bluez25
07-15 04:00 PM
And My details are below.
Category EB2
LC PD: FEB-2006
LC AD: Mar-2006
I-140 FD: 23-May-2006
I-140 RD/ND: 25-May-2006
I-140 LUD: 29-July-2006
I-140 RFE : 15 November 2006
I-140 Responded: 14 December 2006
I-140 AD: 11 Jan 2007
DS 230 Received in April 2007
DS 230 Submitted to NVC in May 2007
NVC forwarded the case to Chennai on June 5th 2007
Chennai Consulate appointment : August 11th 2008
Category EB2
LC PD: FEB-2006
LC AD: Mar-2006
I-140 FD: 23-May-2006
I-140 RD/ND: 25-May-2006
I-140 LUD: 29-July-2006
I-140 RFE : 15 November 2006
I-140 Responded: 14 December 2006
I-140 AD: 11 Jan 2007
DS 230 Received in April 2007
DS 230 Submitted to NVC in May 2007
NVC forwarded the case to Chennai on June 5th 2007
Chennai Consulate appointment : August 11th 2008
wallpaper Jasmine Villegas Album Songs
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."
pt326bc
09-23 09:19 AM
Man why you need reciepts?
For most purposes of contact with USCIS you don't need the original receipts.
The only exception is the time when you travel if your AP is pending. You would need to have a valid visa stamp (H1/H4/L1 or whatever) and the ORIGINAL receipt notice.
As far as the lawyer saying that the original receipt notice being property of the employer; that would only happen if the lawyer is on the payroll of your employer and the employer is paying for the whole process.
If you have an independent lawyer and you are paying him, the AOS/EAD/AP notices are your property (if you can use that term).
I think legally the employer might refuse to give you the original notice for H1B or LCA or maybe I 140 but you can always get them using FIFO.
Of course you would have to insist on the original H1B notice if you are going for visa stamping though.
Again this is not legal advice, just my 2 cents as I am not a lawyer.
Regards.
For most purposes of contact with USCIS you don't need the original receipts.
The only exception is the time when you travel if your AP is pending. You would need to have a valid visa stamp (H1/H4/L1 or whatever) and the ORIGINAL receipt notice.
As far as the lawyer saying that the original receipt notice being property of the employer; that would only happen if the lawyer is on the payroll of your employer and the employer is paying for the whole process.
If you have an independent lawyer and you are paying him, the AOS/EAD/AP notices are your property (if you can use that term).
I think legally the employer might refuse to give you the original notice for H1B or LCA or maybe I 140 but you can always get them using FIFO.
Of course you would have to insist on the original H1B notice if you are going for visa stamping though.
Again this is not legal advice, just my 2 cents as I am not a lawyer.
Regards.
2011 and Jasmine Villegas (more
pappu
08-08 03:59 PM
IV is organizing nationwide calls for its members that are taking part in the August 2009 action item. These calls will be providing our strategy and tips to everyone for the upcoming congressional visits. It is very important for everyone taking part in the action item to attend these calls.
==================================
Call 1:
Tuesday August 11, 8 PM EST
Call 2
Wednesday August 12, 9 PM EST
==========================
Note:The call-in codes will be posted on the state chapter yahoo/google groups. Please contact your state chapter leader. If you do not have a chapter, you can contact your nearest state chapter.http://immigrationvoice.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=72&Itemid=52. The chapter leader will verify you and provide this info.
Thanks
Team IV
==================================
Call 1:
Tuesday August 11, 8 PM EST
Call 2
Wednesday August 12, 9 PM EST
==========================
Note:The call-in codes will be posted on the state chapter yahoo/google groups. Please contact your state chapter leader. If you do not have a chapter, you can contact your nearest state chapter.http://immigrationvoice.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=72&Itemid=52. The chapter leader will verify you and provide this info.
Thanks
Team IV
more...
Lill
03-03 05:31 AM
so photoshop isnt alowed? Just wondering. if not ill just do it in Flash i guess
GTGC
03-24 04:16 PM
Awesome job Mark...thanks for explaining our plight in a nutshell and educating people about living conditions around the world :o
more...
thepaew
09-24 03:44 PM
Okay - Good Luck! I hope that you get your GC and admit soon. Most probably, I am headed to a non-US program next year as I have waited too long for the elusive GC. :-)
Ciao
thanks for your advice. It is still OK if due to GC screwup, I cannot attend rather than my GC comes through next year, and I fret over why I did not apply. of couse, this is a personal choice. But, this is how I have decided to face the situation. I know of people who have applied 3 times and gone through. Also, deferrals for genuine reasons are allowed by schools, though not all.
Also, MBA process is less stressful than say, applying to MS from India. Being in USA for last few years, we now know better about what is what.
Ciao
thanks for your advice. It is still OK if due to GC screwup, I cannot attend rather than my GC comes through next year, and I fret over why I did not apply. of couse, this is a personal choice. But, this is how I have decided to face the situation. I know of people who have applied 3 times and gone through. Also, deferrals for genuine reasons are allowed by schools, though not all.
Also, MBA process is less stressful than say, applying to MS from India. Being in USA for last few years, we now know better about what is what.
2010 Jasmine Villegas Says She Is
GCnew
03-17 12:05 PM
I have a priority date of March 2004 (EB2 India) and I am still waiting for my Green Card. I think majority of the 2004 filers are in the same boat except for a lucky few who were able to get the green card after the July fiasco.
So don't buildup your hopes too high. I firmly beleive that very soon there will be a repeat of what we saw last year in July and the green cards will be distributed once again out of order.
So if you are one of those luck ones, you might get it.
Good Luck!!
So don't buildup your hopes too high. I firmly beleive that very soon there will be a repeat of what we saw last year in July and the green cards will be distributed once again out of order.
So if you are one of those luck ones, you might get it.
Good Luck!!
more...
bidhanc
07-23 08:32 AM
Hi,
Would like to throw some more ideas;
You should keep in mind that with this economy there is no guarantee of your job (my personal experience).
If you want to stay in this country and that is one of your foremost desires/aim
then in my opinion it is always better to aim for the GC and then do whatever you have to do.
If you have option of going back to your home country and do not mind (due to job loss or other situation) then by all means go for career.
Good Luck.
Would like to throw some more ideas;
You should keep in mind that with this economy there is no guarantee of your job (my personal experience).
If you want to stay in this country and that is one of your foremost desires/aim
then in my opinion it is always better to aim for the GC and then do whatever you have to do.
If you have option of going back to your home country and do not mind (due to job loss or other situation) then by all means go for career.
Good Luck.
hair Jasmine Villegas Jeepney Music
buddhaas
02-02 03:57 PM
Why Is H-1B A Dirty Word?
By Eleanor Pelta, AILA First Vice President
H-1B workers certainly seem to be under fire these days on many fronts. A new memo issued by USCIS on the employer-employee relationship imposes new extra-regulatory regulations on the types of activities in which H-1B workers can engage as well as the types of enterprises that can petition for H-1B workers. The memo targets the consulting industry directly, deftly slips in a new concept that seems to prohibit H-1B petitions for employer-owners of businesses, and will surely constitute an open invitation to the Service Centers to hit H-1B petitioners with a new slew of kitchen-sink RFE's. On another front, USCIS continues to make unannounced H-1B site visits, often repeatedly to the same employer. Apart from the "in-terrorem" impact of such visits, I personally cannot see the utility of three different visits to the same employer, particularly after the first one or two visits show that the employer is fully compliant.
But USCIS isn't the only agency that is rigorously targeting H-1B's. An AILA member recently reported that CBP pulled newly-arrived Indian nationals holding H-1B visas out of an immigration inspection line and reportedly placed them in Expedited Removal. The legal basis of those actions is still unclear. However, the tactic is too close to racial profiling for my own comfort.
Finally, recent H-1B "skirmishes" include various U.S. consular posts in India issuing "pink letters" that are, simply put, consular "RFE's" appearing to question the bona fides of the H-1B and requesting information on a host of truly repetitive and/or irrelevant topics. Much of the information that is routinely requested on a pink letter is already in the copy of the H-1B visa petition. Some of the letters request payroll information for all employees of the sponsoring company, a ridiculous request in most instances, particularly for major multi-national companies. One of the most frustrating actions we are seeing from consular officers in this context is the checking off or highlighting of every single category of additional information on the form letter, whether directly applicable or not, in effect a "paper wall" that must be overcome before an applicant can have the H-1B visa issued. Very discouraging to both employer and employee.
How have we come to a point in time where the H-1B category in and of itself is so disdained and mistrusted? Of course I'm aware that instances of fraud have cast this category in a bad light. But I think that vehemence of the administrative attack on the H-1B category is so disproportionate to the actual statistics about fraud. And interestingly, the disproportionate heavy-handed administrative reaction comes not from the agency specifically tasked with H-1B enforcement—the Department of Labor—but from CIS, CBP and State. Sometimes I just have to shake my head and ask myself what makes people so darn angry about a visa category that, at bottom, is designed to bring in relatively tiny number of really smart people to work in U.S. businesses of any size. It has to be a reaction against something else.
Yes, a great number of IT consultants come to the US on H-1B's. It is important to remember that so many of these individuals are extremely well-educated, capable people, working in an industry in which there are a large number of high profile players. And arguably, the high profile consulting companies have the most at stake if they do not focus on compliance, as they are the easiest enforcement target and they need their business model to work in the U.S. in order to survive. Some people may not like the business model, although arguably IT consulting companies provide needed services that allow US businesses, such as banks and insurance companies to focus on their own core strengths. Like it or not, though, this business model is perfectly legal under current law, and the agencies that enforce our immigration laws have no business trying to eviscerate it by policy or a pattern of discretionary actions.
It is true that some IT consulting companies' practices have been the focus of fraud investigations. But DOL has stringent rules in place to deal with the bad guys. Benching H-1B workers without pay, paying below the prevailing wage, sending H-1B workers on long-term assignments to a site not covered by an LCA—these are the practices we most often hear about, and every single one of these is a violation of an existing regulation that could be enforced by the Department of Labor. When an employer violates wage and hour rules, DOL investigates the practices and enforces the regulations against that employer. But no one shuts down an entire industry as a result.
And the IT consulting industry is not the only user of the H-1B visa. Let's not forget how many other critical fields use H-1B workers. In my own career alone, I have seen H-1B petitions for nanoscientists, ornithologists, CEO's of significant not for profit organizations, teachers, applied mathematicians, risk analysts, professionals involved in pharmaceutical research and development, automotive designers, international legal experts, film editors, microimaging engineers. H-1B's are valuable to small and large businesses alike, arguably even more to that emerging business that needs one key expert to develop a new product or service and get the business off the ground.
The assault on H-1B's is not only offensive, it's dangerous. Here's why:
* H-1B's create jobs—statistics show that 5 jobs are created in the U.S. for every H-1B worker hired. An administrative clamp-down in the program will hinder this job creation. And think about the valuable sharing of skills and expertise between H-1B workers and U.S. workers—this is lost when companies are discouraged from using the program.
* The anti-H-1B assault dissuades large businesses from conducting research and development in the US, and encourages the relocation of those facilities in jurisdictions that are friendlier to foreign professionals.
* The anti-H-1B assault chills the formation of small businesses in the US, particularly in emerging technologies. This will most certainly be one of the long-term results of USCIS' most recent memo.
* The attack on H-1B's offends our friends and allies in the world. An example: Earlier this year India –one of the U.S.'s closest allies --announced new visa restrictions on foreign nationals working there. Surely the treatment of Indian national H-1B workers at the hands of our agencies involved in the immigration process would not have escaped the attention of the Indian government as they issued their own restrictions.
* The increasing challenges in the H-1B program may have the effect of encouraging foreign students who were educated in the U.S. to seek permanent positions elsewhere.
Whatever the cause of the visceral reaction against H-1B workers might be—whether it stems from a fear that fraud will become more widespread or whether it is simply a broader reaction against foreign workers that often raises its head during any down economy –I sincerely hope that the agencies are able to gain some perspective on the program that allows them to treat legitimate H-1B employers and employees with the respect they deserve and to effectively enforce against those who are non-compliant, rather than casting a wide net and treating all H-1B users as abusers.
source link : http://ailaleadership.blogspot.com/2010/02/why-is-h-1b-dirty-word.html#comment-form
By Eleanor Pelta, AILA First Vice President
H-1B workers certainly seem to be under fire these days on many fronts. A new memo issued by USCIS on the employer-employee relationship imposes new extra-regulatory regulations on the types of activities in which H-1B workers can engage as well as the types of enterprises that can petition for H-1B workers. The memo targets the consulting industry directly, deftly slips in a new concept that seems to prohibit H-1B petitions for employer-owners of businesses, and will surely constitute an open invitation to the Service Centers to hit H-1B petitioners with a new slew of kitchen-sink RFE's. On another front, USCIS continues to make unannounced H-1B site visits, often repeatedly to the same employer. Apart from the "in-terrorem" impact of such visits, I personally cannot see the utility of three different visits to the same employer, particularly after the first one or two visits show that the employer is fully compliant.
But USCIS isn't the only agency that is rigorously targeting H-1B's. An AILA member recently reported that CBP pulled newly-arrived Indian nationals holding H-1B visas out of an immigration inspection line and reportedly placed them in Expedited Removal. The legal basis of those actions is still unclear. However, the tactic is too close to racial profiling for my own comfort.
Finally, recent H-1B "skirmishes" include various U.S. consular posts in India issuing "pink letters" that are, simply put, consular "RFE's" appearing to question the bona fides of the H-1B and requesting information on a host of truly repetitive and/or irrelevant topics. Much of the information that is routinely requested on a pink letter is already in the copy of the H-1B visa petition. Some of the letters request payroll information for all employees of the sponsoring company, a ridiculous request in most instances, particularly for major multi-national companies. One of the most frustrating actions we are seeing from consular officers in this context is the checking off or highlighting of every single category of additional information on the form letter, whether directly applicable or not, in effect a "paper wall" that must be overcome before an applicant can have the H-1B visa issued. Very discouraging to both employer and employee.
How have we come to a point in time where the H-1B category in and of itself is so disdained and mistrusted? Of course I'm aware that instances of fraud have cast this category in a bad light. But I think that vehemence of the administrative attack on the H-1B category is so disproportionate to the actual statistics about fraud. And interestingly, the disproportionate heavy-handed administrative reaction comes not from the agency specifically tasked with H-1B enforcement—the Department of Labor—but from CIS, CBP and State. Sometimes I just have to shake my head and ask myself what makes people so darn angry about a visa category that, at bottom, is designed to bring in relatively tiny number of really smart people to work in U.S. businesses of any size. It has to be a reaction against something else.
Yes, a great number of IT consultants come to the US on H-1B's. It is important to remember that so many of these individuals are extremely well-educated, capable people, working in an industry in which there are a large number of high profile players. And arguably, the high profile consulting companies have the most at stake if they do not focus on compliance, as they are the easiest enforcement target and they need their business model to work in the U.S. in order to survive. Some people may not like the business model, although arguably IT consulting companies provide needed services that allow US businesses, such as banks and insurance companies to focus on their own core strengths. Like it or not, though, this business model is perfectly legal under current law, and the agencies that enforce our immigration laws have no business trying to eviscerate it by policy or a pattern of discretionary actions.
It is true that some IT consulting companies' practices have been the focus of fraud investigations. But DOL has stringent rules in place to deal with the bad guys. Benching H-1B workers without pay, paying below the prevailing wage, sending H-1B workers on long-term assignments to a site not covered by an LCA—these are the practices we most often hear about, and every single one of these is a violation of an existing regulation that could be enforced by the Department of Labor. When an employer violates wage and hour rules, DOL investigates the practices and enforces the regulations against that employer. But no one shuts down an entire industry as a result.
And the IT consulting industry is not the only user of the H-1B visa. Let's not forget how many other critical fields use H-1B workers. In my own career alone, I have seen H-1B petitions for nanoscientists, ornithologists, CEO's of significant not for profit organizations, teachers, applied mathematicians, risk analysts, professionals involved in pharmaceutical research and development, automotive designers, international legal experts, film editors, microimaging engineers. H-1B's are valuable to small and large businesses alike, arguably even more to that emerging business that needs one key expert to develop a new product or service and get the business off the ground.
The assault on H-1B's is not only offensive, it's dangerous. Here's why:
* H-1B's create jobs—statistics show that 5 jobs are created in the U.S. for every H-1B worker hired. An administrative clamp-down in the program will hinder this job creation. And think about the valuable sharing of skills and expertise between H-1B workers and U.S. workers—this is lost when companies are discouraged from using the program.
* The anti-H-1B assault dissuades large businesses from conducting research and development in the US, and encourages the relocation of those facilities in jurisdictions that are friendlier to foreign professionals.
* The anti-H-1B assault chills the formation of small businesses in the US, particularly in emerging technologies. This will most certainly be one of the long-term results of USCIS' most recent memo.
* The attack on H-1B's offends our friends and allies in the world. An example: Earlier this year India –one of the U.S.'s closest allies --announced new visa restrictions on foreign nationals working there. Surely the treatment of Indian national H-1B workers at the hands of our agencies involved in the immigration process would not have escaped the attention of the Indian government as they issued their own restrictions.
* The increasing challenges in the H-1B program may have the effect of encouraging foreign students who were educated in the U.S. to seek permanent positions elsewhere.
Whatever the cause of the visceral reaction against H-1B workers might be—whether it stems from a fear that fraud will become more widespread or whether it is simply a broader reaction against foreign workers that often raises its head during any down economy –I sincerely hope that the agencies are able to gain some perspective on the program that allows them to treat legitimate H-1B employers and employees with the respect they deserve and to effectively enforce against those who are non-compliant, rather than casting a wide net and treating all H-1B users as abusers.
source link : http://ailaleadership.blogspot.com/2010/02/why-is-h-1b-dirty-word.html#comment-form
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Nil
11-10 02:54 PM
^^^^
hot Jasmine Villegas (Musician)
bbenhill
07-09 04:14 PM
Hi, some questions regarding ur case :
- Did u include the bank statement (in US and Indonesia) ? What is your city ? (sby, jkt or bali) ?
- After u got asylum, did u ever go back to Indonesia ?
- Did u give them ur bank account statement copy in US ?
Thx
My parents went to request for visitor visa for a second time. They got rejected again. This time only my parents applied, without my brothers. They showed the VO a letter stating reasons why they won't immigrate to the US (have 3 sons in Indonesia, taking care of elderly parent and have business & properties in Indonesia). The letter also stated that parents only want a short duration visa just to attend my wedding. All questions VO asked was about me, that I got asylum and didn't come back. Now I really don't know what to do. Should I include a notarized letter from me stating that I will make sure my parents go back to Indonesia within the allowed time? My parents don't have the intention to immigrate but I don't know how they can convince the VO.
I would really appreciate your advice. Thank you so much!
- Did u include the bank statement (in US and Indonesia) ? What is your city ? (sby, jkt or bali) ?
- After u got asylum, did u ever go back to Indonesia ?
- Did u give them ur bank account statement copy in US ?
Thx
My parents went to request for visitor visa for a second time. They got rejected again. This time only my parents applied, without my brothers. They showed the VO a letter stating reasons why they won't immigrate to the US (have 3 sons in Indonesia, taking care of elderly parent and have business & properties in Indonesia). The letter also stated that parents only want a short duration visa just to attend my wedding. All questions VO asked was about me, that I got asylum and didn't come back. Now I really don't know what to do. Should I include a notarized letter from me stating that I will make sure my parents go back to Indonesia within the allowed time? My parents don't have the intention to immigrate but I don't know how they can convince the VO.
I would really appreciate your advice. Thank you so much!
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house Jasmine Villegas Singer
kumar1
12-05 11:48 AM
Mita, I am asking you not to paste junk URLs over here!
You can spend your time on TOI...no issues.
I was waiting for someone to spit venom at timesofindia but did not happen till today.
By the way, do you believe in the news from other billion news website? I think most of us visit other websites to verify if the info is correct so that there is no propoganda involved. If you think timesofindia is one of them than don't visit that website but you cannot request others to do the same.
You can spend your time on TOI...no issues.
I was waiting for someone to spit venom at timesofindia but did not happen till today.
By the way, do you believe in the news from other billion news website? I think most of us visit other websites to verify if the info is correct so that there is no propoganda involved. If you think timesofindia is one of them than don't visit that website but you cannot request others to do the same.
tattoo News tagged quot;jasmine villegasquot;
IfYouSeekAmy
01-11 03:51 PM
Why do you even assume that the people who come here by winning the DV lottery are going to abuse the system just like that. One of the requirements to qualify for DV is high school education and work skill in addition to have been born in certain countries. Please look that up. So these people may not neccessarily have advanced degrees (although some may well have them) they are still educated and skilled people who after coming here will start working and start contributing to the society. Yes, there will be some exceptions but then I am sure there are few people in EB lines that abuse the system.
THe Lottery is the dumbest piece to obtain GC. Imagine some guy who does nothing to the USA applies, comes here sucks the $$ out of the system by coming here, staying here and enjoying all monetray benefits of a GC like unemployment benefits etc
If this passes. THere would be a huge relief among people who have advanced degrees
THe Lottery is the dumbest piece to obtain GC. Imagine some guy who does nothing to the USA applies, comes here sucks the $$ out of the system by coming here, staying here and enjoying all monetray benefits of a GC like unemployment benefits etc
If this passes. THere would be a huge relief among people who have advanced degrees
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pictures Her name is Jasmine Villegas,
ash27
06-07 02:00 PM
thanks guys! I appreciate your feedback.... I agree that this may not be the best time to change jobs....But, will still like to see if there is something available. I agree that chicago is a gr8 city but have family reasons to move to Atlanta.....
By talking to various folks, looks like IT market is really soft or bad. Do you guys concur? Also, no new projects are being launches and companies are still cutting down on IT projects and employees... Thoughts!
By talking to various folks, looks like IT market is really soft or bad. Do you guys concur? Also, no new projects are being launches and companies are still cutting down on IT projects and employees... Thoughts!
dresses jasmine villegas and justin
sledge_hammer
07-01 12:43 PM
I am in the same situation currently.
My company's attorneys believe that mine is not an AC21 case because I am going from Software Engineer (per PERM) to Lead Software Engineer, with substantial pay hike.
They are sending me papers for H-1B amendment and extension only (extension because my H-1B will expire soon).
Why is there a need to invoke AC21 in your case? Is there substantial change in responsibilities?
I am also in a simlar situation except that the job location is same but job position going to be Sr. Programmer analyst for the same employer who is sponsoring my GC and for whom i am working for last 6 + yrs.
According to our company attorney and HR, i am eligible for promotion using the AC-21 and they are preparing my AC-21 package to USCIS.
In the AC-21 letter to USCIS it is clearly mentioned that i will be using AC-21 provision of the immigration law to accept the new position for the same employer. HR also verified that this is a natural progression for my job position.
Anyways i would suggest please talk to your HR and company attorney as they would know the best course of action for you. Remember in the immigration world even if you think u r into similar situation with other person, it may not be true in all cases.
My company's attorneys believe that mine is not an AC21 case because I am going from Software Engineer (per PERM) to Lead Software Engineer, with substantial pay hike.
They are sending me papers for H-1B amendment and extension only (extension because my H-1B will expire soon).
Why is there a need to invoke AC21 in your case? Is there substantial change in responsibilities?
I am also in a simlar situation except that the job location is same but job position going to be Sr. Programmer analyst for the same employer who is sponsoring my GC and for whom i am working for last 6 + yrs.
According to our company attorney and HR, i am eligible for promotion using the AC-21 and they are preparing my AC-21 package to USCIS.
In the AC-21 letter to USCIS it is clearly mentioned that i will be using AC-21 provision of the immigration law to accept the new position for the same employer. HR also verified that this is a natural progression for my job position.
Anyways i would suggest please talk to your HR and company attorney as they would know the best course of action for you. Remember in the immigration world even if you think u r into similar situation with other person, it may not be true in all cases.
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makeup friend Jasmine Villegas,
gapala
04-22 10:59 PM
Thanks every one for your inputs. I been swinging on tis for a while now and after seeing your inputs, I made up my mind not to pursue this.
I am surprised this company is still doing what its doing considering USCIS scrutiny these days. Good to know that we are not supposed to pay for H-1 as prospective employees. And I def dont want to lose my 700 or 800USD for lawer in case the CAP reaches its limit in the next few days.
Thanks again.
I am glad, member's comments helped you. All said and done. What is the right thing to do now? Expose "this company" as you call them..
Why don't you post the name of company as you already posted the state and city they operate from, and name of the person with whom you have been going back and forth as you said in your post? That will help everybody including the authorities to take them to task if they are doing anything illegal..
I am surprised this company is still doing what its doing considering USCIS scrutiny these days. Good to know that we are not supposed to pay for H-1 as prospective employees. And I def dont want to lose my 700 or 800USD for lawer in case the CAP reaches its limit in the next few days.
Thanks again.
I am glad, member's comments helped you. All said and done. What is the right thing to do now? Expose "this company" as you call them..
Why don't you post the name of company as you already posted the state and city they operate from, and name of the person with whom you have been going back and forth as you said in your post? That will help everybody including the authorities to take them to task if they are doing anything illegal..
girlfriend Jasmine Villegas in 2006
mrane1
08-08 03:54 PM
Sept 07! Did you enquire with them as you should now be eligible to ask them since its already sixty days have past since you got your GC!
Looks strange.
Opened SR's, infopass etc... first the reason was NC... now they just say it should be approved, no idea why its stuck... Now we are just tired... let it come whenever it has to... 11 years and still waiting :mad:
Looks strange.
Opened SR's, infopass etc... first the reason was NC... now they just say it should be approved, no idea why its stuck... Now we are just tired... let it come whenever it has to... 11 years and still waiting :mad:
hairstyles jasmine villegas
chandansrs@gmail.com
06-27 05:00 PM
KrishGreen,
Thanks for your post. Can you give the contacts of the agent that you hired to get the visa stamping done? That would be helpful.
Thanks for your post. Can you give the contacts of the agent that you hired to get the visa stamping done? That would be helpful.
dollar500
04-09 08:05 PM
^^^^^^
vikrantp
12-23 01:35 PM
Can I port a PD from Company A when the company got bankrupt and closed after I moved to Company B and started my new LC and I140.
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