prem_goel
08-18 07:31 PM
most likely if your app has been already pre-adjudicated (meaning you are outside the processing dates of 485 and life has been cool so far), then I would guess life would continue to be cool.
vejella
06-01 01:39 PM
It does not make sense to me how folks who are on L1 visa and manage some people can go at par with the people of Extraordinary ability .
I can understand if they holding a position where they make some policies/ generate bussiness that gonna have major impact on Employees or organizational direction ...
But I have seen some people who not at par qualified has applied for GC on EB1 category just because they are on L1 Visa it is getting expired....
But i feel that there is a big glitch in the definition of this category which many of the DESI Companies are abusing ....:(
I can understand if they holding a position where they make some policies/ generate bussiness that gonna have major impact on Employees or organizational direction ...
But I have seen some people who not at par qualified has applied for GC on EB1 category just because they are on L1 Visa it is getting expired....
But i feel that there is a big glitch in the definition of this category which many of the DESI Companies are abusing ....:(
fide_champ
03-04 05:30 PM
I would say this is the best time to get education. Learn something, as soon as you have work permit, that will pay you back heavily.
I thought he/she was asking ways to earn money?
I thought he/she was asking ways to earn money?
sankap
07-05 03:28 PM
http://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB118359095890657571.html
Reversal Frustrates Green-Card Applicants
By MIRIAM JORDAN
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: July 5, 2007
The U.S. government's surprise offer, then abrupt reversal, of an opportunity for thousands of skilled foreign workers to obtain permanent residency in the U.S. highlights the problems of the overtaxed immigration system and the frenzy that results from a rare chance to apply for a green card.
The scramble has put tens of thousands of workers and their families in limbo after many of them and their employers spent thousands of dollars in hopes of securing permanent residency. It may result in a class-action lawsuit against the government by frustrated applicants.
The problem began June 12 when the government seemed to open the door for thousands of foreign workers and their families to end the long wait to apply for a green card. That is when the State Department published a Visa Bulletin, which is a monthly notice closely watched by immigration attorneys and their clients because it determines who is eligible to file a green-card application the next month. The June bulletin announced that practically all skilled foreign workers who had been previously deemed eligible for an employer-sponsored visa could now take the final step of applying for a green card.
By law, the U.S. can issue about 140,000 employment-based green cards each year. Last year, the government fell short by about 10,000, despite the long waiting list; leftover visas can't be rolled over to the next year. The June announcement aimed to prevent the visa slot from going to waste, according to a State Department spokeswoman.
[Green-Card Limbo]
The announcement was greeted with a mix of jubilation and panic by thousands of engineers, lab scientists and other high-skilled foreigners who had waited years for their place in line. Working ahead of a July 2 date for filing the application, intending immigrants rushed to gather documents, complete paperwork and obtain medical exams. Many of their dependents -- such as children enrolled in college overseas -- boarded planes for the U.S. to meet a requirement that all family members be present at the time of filing.
"The bulletin created a land rush among legal immigrants desperate to finalize their green-card applications," said Steve Miller, a Seattle-based immigration attorney and head of the state chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Then, on July 2, the State Department issued an "update" that reversed the previous bulletin. It stated, effective immediately, there would be no further authorizations for employment-based cases. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which processes the applications, said it would instead simply process existing applications to meet this year's quota. "We already had sufficient applications pending without new applicants," an agency spokesman said.
Mike Aytes, head of domestic operations for the USCIS, said all 147,141 employment-based green cards have now been issued for the year. "We are very sympathetic to the fact that people really had expectations � Folks spent a lot of time and effort, but it turned out they couldn't file, after all," he said.
In the July 2 announcement, USCIS said it was "rejecting applications" to secure green cards, and the agency spokesman said it would return the paperwork of all the applicants. New cases will be entertained again in the government's next fiscal year, starting Oct. 1. However, applicants must wait their turn again, which might not happen for years.
News of the revocation of the previously announced bulletin dashed the hopes of thousands of foreign workers, many of them currently on an H-1B professional visa normally valid for up to six years. These workers face the possibility of being forced to return home if their visa expires before they get the chance to apply for a green card.
"My employer and I spent tens of thousands of dollars preparing for the day when we could file for our Change in Status application, only to have the [government] pull the rug out from under us," said Lawrence LeBlanc, a Canadian executive at AES Corp. in Arlington, Virginia. "We were devastated to hear this unprecedented news. We're not sure how we're going to tell our children."
Because there are more employer-based applicants for immigrant visas than are available each year, people wait each month to see whether they have gotten to the front of the line. Often people wait years for the green light to apply, especially if they come from countries like India and China.
The June 12 announcement set off a stampede to government-approved doctors, because green-card applicants must pass medical exams. Apurva Pratap, a Seattle-based senior manager for a multinational corporation, said he and his wife traveled 40 miles for a medical exam after they couldn't secure an appointment in town. To fulfill a requirement for a vaccination, they waited eight hours in a line that snaked around a mobile unit in Tacoma. Mr. Pratap, a native of India, has been in the U.S. since 1999.
A spokeswoman for the American Immigration Lawyers Association said it has called for a congressional investigation. An affiliated organization is expected to take legal action via a class-action lawsuit. "This is an example of how badly our immigration system is broken," says Kathleen Walker, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Write to Miriam Jordan at miriam.jordan@wsj.com1
Reversal Frustrates Green-Card Applicants
By MIRIAM JORDAN
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: July 5, 2007
The U.S. government's surprise offer, then abrupt reversal, of an opportunity for thousands of skilled foreign workers to obtain permanent residency in the U.S. highlights the problems of the overtaxed immigration system and the frenzy that results from a rare chance to apply for a green card.
The scramble has put tens of thousands of workers and their families in limbo after many of them and their employers spent thousands of dollars in hopes of securing permanent residency. It may result in a class-action lawsuit against the government by frustrated applicants.
The problem began June 12 when the government seemed to open the door for thousands of foreign workers and their families to end the long wait to apply for a green card. That is when the State Department published a Visa Bulletin, which is a monthly notice closely watched by immigration attorneys and their clients because it determines who is eligible to file a green-card application the next month. The June bulletin announced that practically all skilled foreign workers who had been previously deemed eligible for an employer-sponsored visa could now take the final step of applying for a green card.
By law, the U.S. can issue about 140,000 employment-based green cards each year. Last year, the government fell short by about 10,000, despite the long waiting list; leftover visas can't be rolled over to the next year. The June announcement aimed to prevent the visa slot from going to waste, according to a State Department spokeswoman.
[Green-Card Limbo]
The announcement was greeted with a mix of jubilation and panic by thousands of engineers, lab scientists and other high-skilled foreigners who had waited years for their place in line. Working ahead of a July 2 date for filing the application, intending immigrants rushed to gather documents, complete paperwork and obtain medical exams. Many of their dependents -- such as children enrolled in college overseas -- boarded planes for the U.S. to meet a requirement that all family members be present at the time of filing.
"The bulletin created a land rush among legal immigrants desperate to finalize their green-card applications," said Steve Miller, a Seattle-based immigration attorney and head of the state chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Then, on July 2, the State Department issued an "update" that reversed the previous bulletin. It stated, effective immediately, there would be no further authorizations for employment-based cases. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, which processes the applications, said it would instead simply process existing applications to meet this year's quota. "We already had sufficient applications pending without new applicants," an agency spokesman said.
Mike Aytes, head of domestic operations for the USCIS, said all 147,141 employment-based green cards have now been issued for the year. "We are very sympathetic to the fact that people really had expectations � Folks spent a lot of time and effort, but it turned out they couldn't file, after all," he said.
In the July 2 announcement, USCIS said it was "rejecting applications" to secure green cards, and the agency spokesman said it would return the paperwork of all the applicants. New cases will be entertained again in the government's next fiscal year, starting Oct. 1. However, applicants must wait their turn again, which might not happen for years.
News of the revocation of the previously announced bulletin dashed the hopes of thousands of foreign workers, many of them currently on an H-1B professional visa normally valid for up to six years. These workers face the possibility of being forced to return home if their visa expires before they get the chance to apply for a green card.
"My employer and I spent tens of thousands of dollars preparing for the day when we could file for our Change in Status application, only to have the [government] pull the rug out from under us," said Lawrence LeBlanc, a Canadian executive at AES Corp. in Arlington, Virginia. "We were devastated to hear this unprecedented news. We're not sure how we're going to tell our children."
Because there are more employer-based applicants for immigrant visas than are available each year, people wait each month to see whether they have gotten to the front of the line. Often people wait years for the green light to apply, especially if they come from countries like India and China.
The June 12 announcement set off a stampede to government-approved doctors, because green-card applicants must pass medical exams. Apurva Pratap, a Seattle-based senior manager for a multinational corporation, said he and his wife traveled 40 miles for a medical exam after they couldn't secure an appointment in town. To fulfill a requirement for a vaccination, they waited eight hours in a line that snaked around a mobile unit in Tacoma. Mr. Pratap, a native of India, has been in the U.S. since 1999.
A spokeswoman for the American Immigration Lawyers Association said it has called for a congressional investigation. An affiliated organization is expected to take legal action via a class-action lawsuit. "This is an example of how badly our immigration system is broken," says Kathleen Walker, president of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Write to Miriam Jordan at miriam.jordan@wsj.com1
more...
purgan
12-17 12:44 PM
For folks who have waited that long, they should not keep them tethered to the empoyer or occupation. They could perhaps do its administratively...for instance, anyone with a GC petition pending longer than 5 years should be eligible for adjucation on the basis of EXISTING paperwork.
A lot of folks- illegal immigrants especially- are pushing for administrative relief in the Obama Admn and we - legal immigrants- deserve atleast equal treatment.
A lot of folks- illegal immigrants especially- are pushing for administrative relief in the Obama Admn and we - legal immigrants- deserve atleast equal treatment.
manjunathpv
09-21 01:11 PM
Thanks Raj. Is interfiling request just a one page letter to USCIS or anything more involved? I presume you also did the priority date porting at the same time.
more...
freedom1
02-28 11:38 AM
CSPAN does not have it on their schedule yet.
It was/is broadcast on: http://www.capitolhearings.org/index.htm
Hearing room Hart 216.
Freedom1
It was/is broadcast on: http://www.capitolhearings.org/index.htm
Hearing room Hart 216.
Freedom1
aj_jadeja
09-21 12:02 AM
Interesting..If I visit VFS in person when I'm in Chennai, How soon will I get the appointment. My visa expires in Feb'07 and I'm going to Chennai for 3 weeks in Nov. So If I don't get appt I can always try for the next trip..
As said they have seprate quota for 'Returning workers' . I have used it. I went to VFS on 23rd nov 2005 and got appt for 30th Nov 2005.
Hope this helps ,
aj
As said they have seprate quota for 'Returning workers' . I have used it. I went to VFS on 23rd nov 2005 and got appt for 30th Nov 2005.
Hope this helps ,
aj
more...
another_wei
05-05 06:07 PM
Yes, I called many many lawyers I think found one said he seen this forgot OPT before.
He said exactly as KSRK said as long I apply my H1b BEFORE my school over then should be ok. Good letter explain the situation he said is best. I will send off in the next week and then wait reply for this RFE and update the message board. Hopefully everything will be ok maybe some learning for me.
10 years I been here still no nothing very sad.
He said exactly as KSRK said as long I apply my H1b BEFORE my school over then should be ok. Good letter explain the situation he said is best. I will send off in the next week and then wait reply for this RFE and update the message board. Hopefully everything will be ok maybe some learning for me.
10 years I been here still no nothing very sad.
jgh_res
06-19 08:52 PM
I had 2 RFE's related to photo's only. One for AP(1st time). The next one for EAD.
You got to be extra cautious with digital picture's. First time for EAD, digital got accepted and RFE for AP.
I took digital pictures once in CVS and once in another store.
Nowadays I go to a protraits shop and get a polaroid.
Digital are fine, but there are some quality requirements. Check these sites for more details
http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/guide_2081.html
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/info/info_1287.html
http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/M-603.pdf
You got to be extra cautious with digital picture's. First time for EAD, digital got accepted and RFE for AP.
I took digital pictures once in CVS and once in another store.
Nowadays I go to a protraits shop and get a polaroid.
Digital are fine, but there are some quality requirements. Check these sites for more details
http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/guide_2081.html
http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/info/info_1287.html
http://www.uscis.gov/files/nativedocuments/M-603.pdf
more...
garybanz
01-08 10:14 AM
Folks,
As many of us get ready to use AC21 to switch from current employers, i wanted to get your feed back on a very common contartual obligation.
My contract with my desi consultant basically says
"Agreement Not to Compete. While I am employed by Employer, and for ONE years/ 12 months afterward, I will not directly or indirectly participate in a business in a similar capacity that is similar to a business now or later operated by Employer in the same geographical area. This includes participating in my own business or as a co-owner, director, officer, consultant, independent contractor, employee or agent of another business.
In particular, I will not:
(i) Solicit or attempt to solicit any business or trade from Employer's actual or prospective customers or clients; or
(ii) Divert or attempt to divert business away from Employer;"
Now my employer had nothing to do with me getting my clients, i do my own marketing and negotiationas, but of course the employer signs on all the papers. Will i still have to change clients when i switch employer?
As many of us get ready to use AC21 to switch from current employers, i wanted to get your feed back on a very common contartual obligation.
My contract with my desi consultant basically says
"Agreement Not to Compete. While I am employed by Employer, and for ONE years/ 12 months afterward, I will not directly or indirectly participate in a business in a similar capacity that is similar to a business now or later operated by Employer in the same geographical area. This includes participating in my own business or as a co-owner, director, officer, consultant, independent contractor, employee or agent of another business.
In particular, I will not:
(i) Solicit or attempt to solicit any business or trade from Employer's actual or prospective customers or clients; or
(ii) Divert or attempt to divert business away from Employer;"
Now my employer had nothing to do with me getting my clients, i do my own marketing and negotiationas, but of course the employer signs on all the papers. Will i still have to change clients when i switch employer?
go_guy123
01-03 06:20 PM
......
The closest Congress came to action was the Dream Act, which would establish a path to citizenship for the most sympathetic class of undocumented immigrants: those brought to the U.S. as children, have stayed out of trouble, completed high school and committed to college or service in the U.S. military.
The Dream Act won passage in the House, and 53 votes in the Senate - but not enough to break a Republican-led filibuster.
Dream Act supporters should try again in the new Congress, but this time they should take a page from the tax compromise forged in the lame-duck session. That deal combined something Democrats wanted - an extension of unemployment benefits - with something Republicans wanted - an extension of tax cuts for high earning individuals.
Some leading conservatives have proposed loosening immigration rules for another worthy group: highly-educated foreigners capable of creating the new ideas, inventions and enterprises so important to America's economy. The brightest minds from around the world come to leading American universities, only to take their knowledge and talents back home because they can't legally stay here.
Conservative think tanks and commentators - and some elected officials - have suggested every foreign student who receives a post-graduate degree be automatically granted a green card. Some will still go home, but those who choose to stay can supply the brains and ambition that immigrants have been bringing to America's economy for hundreds of years.
Our first choice would be for Congress to enact the kind of comprehensive immigration reform proposed in recent years by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, former President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama. If that's not in the cards, we suggest pairing the Dream Act with a bill offering legal residency to the most highly educated foreign students.
What ties these proposals together is the assumption, shared by leaders of most political stripes, that legal immigration is good and necessary. America's population is aging and America's economic competitors are gaining ground in innovative technologies. We need immigrants, especially those who already consider themselves Americans - like the ones welcomed by the Dream Act - and those whose education and skills can contribute to economic growth.
The best compromises are those which incorporate the ideas and priorities of both sides. Such a compromise on immigration policy is long overdue.
Editorial: Immigration in 2011 - Framingham, MA - The MetroWest Daily News (http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/opinions/editorials/x338106193/Editorial-Immigration-in-2011)
See the politics in this article..written out of an MA media/mouthpiece...liberal leaning state and nature.
First they wanted comprehensive and wanted to hold the EB /skilled people hostage to their cause. They tried and failed again and again and again....and realized that mas amnesty is politically impossible and now with GOP in power in house it is even more impossible.
They tried Dream act stand alone...and failed even when Democratic party was in its high tide. and failed there as well. But short of few vote in senate. But house is a deep challenge. But they know conservative think tanks are in favor of skil bill and so they are now talking of attaching the dream act to the skill bill which has better chance of passing.
They have climbed down from their grand stand. But now they are trying to hold the SKIL Bill hostage to the Dream act....that is how Dream act s trying to make a comeback by attaching themselves to SKIL bill.
My feeling is that Dream act is still too politically toxic and even if "sugar coated" with SKIL
bill. It is way too bitter and politically radioactive for SKIL-Dream combined act to pass.
Democratic party still holds the Senate and Reid et al will be the ones trying to attach the Dream act to any SKIL bill....and that is where the problem lies.
Perhaps we will need to hope that "donkeys" get wiped out in Senate in 2012 for skilled immigrants to see the promised land.
The closest Congress came to action was the Dream Act, which would establish a path to citizenship for the most sympathetic class of undocumented immigrants: those brought to the U.S. as children, have stayed out of trouble, completed high school and committed to college or service in the U.S. military.
The Dream Act won passage in the House, and 53 votes in the Senate - but not enough to break a Republican-led filibuster.
Dream Act supporters should try again in the new Congress, but this time they should take a page from the tax compromise forged in the lame-duck session. That deal combined something Democrats wanted - an extension of unemployment benefits - with something Republicans wanted - an extension of tax cuts for high earning individuals.
Some leading conservatives have proposed loosening immigration rules for another worthy group: highly-educated foreigners capable of creating the new ideas, inventions and enterprises so important to America's economy. The brightest minds from around the world come to leading American universities, only to take their knowledge and talents back home because they can't legally stay here.
Conservative think tanks and commentators - and some elected officials - have suggested every foreign student who receives a post-graduate degree be automatically granted a green card. Some will still go home, but those who choose to stay can supply the brains and ambition that immigrants have been bringing to America's economy for hundreds of years.
Our first choice would be for Congress to enact the kind of comprehensive immigration reform proposed in recent years by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, former President George W. Bush and President Barack Obama. If that's not in the cards, we suggest pairing the Dream Act with a bill offering legal residency to the most highly educated foreign students.
What ties these proposals together is the assumption, shared by leaders of most political stripes, that legal immigration is good and necessary. America's population is aging and America's economic competitors are gaining ground in innovative technologies. We need immigrants, especially those who already consider themselves Americans - like the ones welcomed by the Dream Act - and those whose education and skills can contribute to economic growth.
The best compromises are those which incorporate the ideas and priorities of both sides. Such a compromise on immigration policy is long overdue.
Editorial: Immigration in 2011 - Framingham, MA - The MetroWest Daily News (http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/opinions/editorials/x338106193/Editorial-Immigration-in-2011)
See the politics in this article..written out of an MA media/mouthpiece...liberal leaning state and nature.
First they wanted comprehensive and wanted to hold the EB /skilled people hostage to their cause. They tried and failed again and again and again....and realized that mas amnesty is politically impossible and now with GOP in power in house it is even more impossible.
They tried Dream act stand alone...and failed even when Democratic party was in its high tide. and failed there as well. But short of few vote in senate. But house is a deep challenge. But they know conservative think tanks are in favor of skil bill and so they are now talking of attaching the dream act to the skill bill which has better chance of passing.
They have climbed down from their grand stand. But now they are trying to hold the SKIL Bill hostage to the Dream act....that is how Dream act s trying to make a comeback by attaching themselves to SKIL bill.
My feeling is that Dream act is still too politically toxic and even if "sugar coated" with SKIL
bill. It is way too bitter and politically radioactive for SKIL-Dream combined act to pass.
Democratic party still holds the Senate and Reid et al will be the ones trying to attach the Dream act to any SKIL bill....and that is where the problem lies.
Perhaps we will need to hope that "donkeys" get wiped out in Senate in 2012 for skilled immigrants to see the promised land.
more...
pmamp
12-05 01:58 PM
I found this link for LC case disclosure data. I don't see any case data for 2005 cases which were filed pre-PERM. If someone has that link please share.
http://www.flcdatacenter.com/CasePerm.aspx
It was given on LC copy. Also, some one last year posted a URL to DOL website where all the LC in each particular year where published as a part of public disclosure. I could actually found mine with my company name, date, salary and some guestmates. I will post the URL if I can find it back.
http://www.flcdatacenter.com/CasePerm.aspx
It was given on LC copy. Also, some one last year posted a URL to DOL website where all the LC in each particular year where published as a part of public disclosure. I could actually found mine with my company name, date, salary and some guestmates. I will post the URL if I can find it back.
bo12b
11-26 03:46 PM
Bumping this one more time. I am sure some of you have explored this possibility. Please respond.
bo12b
Hello all,
My 6 year H1B is ending on May 21, 2009. I am eligible to file for a 3 year extension since my 140 is approved and I485 has been filed in Aug 2007. However, my current job situation is pretty shaky and I could be laid off anytime. I have an EAD but would like to continue my H1 because my priority date is Jan 2007 (EB3 India)...i.e. a long GC wait. I have been told by my current employer's attorney that I can start the process of extension 6 months prior to current H1B expiring.
But given my job situation, I was thinking of looking for employment with another employer as soon as possible. Will the new employer be able to file for my H1 transfer AND H1 extension at the same time?
OR
Will they have to file for a transfer first (valid from date of switching to May 21, 2009), then wait for approval and then file for the 3 year extension??
I tried looking around for my question but could not find good thread for answer. Please let me know your views and/or point me to a good source for this information.
Thanks
Bo12b
bo12b
Hello all,
My 6 year H1B is ending on May 21, 2009. I am eligible to file for a 3 year extension since my 140 is approved and I485 has been filed in Aug 2007. However, my current job situation is pretty shaky and I could be laid off anytime. I have an EAD but would like to continue my H1 because my priority date is Jan 2007 (EB3 India)...i.e. a long GC wait. I have been told by my current employer's attorney that I can start the process of extension 6 months prior to current H1B expiring.
But given my job situation, I was thinking of looking for employment with another employer as soon as possible. Will the new employer be able to file for my H1 transfer AND H1 extension at the same time?
OR
Will they have to file for a transfer first (valid from date of switching to May 21, 2009), then wait for approval and then file for the 3 year extension??
I tried looking around for my question but could not find good thread for answer. Please let me know your views and/or point me to a good source for this information.
Thanks
Bo12b
more...
asdcrajnet
04-13 05:15 PM
It will be helpful if we are allowed to apply for I-485 & EAD, even if the visa numbers are not available. They could atleast throw this bone to us, which will be helpful in not needing H1B and allow us to change jobs. Hope they make this amendment to this Bill.
I know the Core team will already be working on this.
I know the Core team will already be working on this.
Dhundhun
06-06 01:48 PM
SSN has already been obtained on first EAD. Now the question is why renew EAD if one does not intend to work?
Now EAD will be required, when you need to renew Driving License (or State ID). If H4 spouse is not driving and State ID is also not required (passport is OK as ID) then I don't see any reason for EAD.
First EAD was also not required. I did not get this done for my wife. Lawyer charged me full money minus $190. For stimulus package SSN was required, so I requested Lawyer to file EAD and I was asked $840.
I did e-filing to get EAD, then to SSA for getting SSN and then Tax Return.
Note: Based on personal experiences, if you can easily part away $340, keep on getting EAD renewed even if not required. In foreign land, who knows what is required in future - Stimulus package mishap is an example of this. A lot money is wasted in life - this may be also wasted.
I485 receipt is not proof accepted in places like DMV or SSA. I think, nowhere it is accepted except in USCIS.
Now EAD will be required, when you need to renew Driving License (or State ID). If H4 spouse is not driving and State ID is also not required (passport is OK as ID) then I don't see any reason for EAD.
First EAD was also not required. I did not get this done for my wife. Lawyer charged me full money minus $190. For stimulus package SSN was required, so I requested Lawyer to file EAD and I was asked $840.
I did e-filing to get EAD, then to SSA for getting SSN and then Tax Return.
Note: Based on personal experiences, if you can easily part away $340, keep on getting EAD renewed even if not required. In foreign land, who knows what is required in future - Stimulus package mishap is an example of this. A lot money is wasted in life - this may be also wasted.
I485 receipt is not proof accepted in places like DMV or SSA. I think, nowhere it is accepted except in USCIS.
more...
dearscorpius
11-27 01:00 AM
My situation:
I've been given offers by two companies, A and B.
I am currently under my F1 student visa, OPT status, my OPT started at July 2010.
Company A is now processing my H1B petition, and this is the first time I apply for H1B. But I haven't started to work for them yet, they set the start date to be in Jan. next year. They just filed my H1B petition before Thanksgiving.
Right now, I decided not to work for Company A for some personal reasons, and I will work for Company B next year February. (2011) And Company B is going to file a H1B petition for me after the Thanksgiving holiday.
My issue is, Company A is going to terminate the H1B visa process from my end, and ends the employment relation with me. Will I be out of status, if Company A withdraw their H1B petition filed for me? How can I avoid this problem. What should I ask Company A to do, and what should I ask Company B to do.
I am willing to give more details if an attorney can really help me answer my questions. I would really appreciate that! It's kind of urgent. Thanks very much!
I've been given offers by two companies, A and B.
I am currently under my F1 student visa, OPT status, my OPT started at July 2010.
Company A is now processing my H1B petition, and this is the first time I apply for H1B. But I haven't started to work for them yet, they set the start date to be in Jan. next year. They just filed my H1B petition before Thanksgiving.
Right now, I decided not to work for Company A for some personal reasons, and I will work for Company B next year February. (2011) And Company B is going to file a H1B petition for me after the Thanksgiving holiday.
My issue is, Company A is going to terminate the H1B visa process from my end, and ends the employment relation with me. Will I be out of status, if Company A withdraw their H1B petition filed for me? How can I avoid this problem. What should I ask Company A to do, and what should I ask Company B to do.
I am willing to give more details if an attorney can really help me answer my questions. I would really appreciate that! It's kind of urgent. Thanks very much!
pd_recapturing
07-18 04:49 PM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi guys, I have a approved EB3 I-140 with PD of May 2004. I recently applied a new EB2 I-140 under the PP to port PD and got RFE. RFE has been replied by my lawyer on 07/06 and we are waiting for their decision any moment.Now, as I am going to apply my I-485, what will be my best bet? to go with approved EB3 I 140 or go with receipt notice of pending PP EB2 I-140? If I go with EB3 I140, can I amend my application at a later point of time with EB2 I 140? Please help.
Hi guys, I have a approved EB3 I-140 with PD of May 2004. I recently applied a new EB2 I-140 under the PP to port PD and got RFE. RFE has been replied by my lawyer on 07/06 and we are waiting for their decision any moment.Now, as I am going to apply my I-485, what will be my best bet? to go with approved EB3 I 140 or go with receipt notice of pending PP EB2 I-140? If I go with EB3 I140, can I amend my application at a later point of time with EB2 I 140? Please help.
immigrant2007
08-05 01:37 PM
It auto-converts all H1Bs and EADs into Green Cards effective immediately. :)
--Is it a DREAM?
--Is it a DREAM?
sobers
02-10 10:55 AM
It is important because this article distinguishes "skilled" immigration versus "unskilled" immigration. This country needs more of the former as enounced several times by leaders of industry, academia and politics, but the latter issue is somewhat controversional because of its largely "illegal" nature in the U.S.
Regardless, this goes to show policy makers here need to be 'smart' and enourage 'smart' people to contribute to this country, as the Europeans are starting to do now...
EU's New Tack on Immigration
Leaders Talk Up 'Brain Circulation' To Cure Shrinking Work Force
By JOHN W. MILLER
February 10, 2006; Page A8
BRUSSELS -- Faced with a shrinking work force, Europe's leaders are looking for ways to attract talented foreigners, even as some countries on the Continent close their borders to other immigrants willing to work for lower wages.
Plans touted by Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Franco Frattini, the man charged with developing common immigration policies for the European Union, range from a new EU-wide "green card" that would allow skilled workers already in the 25-nation bloc to change countries without extra paperwork, to special temporary permits for seasonal workers.
"The U.S. and Australia have stricter rules, but they get the right people to immigrate, and once they're in, they integrate them, and give them benefits, education and citizenship" much faster than in the EU, Mr. Frattini said in an interview. Europe's work force is expected to shrink by 20 million people between now and 2030, according to the European Commission, and businesses complain regularly about a shortage of highly skilled personnel, even as unemployment rates in many EU countries remain high.
In Mr. Frattini's vision, a North African engineer could go to work in Europe, earn good money and return regularly to his hometown to start and maintain a business. Immigration policy in Europe is still up to individual countries. To sell the idea, Mr. Frattini uses the term "brain circulation" to counter accusations of a "brain drain" -- a phrase often used to criticize rich countries for sucking the talent and stalling the development of poor regions.
The challenge for Mr. Frattini is that in the face of pressure from unions and politicians worried about losing jobs to lower-wage newcomers, most EU national governments are jittery about welcoming more immigrants. Only three of the 15 Western European EU nations, for example, have opened their labor markets to the bloc's eight new Eastern European states.
While some countries are likely to resist opening their labor markets until forced to do in 2011, attitudes might be changing. Last weekend French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy echoed many of Mr. Frattini's ideas and proposed special immigration permits for skilled workers.
Plans to attract more immigrants are also a tough sell in developing countries that would lose their graduates and scientists. Mr. Frattini argues that successful migrants benefit their home economies when they work in Europe, because money they send home is an important part of many poor nations' gross domestic products.
In concrete terms, Mr. Frattini says the EU would promote brain circulation by including non-EU citizens in job databases and funding language and job-training courses in immigrants' home countries. Mr. Frattini also wants to develop work visas that will allow immigrants to return to start businesses in their home countries, without losing the right to work in Europe.
Some economists are skeptical. It is often difficult for immigrants to return home, and if economic conditions were good enough to merit investment, they probably wouldn't have left in the first place. "People left for a reason," says Jean-Pierre Garson, an economist at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The International Monetary Fund says immigrants dispatched $126 billion to their home countries in 2004 -- up from $72.3 billion in 2001 -- but there aren't any official figures on how much immigrants invest in businesses in their native countries.
So, would brain circulation work? Some immigrants say they agree in theory that investing accomplishes more than cash remittances. Anecdotal evidence suggests investments that pay off require patience, hands-on involvement, start-up capital and participation by local residents.
"Building is better," says Eric Chinje, a World Bank official living in Virginia who until recently had returned every two years to his hometown of Santa, Cameroon, with bags stuffed with dollars. "I'd take $5,000 and distribute among 100 to 200 people," he says. Three years ago, the 50-year-old Mr. Chinje set up a microcredit bank with the condition that villagers buy shares in the bank. Hundreds did, by getting money from relatives overseas, he says.
The bank started in April 2004 with a capital base of $50,000. So far, it has lent money to a cooperative to fund a storage facility and a truck to carry fruits and vegetables to city markets.
For an investment to really take off and make the kind of impact sought by Mr. Frattini, immigrant entrepreneurs say they need capital and connections.
Kemal Sahin came to Germany in 1973 from a small mountain village in central Turkey. He started the company he now runs, Sahinler Group, one of Europe's biggest textile companies. Mr. Sahin employs 11,000 people, including 9,000 at plants in Turkey, where he started moving production in 1984 to take advantage of skilled, inexpensive labor. His knowledge of Turkish, local customs and regulations allowed him to set up an efficient operation, he says. "I was familiar with how things work in Turkey, and it was easier for me than for my German colleagues to invest there."
--Andrea Thomas in Berlin contributed to this article.
Write to John W. Miller at john.miller@dowjones.com1
Regardless, this goes to show policy makers here need to be 'smart' and enourage 'smart' people to contribute to this country, as the Europeans are starting to do now...
EU's New Tack on Immigration
Leaders Talk Up 'Brain Circulation' To Cure Shrinking Work Force
By JOHN W. MILLER
February 10, 2006; Page A8
BRUSSELS -- Faced with a shrinking work force, Europe's leaders are looking for ways to attract talented foreigners, even as some countries on the Continent close their borders to other immigrants willing to work for lower wages.
Plans touted by Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Franco Frattini, the man charged with developing common immigration policies for the European Union, range from a new EU-wide "green card" that would allow skilled workers already in the 25-nation bloc to change countries without extra paperwork, to special temporary permits for seasonal workers.
"The U.S. and Australia have stricter rules, but they get the right people to immigrate, and once they're in, they integrate them, and give them benefits, education and citizenship" much faster than in the EU, Mr. Frattini said in an interview. Europe's work force is expected to shrink by 20 million people between now and 2030, according to the European Commission, and businesses complain regularly about a shortage of highly skilled personnel, even as unemployment rates in many EU countries remain high.
In Mr. Frattini's vision, a North African engineer could go to work in Europe, earn good money and return regularly to his hometown to start and maintain a business. Immigration policy in Europe is still up to individual countries. To sell the idea, Mr. Frattini uses the term "brain circulation" to counter accusations of a "brain drain" -- a phrase often used to criticize rich countries for sucking the talent and stalling the development of poor regions.
The challenge for Mr. Frattini is that in the face of pressure from unions and politicians worried about losing jobs to lower-wage newcomers, most EU national governments are jittery about welcoming more immigrants. Only three of the 15 Western European EU nations, for example, have opened their labor markets to the bloc's eight new Eastern European states.
While some countries are likely to resist opening their labor markets until forced to do in 2011, attitudes might be changing. Last weekend French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy echoed many of Mr. Frattini's ideas and proposed special immigration permits for skilled workers.
Plans to attract more immigrants are also a tough sell in developing countries that would lose their graduates and scientists. Mr. Frattini argues that successful migrants benefit their home economies when they work in Europe, because money they send home is an important part of many poor nations' gross domestic products.
In concrete terms, Mr. Frattini says the EU would promote brain circulation by including non-EU citizens in job databases and funding language and job-training courses in immigrants' home countries. Mr. Frattini also wants to develop work visas that will allow immigrants to return to start businesses in their home countries, without losing the right to work in Europe.
Some economists are skeptical. It is often difficult for immigrants to return home, and if economic conditions were good enough to merit investment, they probably wouldn't have left in the first place. "People left for a reason," says Jean-Pierre Garson, an economist at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
The International Monetary Fund says immigrants dispatched $126 billion to their home countries in 2004 -- up from $72.3 billion in 2001 -- but there aren't any official figures on how much immigrants invest in businesses in their native countries.
So, would brain circulation work? Some immigrants say they agree in theory that investing accomplishes more than cash remittances. Anecdotal evidence suggests investments that pay off require patience, hands-on involvement, start-up capital and participation by local residents.
"Building is better," says Eric Chinje, a World Bank official living in Virginia who until recently had returned every two years to his hometown of Santa, Cameroon, with bags stuffed with dollars. "I'd take $5,000 and distribute among 100 to 200 people," he says. Three years ago, the 50-year-old Mr. Chinje set up a microcredit bank with the condition that villagers buy shares in the bank. Hundreds did, by getting money from relatives overseas, he says.
The bank started in April 2004 with a capital base of $50,000. So far, it has lent money to a cooperative to fund a storage facility and a truck to carry fruits and vegetables to city markets.
For an investment to really take off and make the kind of impact sought by Mr. Frattini, immigrant entrepreneurs say they need capital and connections.
Kemal Sahin came to Germany in 1973 from a small mountain village in central Turkey. He started the company he now runs, Sahinler Group, one of Europe's biggest textile companies. Mr. Sahin employs 11,000 people, including 9,000 at plants in Turkey, where he started moving production in 1984 to take advantage of skilled, inexpensive labor. His knowledge of Turkish, local customs and regulations allowed him to set up an efficient operation, he says. "I was familiar with how things work in Turkey, and it was easier for me than for my German colleagues to invest there."
--Andrea Thomas in Berlin contributed to this article.
Write to John W. Miller at john.miller@dowjones.com1
logiclife
02-27 10:59 AM
CSpan should have it live on one of the 3 Cspan channels.