kumarc123
02-11 10:52 AM
Looks like the news is out on this in media.
Immigration Voice has been aware of this and actively working on it for last 3 weeks. This had been also posted on the donor forums. Core members and several key IV volunteers/ donors already have been working on it and analyzing it. We also had been asked for our recommendations and had send our recommendations. We should see this bill introduced soon in a few days.
Thank you for your input Pappu and we appreciate your diligence in the efforts to IV. However the question is: will this bill have the potential to move forward?
As I last recall, Zoe Lofgreen had tried a similar bill 3 years ago (2008) that would have eliminated visa backlog, but we all know that bill went no where.
At this point in time, does this bill have the potential to bring aboard the change we all are seeking for so long? I hope it does. As this journey has been quiet long and tedious.
Thank you
Immigration Voice has been aware of this and actively working on it for last 3 weeks. This had been also posted on the donor forums. Core members and several key IV volunteers/ donors already have been working on it and analyzing it. We also had been asked for our recommendations and had send our recommendations. We should see this bill introduced soon in a few days.
Thank you for your input Pappu and we appreciate your diligence in the efforts to IV. However the question is: will this bill have the potential to move forward?
As I last recall, Zoe Lofgreen had tried a similar bill 3 years ago (2008) that would have eliminated visa backlog, but we all know that bill went no where.
At this point in time, does this bill have the potential to bring aboard the change we all are seeking for so long? I hope it does. As this journey has been quiet long and tedious.
Thank you
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rameshvaid
02-24 04:50 PM
Hi,your post gives me small hope but can you please tell whether i am eligible or not.?
I am on a H-4 visa and my mother is the H-1 holder.we recently applied for i-140 and got the recipt for it.can i apply for FAFSA..?
Yes.. u can apply for FAFSA.. U do qualify. U can either PM me or Call them directly. They are very helpful.
Good Luck..
RV..
"AP is Advance Parole" to enter US.
I am on a H-4 visa and my mother is the H-1 holder.we recently applied for i-140 and got the recipt for it.can i apply for FAFSA..?
Yes.. u can apply for FAFSA.. U do qualify. U can either PM me or Call them directly. They are very helpful.
Good Luck..
RV..
"AP is Advance Parole" to enter US.
MahaBharatGC
10-13 01:39 PM
Well you are correct I am trying to draw attention because as a saying "you will only know the pain when you walk the line". My company attorneys delayed the filings. I am not blaming anyone but myself. However, the fact of the matter is to find out a way to address this issue which is going to help everyone else. I do not knonw how long my particular case might take but since I am in the process I understood the issue.
First, when you apply in advance, yeah the possibility of approval before existing application expiration is very high. But you will end up loosing the EAD period from the date of approval to the date of last expiration. This is a loss for us.
Second, a renewal should only take less time as it takes for Drivers license. It is not AP where they have to validate your last entry etc etc.
EAD renewal adjudication should be separate from rest of all application processing and should shrink the timline.
Imagine my case. My wife was searching for jobs since her first EAD and now she got one but lack of EAD is going to cause her to loose it.....
First, when you apply in advance, yeah the possibility of approval before existing application expiration is very high. But you will end up loosing the EAD period from the date of approval to the date of last expiration. This is a loss for us.
Second, a renewal should only take less time as it takes for Drivers license. It is not AP where they have to validate your last entry etc etc.
EAD renewal adjudication should be separate from rest of all application processing and should shrink the timline.
Imagine my case. My wife was searching for jobs since her first EAD and now she got one but lack of EAD is going to cause her to loose it.....
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surabhi
04-08 05:24 AM
This is serious and could affect quite a few.
Summary: you could be affected if ALL of the folllowing is true
1)you have a PD before July 16, 2007 ( likely case is EB3 I/C 2002/2003 PD)
2) you have left your original employer ( whether you stayed for 180 days after I-485 application to comply with AC-21 rule doesnt matter)
3) your original employer has used your labor to subsititute some on else ( before July 16,2007)
Remember you are affected even though you are the original beneficiary.
How did this case happen?
This happend because USCIS not following LIFO processing
1. The original applicat applied labor in April 2001
2. Labor approved in Jan 2002
3. Original applicant applied I-140 in April 2002
4. i-140 approved in July 2002
5. Original applicant applies for I-485 in Dec 2002
In Jan 2004, after more than year ( > 180 days and Ac-21 was enacted), original applicant leaves the employer, presuming that she is safe and covered under Ac-21
Employer promptly writes to USCIS asking to revoke I-140. The employer goes ahead and uses the labor for another person and files I-140
The USCIS apprves I-140 and subsequently I-485 for the subsituted beneficiary.
So how could USCIS approve a I-485 that was filed at least 18 months later than the original applicant. ( May be the subsituted applicant was from different chargeability country and hence could ge approved??)
Now the original applicant is screwed because USCIS cannnot approve 2 I-485 petitions based on same labor.
I feel for the original applicant. She played by rules all along, but got screwed anyway
Now you can see the chances of your case being caught in similar circumstrances
1. You are EB3, India/China with PD around 2002/2003
2. You filed I-485 sometime before July 2007 ( if you filed during July 2007 and you were with original employer at that time, this doesnt apply)
3. You left your original employer before July 2007
4. Unbeknownst to you, your original employer has subsituted your labor for another person.(before July 16, 2007)
5. that other person also filed for I-1485
6. Now its a timebomb waiting to explode
Summary: you could be affected if ALL of the folllowing is true
1)you have a PD before July 16, 2007 ( likely case is EB3 I/C 2002/2003 PD)
2) you have left your original employer ( whether you stayed for 180 days after I-485 application to comply with AC-21 rule doesnt matter)
3) your original employer has used your labor to subsititute some on else ( before July 16,2007)
Remember you are affected even though you are the original beneficiary.
How did this case happen?
This happend because USCIS not following LIFO processing
1. The original applicat applied labor in April 2001
2. Labor approved in Jan 2002
3. Original applicant applied I-140 in April 2002
4. i-140 approved in July 2002
5. Original applicant applies for I-485 in Dec 2002
In Jan 2004, after more than year ( > 180 days and Ac-21 was enacted), original applicant leaves the employer, presuming that she is safe and covered under Ac-21
Employer promptly writes to USCIS asking to revoke I-140. The employer goes ahead and uses the labor for another person and files I-140
The USCIS apprves I-140 and subsequently I-485 for the subsituted beneficiary.
So how could USCIS approve a I-485 that was filed at least 18 months later than the original applicant. ( May be the subsituted applicant was from different chargeability country and hence could ge approved??)
Now the original applicant is screwed because USCIS cannnot approve 2 I-485 petitions based on same labor.
I feel for the original applicant. She played by rules all along, but got screwed anyway
Now you can see the chances of your case being caught in similar circumstrances
1. You are EB3, India/China with PD around 2002/2003
2. You filed I-485 sometime before July 2007 ( if you filed during July 2007 and you were with original employer at that time, this doesnt apply)
3. You left your original employer before July 2007
4. Unbeknownst to you, your original employer has subsituted your labor for another person.(before July 16, 2007)
5. that other person also filed for I-1485
6. Now its a timebomb waiting to explode
more...
laborpains
03-18 08:21 AM
Isn't EAD for unrestricted employment as long as your primary job is similar to what was in the labor application?
What if the one's priority date becomes current and USCIS asks for proof of employment? Wouldn't the application be denied?
Hello,
My 2-cents:
1. Your EAD is for unrestricted employment till the AOS is resolved (so, it is not tied to your labor petition)
2. Your AP is a travel document to allow you to travel while AOS is pending (again, not tied to employment)
As such, for all legal purposes, you should be able to pursue education full time. However, any IO at entry post has authority to ask you questions beyond what is legally required, which many a times, includes 'are you still employed with the petitioner'.
This is the tricky part... if the IO has good knowledge of the laws, he would let you in 'cause your petition is for the future job, but a wrong IO can twist and turn the laws to suit his/her point of view and land you in unnecessary trouble.
However, in 99% of the cases, the trouble may mean a few more anxious hours at the port of entry and nothing more. Hope you are able to pursue your education, all the best! :)
What if the one's priority date becomes current and USCIS asks for proof of employment? Wouldn't the application be denied?
Hello,
My 2-cents:
1. Your EAD is for unrestricted employment till the AOS is resolved (so, it is not tied to your labor petition)
2. Your AP is a travel document to allow you to travel while AOS is pending (again, not tied to employment)
As such, for all legal purposes, you should be able to pursue education full time. However, any IO at entry post has authority to ask you questions beyond what is legally required, which many a times, includes 'are you still employed with the petitioner'.
This is the tricky part... if the IO has good knowledge of the laws, he would let you in 'cause your petition is for the future job, but a wrong IO can twist and turn the laws to suit his/her point of view and land you in unnecessary trouble.
However, in 99% of the cases, the trouble may mean a few more anxious hours at the port of entry and nothing more. Hope you are able to pursue your education, all the best! :)
beautifulMind
07-16 01:02 PM
Feed from my lawyer
Several sources have now reported that high-level agency discussions on solutions to the July 2007 Visa Bulletin crisis are underway and could result in a new opportunity for certain eligible foreign nationals to submit adjustment of status applications. Apparently, no final decision has been reached, and it is difficult to predict with absolute certainty what the final outcome will be or when an announcement might be made.
__________________________________________________ _______
Several sources have reported that high-level discussions are now taking place within the government concerning a possible solution to the July 2007 Visa Bulletin crisis. As a result of these discussions, there have been indications that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) could change course on its position regarding acceptance of applications for adjustment of status, in whole or in part, and create a new opportunity to submit adjustment cases. Some reports have indicated that cases submitted on July 2 will now be accepted for filing, while other reports have suggested that there will be a completely new window of opportunity to submit cases. Apparently, several options are being considered.
Sources caution that the government has not reached a final decision on this matter, and there are no concrete details concerning the mechanics of any future filing opportunity. It is important to note that in the current climate of swift policy reversals and rampant rumors, it is possible that any tentative agreement on reopening an adjustment submission period could falter
Several sources have now reported that high-level agency discussions on solutions to the July 2007 Visa Bulletin crisis are underway and could result in a new opportunity for certain eligible foreign nationals to submit adjustment of status applications. Apparently, no final decision has been reached, and it is difficult to predict with absolute certainty what the final outcome will be or when an announcement might be made.
__________________________________________________ _______
Several sources have reported that high-level discussions are now taking place within the government concerning a possible solution to the July 2007 Visa Bulletin crisis. As a result of these discussions, there have been indications that U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) could change course on its position regarding acceptance of applications for adjustment of status, in whole or in part, and create a new opportunity to submit adjustment cases. Some reports have indicated that cases submitted on July 2 will now be accepted for filing, while other reports have suggested that there will be a completely new window of opportunity to submit cases. Apparently, several options are being considered.
Sources caution that the government has not reached a final decision on this matter, and there are no concrete details concerning the mechanics of any future filing opportunity. It is important to note that in the current climate of swift policy reversals and rampant rumors, it is possible that any tentative agreement on reopening an adjustment submission period could falter
more...
go_gc_way
06-01 04:28 PM
Thanks Admin for looking in to the question.
When I voted, It looked like to me that poll is started by IV, but not.
Though I like the idea of Quickness of a separate bill .. I appreciate how many steps / time / lobbying that would be required for such a step , after having followed the Forum for a long time.
I think , my self , I am not very sticky to such an idea.
When I voted, It looked like to me that poll is started by IV, but not.
Though I like the idea of Quickness of a separate bill .. I appreciate how many steps / time / lobbying that would be required for such a step , after having followed the Forum for a long time.
I think , my self , I am not very sticky to such an idea.
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imneedy
02-04 10:33 AM
Does it make sense to change status to h4 from f1 before my spouse goes out of country and come back on h4 instead of AP?
more...
solaris27
02-24 01:26 PM
i don't know but he put it there
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bigboy007
02-18 12:14 AM
Chandu just mentioned that some means of contacting him is made. But he is very pivotal for this . As hez Obama campaign chairman , Senate No. 2 Ranking Democrat. His support or non-support is very crucial to support or not supporting any legislation now and if Obama comes in to picture obviously he will have better hold. We need to get our message strong , hard in a best smooth way possible.
Also he is against H1b Mis-use. Now does he understand PPL like us in Middle of Nowhere.
Also he is against H1b Mis-use. Now does he understand PPL like us in Middle of Nowhere.
more...
freetospeak
07-18 07:17 PM
Even my case is similar. I requested my attorney to file my EAD and AP along with I-485 at the same time. But they did not apply for EAD and AP and but instead just filed I-485. Now they are saying they can't file for my EAD and AP until they get the I-485 receipt notice. What a mess??? Now I've pay lots of amount for EAD and AP. By the way my attroney is Murthy Law Firm. I bet yours would be the same
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cheg
08-21 02:59 PM
Congratulations! All the best to you and your family! You saved a lot of money by filing your gc petition yourself. Very smart! Enjoy!:)
more...
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Libra
08-10 04:02 PM
Thank you thescadaman :-)
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DSLStart
12-15 12:51 PM
jayleno: there is nothing funny about this situation so no need to make jokes on him. He just told him about sending wife to India, because that guys uername says Atul which hail from India and not srilanka or pak or bangladesh.
Buddy,
Are you trying to create a problem or solve one? If I were from Sri Lanka, why would I send my wife to India? If we start following your advice, soon many husbands would be leading a single life for being laid off.
Buddy,
Are you trying to create a problem or solve one? If I were from Sri Lanka, why would I send my wife to India? If we start following your advice, soon many husbands would be leading a single life for being laid off.
more...
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jasonalbany
07-04 12:28 PM
Access to Job Market in U.S. a Matter of Degrees
Foreign workers with high-tech skills are in demand, but visa quotas snarl the hiring process.
By Anna Gorman, Times Staff Writer
July 3, 2006
This spring, a U.S. high-tech company recruited British citizen Gareth Lloyd for a possible engineering job.
But before the Irvine office made its hiring decision, the number of available visas for skilled workers ran out, in a record time of less than two months.
Lloyd, who has degrees in applied physics and electrical and electronics engineering, found another job in Germany.
"I was a little bit incredulous," Lloyd, 34, said in a phone interview. "It seems arbitrary to put some kind of quota on this."
Much of the national debate on immigration has centered on undocumented workers who fill agriculture, construction and service jobs. But highly skilled foreign scientists, engineers and computer programmers recruited by U.S. companies to work here legally also have a lot at stake in the outcome. "The major focus for all the laws and all the bills has mainly been for illegal immigrants," said Swati Srivastava, an Indian software engineer who lives in Playa del Rey and is waiting for her green card. "We kind of get pushed to the sidelines."
The Senate's sweeping immigration bill that passed in May calls for increasing the number of H-1B visas, which are available for professional foreign workers, from 65,000 to 115,000 annually. Foreigners with certain advanced degrees would be exempt from the cap.
Despite President Bush's urging to increase such quotas, however, the House bill that passed late last year does not include any provisions for skilled-worker visas. And a conference committee, which would negotiate a compromise, has yet to be selected. U.S. companies complain that they are losing prospective employees to other countries because of a shortage of highly skilled and educated foreign workers. As a result, companies are either outsourcing science and engineering jobs or making do with fewer employees.
"There aren't enough U.S. citizens pursuing those types of degrees," said Jennifer Greeson, spokeswoman for Intel Corp. in Santa Clara, Calif., where about 5% of the company's U.S.-based employees are on H-1B visas. "U.S. companies being able to have access to talent, no matter where it originates, is key to our continued competitiveness."
But critics of the H-1B program argue that there are enough Americans qualified for the jobs. Companies just prefer to hire younger, less expensive workers from other countries, such as India and China, instead of more experienced American workers at higher salaries.
"The bottom line is cheap labor," said UC Davis computer-science professor Norman Matloff, who has studied the H-1B program.
The six-year visas are available to foreigners with at least a bachelor's degree. Firms must pay foreign workers the prevailing wage.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency begins accepting H-1B visa applications on April 1 each year. The agency received enough visas to hit the congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 at the end of May this year, compared with August in 2005 and October in 2004. Those who receive the visas can begin work Oct. 1, the start of the fiscal year.
There are also 20,000 additional visas available for foreign workers who earned a master's or higher-level degree in the U.S. The Citizenship and Immigration Services is still accepting applications for those visas.
Because the H-1B cap is reached more quickly each year, many companies prepare their paperwork ahead of time so they can be at the front of the line. But they say it's often difficult to make hiring decisions six months before the start date.
Orange County immigration attorney Mitchell Wexler has a courier ready on the first day to take his clients' completed applications to Citizenship and Immigration Services.
"The whole white-collar business community is kind of crossing our fingers" that the number of visas is raised, Wexler said. Highly skilled foreign workers, he said, are "the best and brightest" and should be invited into the economy.
"If we can't get them," Wexler added, "they will go to a country that will accept them, and they will get jobs in Canada, Australia and England and will compete against us."
One of Wexler's clients, Massachusetts-based Skyworks Solutions, develops and manufactures integrated circuits for cellphones. Connie Williams, senior human resources specialist at the company's Irvine office, said her firm was effectively cut off from a foreign labor pool that included Lloyd of Britain when the government stopped accepting H-1B applications.
Williams said she worries that if Congress fails to pass reform legislation, the door will slam shut even earlier next year. The company has just over 2,000 U.S.-based employees, roughly 100 of whom have H-1B visas.
"We need these highly skilled, highly educated, highly qualified engineers," said Williams. "These people are a needle in a haystack."
Once foreigners have H-1B visas, they face another hurdle � becoming permanent legal residents. Applicants are often forced to wait years because there are only 140,000 employment-based green cards available annually. A backlog at Citizenship and Immigration Services adds to the delays.
Swati and Aradhana Srivastava, 34, both Indian software engineers working in the U.S. on H-1B visas, began the green card process with their employer in November 2001. Since then, the sisters said they have not been able to change jobs, positions or salaries.
They have taken film classes and are eager to pursue second careers in filmmaking but cannot do so until after they get their green cards. They also are reluctant to buy property or start a business. If they don't get their green cards by the time they finish film school, the sisters may return home.
"It's like living in a holding pattern continuously," said Swati Srivastava, 28, a member of Immigration Voice, a new grass-roots organization of skilled foreign workers pushing for immigration reform. The Internet-based group formed late last year and has about 5,000 members scattered around the country.
"We work in [the] U.S. legally in high-skilled jobs, but we still get penalized for playing by the rules," Immigration Voice co-founder Aman Kapoor said in an e-mail. "Since no one was working on our issues, we decided to organize."
Sandy Boyd, vice president of the National Assn. of Manufacturers, said there is an urgency to fixing the problems facing highly skilled foreign workers, whether they're seeking temporary or permanent legal status. The Senate's proposed immigration bill would increase the number of available employment-based green cards.
If compromise legislation cannot be reached on the broader issues, Boyd said, Congress should pass a separate, more narrow reform bill.
"This is not an issue that can be put off until comprehensive immigration reform is passed," Boyd said, "because once we lose these jobs, it's very difficult for them to come back."
But industry lobbyists arguing against increases in H-1B visas say the program hurts U.S. citizens by lowering wages and increasing job competition. They cite a recent report by the Government Accountability Office that says the program lacks sufficient oversight from the Department of Labor.
"We feel for the most part there are not shortages of U.S. engineers and computer scientists that have the skills these companies are looking for," said Chris McManes, spokesman for the U.S. sector of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. "If the cap is increased, that will further hamper the ability of a U.S. engineer to find a job."
David Huber, a network engineer in Chicago and U.S. citizen by birth, said he twice lost out on jobs to foreign workers. He was passed over for one job and replaced at another, he said. Huber, who testified before the House in March, said he could not find work for nearly three years, despite his education and experience. "Too many of us cannot find jobs because companies are turning to H-1B workers as a first choice," Huber said in written testimony to the House.
Swadha Sharma, who lives in Arcadia, said she is not trying to replace U.S. workers. Sharma earned an electronics engineering degree in India but has long dreamed of becoming a math teacher. So while her husband worked here on an H-1B visa, she earned her teaching credential at Cal Poly Pomona.
Sharma, 30, started applying for teaching jobs early this year, but she said only one of three interested districts was willing to sponsor her for an H-1B visa. And that offer, from a Los Angeles charter school, came after the visa cap had been reached. Sharma now plans to pursue a master's degree but said the U.S. is "missing out on a catch."
"I am really qualified," she said. "Hopefully, I will be able to teach soon."
As for Lloyd, his plans to come to the United States are now on indefinite hold. He started his job in Germany but still laments the U.S. immigration system for limiting workers like himself from coming here.
"The H-1B scheme seems a little bit ridiculous," he said. "I would certainly be an asset to the American economy."
Foreign workers with high-tech skills are in demand, but visa quotas snarl the hiring process.
By Anna Gorman, Times Staff Writer
July 3, 2006
This spring, a U.S. high-tech company recruited British citizen Gareth Lloyd for a possible engineering job.
But before the Irvine office made its hiring decision, the number of available visas for skilled workers ran out, in a record time of less than two months.
Lloyd, who has degrees in applied physics and electrical and electronics engineering, found another job in Germany.
"I was a little bit incredulous," Lloyd, 34, said in a phone interview. "It seems arbitrary to put some kind of quota on this."
Much of the national debate on immigration has centered on undocumented workers who fill agriculture, construction and service jobs. But highly skilled foreign scientists, engineers and computer programmers recruited by U.S. companies to work here legally also have a lot at stake in the outcome. "The major focus for all the laws and all the bills has mainly been for illegal immigrants," said Swati Srivastava, an Indian software engineer who lives in Playa del Rey and is waiting for her green card. "We kind of get pushed to the sidelines."
The Senate's sweeping immigration bill that passed in May calls for increasing the number of H-1B visas, which are available for professional foreign workers, from 65,000 to 115,000 annually. Foreigners with certain advanced degrees would be exempt from the cap.
Despite President Bush's urging to increase such quotas, however, the House bill that passed late last year does not include any provisions for skilled-worker visas. And a conference committee, which would negotiate a compromise, has yet to be selected. U.S. companies complain that they are losing prospective employees to other countries because of a shortage of highly skilled and educated foreign workers. As a result, companies are either outsourcing science and engineering jobs or making do with fewer employees.
"There aren't enough U.S. citizens pursuing those types of degrees," said Jennifer Greeson, spokeswoman for Intel Corp. in Santa Clara, Calif., where about 5% of the company's U.S.-based employees are on H-1B visas. "U.S. companies being able to have access to talent, no matter where it originates, is key to our continued competitiveness."
But critics of the H-1B program argue that there are enough Americans qualified for the jobs. Companies just prefer to hire younger, less expensive workers from other countries, such as India and China, instead of more experienced American workers at higher salaries.
"The bottom line is cheap labor," said UC Davis computer-science professor Norman Matloff, who has studied the H-1B program.
The six-year visas are available to foreigners with at least a bachelor's degree. Firms must pay foreign workers the prevailing wage.
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency begins accepting H-1B visa applications on April 1 each year. The agency received enough visas to hit the congressionally mandated cap of 65,000 at the end of May this year, compared with August in 2005 and October in 2004. Those who receive the visas can begin work Oct. 1, the start of the fiscal year.
There are also 20,000 additional visas available for foreign workers who earned a master's or higher-level degree in the U.S. The Citizenship and Immigration Services is still accepting applications for those visas.
Because the H-1B cap is reached more quickly each year, many companies prepare their paperwork ahead of time so they can be at the front of the line. But they say it's often difficult to make hiring decisions six months before the start date.
Orange County immigration attorney Mitchell Wexler has a courier ready on the first day to take his clients' completed applications to Citizenship and Immigration Services.
"The whole white-collar business community is kind of crossing our fingers" that the number of visas is raised, Wexler said. Highly skilled foreign workers, he said, are "the best and brightest" and should be invited into the economy.
"If we can't get them," Wexler added, "they will go to a country that will accept them, and they will get jobs in Canada, Australia and England and will compete against us."
One of Wexler's clients, Massachusetts-based Skyworks Solutions, develops and manufactures integrated circuits for cellphones. Connie Williams, senior human resources specialist at the company's Irvine office, said her firm was effectively cut off from a foreign labor pool that included Lloyd of Britain when the government stopped accepting H-1B applications.
Williams said she worries that if Congress fails to pass reform legislation, the door will slam shut even earlier next year. The company has just over 2,000 U.S.-based employees, roughly 100 of whom have H-1B visas.
"We need these highly skilled, highly educated, highly qualified engineers," said Williams. "These people are a needle in a haystack."
Once foreigners have H-1B visas, they face another hurdle � becoming permanent legal residents. Applicants are often forced to wait years because there are only 140,000 employment-based green cards available annually. A backlog at Citizenship and Immigration Services adds to the delays.
Swati and Aradhana Srivastava, 34, both Indian software engineers working in the U.S. on H-1B visas, began the green card process with their employer in November 2001. Since then, the sisters said they have not been able to change jobs, positions or salaries.
They have taken film classes and are eager to pursue second careers in filmmaking but cannot do so until after they get their green cards. They also are reluctant to buy property or start a business. If they don't get their green cards by the time they finish film school, the sisters may return home.
"It's like living in a holding pattern continuously," said Swati Srivastava, 28, a member of Immigration Voice, a new grass-roots organization of skilled foreign workers pushing for immigration reform. The Internet-based group formed late last year and has about 5,000 members scattered around the country.
"We work in [the] U.S. legally in high-skilled jobs, but we still get penalized for playing by the rules," Immigration Voice co-founder Aman Kapoor said in an e-mail. "Since no one was working on our issues, we decided to organize."
Sandy Boyd, vice president of the National Assn. of Manufacturers, said there is an urgency to fixing the problems facing highly skilled foreign workers, whether they're seeking temporary or permanent legal status. The Senate's proposed immigration bill would increase the number of available employment-based green cards.
If compromise legislation cannot be reached on the broader issues, Boyd said, Congress should pass a separate, more narrow reform bill.
"This is not an issue that can be put off until comprehensive immigration reform is passed," Boyd said, "because once we lose these jobs, it's very difficult for them to come back."
But industry lobbyists arguing against increases in H-1B visas say the program hurts U.S. citizens by lowering wages and increasing job competition. They cite a recent report by the Government Accountability Office that says the program lacks sufficient oversight from the Department of Labor.
"We feel for the most part there are not shortages of U.S. engineers and computer scientists that have the skills these companies are looking for," said Chris McManes, spokesman for the U.S. sector of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. "If the cap is increased, that will further hamper the ability of a U.S. engineer to find a job."
David Huber, a network engineer in Chicago and U.S. citizen by birth, said he twice lost out on jobs to foreign workers. He was passed over for one job and replaced at another, he said. Huber, who testified before the House in March, said he could not find work for nearly three years, despite his education and experience. "Too many of us cannot find jobs because companies are turning to H-1B workers as a first choice," Huber said in written testimony to the House.
Swadha Sharma, who lives in Arcadia, said she is not trying to replace U.S. workers. Sharma earned an electronics engineering degree in India but has long dreamed of becoming a math teacher. So while her husband worked here on an H-1B visa, she earned her teaching credential at Cal Poly Pomona.
Sharma, 30, started applying for teaching jobs early this year, but she said only one of three interested districts was willing to sponsor her for an H-1B visa. And that offer, from a Los Angeles charter school, came after the visa cap had been reached. Sharma now plans to pursue a master's degree but said the U.S. is "missing out on a catch."
"I am really qualified," she said. "Hopefully, I will be able to teach soon."
As for Lloyd, his plans to come to the United States are now on indefinite hold. He started his job in Germany but still laments the U.S. immigration system for limiting workers like himself from coming here.
"The H-1B scheme seems a little bit ridiculous," he said. "I would certainly be an asset to the American economy."
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abhijitp
01-24 07:46 PM
^^
more...
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srikanthmavurapu
08-16 03:25 PM
which state your employer belongs to?
its in Virginia
its in Virginia
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pappu
11-10 10:57 PM
USCIS Ombudsmun Report - Total I140 approved:
Approved
2000:89,583
2001: 99,659
2002: 93,533
2003:62,281
2004:67,552
2005:94,211
2006:104,168
Oct 2006 to April 2007: 65,098
found this on another site
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/yearbook/2006/table10d.xls
dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/yearbook/2006/table10d.xls
Approved
2000:89,583
2001: 99,659
2002: 93,533
2003:62,281
2004:67,552
2005:94,211
2006:104,168
Oct 2006 to April 2007: 65,098
found this on another site
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/yearbook/2006/table10d.xls
dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/yearbook/2006/table10d.xls
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thomachan72
06-18 07:25 AM
But for filing the 485 (US green cared last stage) you need to be physically present within the US and it will be difficult to comute across the border at this stage. This is a very complicated issue and you can never predict the outcome. However, apply both and stay in canada now. Try to complete the 2 year requirement in canada and then you can move back to the US and file the 485. Another thing I heard is if a canadian company hires you and places you in a US location, you can stay in the US and claim years of residence towards the canadian PR, because you are being paid in canada (something like that). If that works then at the same time your LC can be done here. then if dates are current 140 and 485 filed concurrently.
Anyway lot of us might be thinking about this approach and lets wait for more replies and more clarity.
Anyway lot of us might be thinking about this approach and lets wait for more replies and more clarity.
kingkon_2000
04-16 09:56 AM
Hi folks,
Just got back from UK on Friday after a month of family time, medicals and our embassy interview! Wanted to let you all know that we were approved and happily back in the US!!
Congrats on the latest admin wins and movements in campaigns/projects. I wanted to say a huge thank you but not farewell to the many kind folks who kept my spirits high in the short time I have been with IV:
abhijitp, needhelp, digital2k, paskal, gsc999, waiting4gc, pappu, chanduv23, santb1975, nolaindian32, walking dude, ja1hind, logiclife and many more. All of you rock and America is very lucky to have such genuine and brilliant people like you. I wish you the very best for your own journey.
I will be around for sure, just have to concentrate on securing some work and life for a bit, finally!
my best :)
Congratulations to you and family... seems like things are moving forward for us... Really happy for you...
Just got back from UK on Friday after a month of family time, medicals and our embassy interview! Wanted to let you all know that we were approved and happily back in the US!!
Congrats on the latest admin wins and movements in campaigns/projects. I wanted to say a huge thank you but not farewell to the many kind folks who kept my spirits high in the short time I have been with IV:
abhijitp, needhelp, digital2k, paskal, gsc999, waiting4gc, pappu, chanduv23, santb1975, nolaindian32, walking dude, ja1hind, logiclife and many more. All of you rock and America is very lucky to have such genuine and brilliant people like you. I wish you the very best for your own journey.
I will be around for sure, just have to concentrate on securing some work and life for a bit, finally!
my best :)
Congratulations to you and family... seems like things are moving forward for us... Really happy for you...
ChainReaction
04-18 09:09 AM
I already have two labor certification petition both of which are stuck in PBEC. MY first labor cert has PD of March 2003 and the other Feb 2005 . ON my lawyers advice i filed my second labor under RIR instead of waiting for another month and filing under PERM what a big mistake i made... I am onmy 5th yr on H1b and was hoping to Get at least 3yr ext if i was able to file 1-140 and have it approved before i file for the H1b . :(
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