer.
but for all this, they have to first COLLECT all the details and CHECK THE ELIGILIBITY FOR ALL THIS...they have to plan properly because while studying for USMLE or during this entire process, it is nt easier but they have to undergo a LOT of stress as they might think we are doing well in india why we moved here. but remember, it pays them in long run, it depends on each one how they look.
good luck....:)
The main point is the are looking at 8-10 years fro nowto settle. Are they willin to look at short term difficulties in ordder to move? Also the usual waiting time for GC after all the hassles. So they have to judge what they have there against what they might get in 10 years:eek:
vinay
disclaimer: i'm nt an immigration attroney, so please consult one for exact situation, as laws and procedures are constantly changing.
I'm NOT in medical field but writing based on what i heard..thought might be useful for you.....below is the most common way of coming to US for MBBS degree holders in india....
they can write USMLE exam (check www.usmle.org) and if they pass the step1, step2, step3 exams they can apply to US universities (atleast few of them based on the score) for MD residency programs which is usually four years course.
some say step1 and step2 is enough to apply but step3 gives more advantage but nt sure. BUT CHECK THE ELIGILIBITY FOR EXAM AND DO RESEARCH ON THESE COURSE AND OTHER TOPICS TO GET EXACT DETAILS...
they can come here in H1 or J1 visa if they get into residency programs but check the procedures. but in general, after residency program, they need to work 3 yrs in underreserved areas (mostly 30-50 miles away from city, nt bad, oppurtunites are good there).
writing USMLE and getting into residency programs is really very very tough as more competition now and need very top score and their previous experience, degree/diplomas, research, etc helps.
if they both try and one get it through, then the one who get it into residency program can come into J1 or H1 visa and others can come in H4 visa (dependents-children and spouse).
they will be paid atleast 40-50k per yr during the residency (four yrs) and after that based on their work and experience, they will paid more atleast >100k per yr.
regd greencard, i think, they can apply only after 3yrs of working in under-reserved areas. some say they wont have to do labor because they get waiver because they worked 3 yrs in under-reserved areas but for this you need to consult an immigration lawyer.
but for all this, they have to first COLLECT all the details and CHECK THE ELIGILIBITY FOR ALL THIS...they have to plan properly because while studying for USMLE or during this entire process, it is nt easier but they have to undergo a LOT of stress as they might think we are doing well in india why we moved here. but remember, it pays them in long run, it depends on each one how they look.
good luck....:)
more...
GCwaitforever
09-25 05:34 PM
My credit union gives mortgage with higher rates for non-GC folks. I also lost on scholarships for not having a GC.
Coming back to the original post, Carbon proposed a great out-of-the-box idea. Nothing wrong in selling this idea to NAHB. They are sitting on their profits from last few years and would not mind sponsoring any IV events at DC perhaps.
Coming back to the original post, Carbon proposed a great out-of-the-box idea. Nothing wrong in selling this idea to NAHB. They are sitting on their profits from last few years and would not mind sponsoring any IV events at DC perhaps.
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immi2006
10-04 01:39 AM
Based on current estimates, it will be 10-15 years time, unless u r son/daughter can sponsor you prior... u will end up in family quota wait still.
I am not sarcastic this is the reality,
There are many people on this forum who have been waiting for 5 years or more. No one can predict when you will get the GC- such is the beauty of the EB Immigration System.
I am not sarcastic this is the reality,
There are many people on this forum who have been waiting for 5 years or more. No one can predict when you will get the GC- such is the beauty of the EB Immigration System.
more...
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vinabath
05-15 01:04 PM
What a coincidence.....
1. EB3 I-140 ceritified - Feb2003. - Salary 60K (Soft Developer)
2. EB2 - Labor approved -Oct 2005 Waiting for PD to port - Salary 80k ( IS manager)
I do not know what to do, I am thinking couple of situations.
I. File 485 with EB3.
Advantages:
Low Salary Requirements,
Generic Job Duties,
Easy to use AC21,
Already approved I-140
Disadvantages:
Possible retrogression,
So more wait before realizing the dream of actual freedom.
II. File 485 with EB2 labor (concurrent filing)
Advantages:
Less chance of retrogression.
Quicker path to GC.
Disadvantages:
I-140 denial chances
more money to spend for I-140 and PP
Difficult to use AC21 - difficult to find managerial job with 80K salary in Midwest.
Someone please tell us that we can replace/upgrade the underlying I-140 tagged to 485 application.
1. EB3 I-140 ceritified - Feb2003. - Salary 60K (Soft Developer)
2. EB2 - Labor approved -Oct 2005 Waiting for PD to port - Salary 80k ( IS manager)
I do not know what to do, I am thinking couple of situations.
I. File 485 with EB3.
Advantages:
Low Salary Requirements,
Generic Job Duties,
Easy to use AC21,
Already approved I-140
Disadvantages:
Possible retrogression,
So more wait before realizing the dream of actual freedom.
II. File 485 with EB2 labor (concurrent filing)
Advantages:
Less chance of retrogression.
Quicker path to GC.
Disadvantages:
I-140 denial chances
more money to spend for I-140 and PP
Difficult to use AC21 - difficult to find managerial job with 80K salary in Midwest.
Someone please tell us that we can replace/upgrade the underlying I-140 tagged to 485 application.
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Gravitation
12-14 12:57 PM
Please post the URL of the school you are attending.
Thanks,
babson.edu
Thanks,
babson.edu
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ash27
04-02 10:20 PM
It is not very clear if the new employer needs to explicitly state that they would like to continue your GC. I understand that a major chunk of employers will have reservation stating this in an offer letter.
My understanding is that to invoke AC21, employer needs to provide an offer letter for a full time position. Please clarify.
My understanding is that to invoke AC21, employer needs to provide an offer letter for a full time position. Please clarify.
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gc_wow
09-30 05:56 PM
I got Rfe to send pictures for Advance Parole, it is funny because already I have mailed them pictures, i dont know why they send me Rfe for that. AILA and immigration lawyers are leeches, ask any immigration lawyer they hate us to the core, yet this USCIS workers and immigration Lawyers choose to ignore that they are dependent on immigrants for their daily bread.
more...
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swarnapuri
12-23 01:32 PM
Check the message by saturnring11 in this thread. He linked the USCIS document which states that PD is retained by the employee once the I-140 is approved unless I-140 is revoked for Fraud.
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=2368
Here is the link that he posted :
Look on Page 27 of the USCIS Press Release
http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/afm_ch22_091206R.pdf
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=2368
Here is the link that he posted :
Look on Page 27 of the USCIS Press Release
http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/afm_ch22_091206R.pdf
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ahaadi
01-08 01:47 PM
I also had submitted with my I-94 attached. I forgot to remove it. It was stapled and I got it back with my old passport. So dont worry.
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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."
Hermione
09-27 11:09 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!!!
Hold your hourses until you hear the true story of this family. As I said, I tried to find their court decision online (court decisions are public documents), and it was not there. It means that they gave assumed names, also it probably means that they do not want people to read their court documents. I personally have seen asylum cases, and let me tell you, some of them are so full of lies, you would not belive your eyes (I have seen a guy who claimed his wife was beaten and denied medical services - he has never been even married!). I think their story goes like this - they came on tourist visas to visit her family, after that they stayed illegally for 2-3 years saving money to pay the lawyers, after that they paid a crooked attorney to buy some fake "proof" that they were persecuted and applied for assylum. Their application went to court, where judge suspected something was fishy. He probably asked for additional proof or obtained evidence that their documents were fake, and denied the case. That's kind of typical story for a denied asylum, and I would be very-very careful in trying to help them personally. If they get some relieve as a result of a broader legislation, like 245(i), I would not mind it at all (they will, because they have a pending I-130), but helping them while not helping people who decided not to go out with swinging lies and just stayed illegally... I would stay away from it.
The article itself is pretty good, though.
Hold your hourses until you hear the true story of this family. As I said, I tried to find their court decision online (court decisions are public documents), and it was not there. It means that they gave assumed names, also it probably means that they do not want people to read their court documents. I personally have seen asylum cases, and let me tell you, some of them are so full of lies, you would not belive your eyes (I have seen a guy who claimed his wife was beaten and denied medical services - he has never been even married!). I think their story goes like this - they came on tourist visas to visit her family, after that they stayed illegally for 2-3 years saving money to pay the lawyers, after that they paid a crooked attorney to buy some fake "proof" that they were persecuted and applied for assylum. Their application went to court, where judge suspected something was fishy. He probably asked for additional proof or obtained evidence that their documents were fake, and denied the case. That's kind of typical story for a denied asylum, and I would be very-very careful in trying to help them personally. If they get some relieve as a result of a broader legislation, like 245(i), I would not mind it at all (they will, because they have a pending I-130), but helping them while not helping people who decided not to go out with swinging lies and just stayed illegally... I would stay away from it.
The article itself is pretty good, though.
smisachu
06-08 03:28 PM
Hi
I wanted to know how long it took for I-140 approval. I also got Labor by PERM filed in Dec05 and will be filing I-140, EB2.
Thanks
I wanted to know how long it took for I-140 approval. I also got Labor by PERM filed in Dec05 and will be filing I-140, EB2.
Thanks
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