On June 29, 2011, Ombudsman January Contreras submitted the 2011 Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman’s Annual Report to Congress.
In her opening message, Ombudsman Contreras writes:
The U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) is an inter-agency effort involving a number of governmental and non-governmental partners, both overseas and domestically, whose mission is to resettle refugees in the United States. The U.S. Department of State’s (DOS) Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) has overall management responsibility for the USRAP and has the lead in proposing admissions numbers and processing priorities.
Wages for the 7/2011 - 6/2012 program year are now available and are effective 7/1/2011.
The Foreign Labor Certification Data Center is the location of the Online Wage Library for prevailing wage determinations, and the disclosure databases for the temporary and permanent programs. To access our databases or downloadable files click one of the links below.
Online Wage Library
I would like to thank the team of Mr. Khanna. He has been of great help. Initially they filed my case for H1B and got approved with no problem and now I am applying through Mr. Khanna and Mr. Mathew for EB2 GC. My case is very complicated so Khanna ji gave two consutations without any charge and spoke about all the details. My employer offered me her attorney but still I have so much of confidence in Mr. Khanna that I am filling through him. I am sure despite my case being so different, he will leave no stones unturned to represent my case in the best manner. I will update as we will progress. Once again Mr. Khanna thanks for being so cooperative and visionary.
I did three year bachelor of computer science degree from India in June 2005.Then I joined master of computer Applications program (M.C.A) in India in Aug 2005 (3 year program). While still being enrolled in masters degree program, I joined a full time job in a software company in Jan 2006. I was awarded master of computer applications(3 year degree)in 2008, until dec 2010 (5 years) I worked with the same company in a full time job. after i moved to us. Now I am working with US based company from 7 months as a full time employee.(total experience 5 years 7 months).Do I qualify for EB-2.
You qualify.
I have a brother here in US who is diagnosed with cancer. I would like my mom and brother who live in India to come and visit him. What type of visa should they apply for in India and how long will it take? On which visa can they come as soon as possible.
Tourist visa seems to be appropriate. Times vary by consulate and are usually very short -- often visa is issued the same day an application is made. You can also get an appointment for emergent reasons.
[Federal Register: July 7, 2011 (Volume 76, Number 130)]
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Telecon Recap: Application Processing Times: A Conversation with USCIS Office of Performance and Quality
Overview
On April 27, 2011, the Citizenship and Immigration Services Ombudsman’s Office (Ombudsman’s Office) hosted a public teleconference regarding U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) processing times and interviewed Mr. Joseph Moore, Chief of the USCIS Office of Performance and Quality (OPQ), for this conversation.
Mr. Moore provided a brief overview of the functions of OPQ, as summarized below:
The attached document explains the criteria.
1. Is it advisable or compulsory to get the prevailing wage determination from the states or Online Wage Library is enough at the time of taking LCA? Because most of the time we are taking the LCAs for the job titles like: Software Engineer, Programmer Analyst and System Analyst for which the wage determination available in the online wage library.
Ans. OES wages can be used as long as the correct job category and job level are used. Applying for prevailing wages from the govt. is time consuming, but does have the benefit of being almost beyond question in case of an audit.
1. I am contemplating switching from H-1B status (in Year 4) to an L2 status (wife holds L1B status) and then applying for EAD. After I receive the EAD (receipt of application sufficient for starting work?), (1) am I allowed to hold on to my current H-1B status or does it automatically lapse upon conversion to L2?
2. Can I hold a CAP-EXEMPT H-1B with an academic institution/ think-tank etc CONCURRENTLY with the L2, (3) work as an independent contractor (1099)?
3. Does EAD allow one to be do multiple things as a free-lance professional?
1. Ans. It lapses upon change of status from the date the status is changed.
2. Ans. You cannot have H-1 and L-2 status at the same time. But on the L-2 EAD you can do both jobs.
3. Ans. Yes.
1. Are we OK in keeping an H1B worker without work as long as we pay him during the project break too - at the LCA wage level.
Ans. You must pay your H-1 workers the legal wage. This is the higher of the prevailing wage or the actual wage. Actual wage is defined as that which you pay other similar employees in the same geographical location. So, as long as you pay the legal wage, there is no problem.
When filing for H-1, it often becomes an issue as to what is acceptable evidence that a foreign employee has completed their degree requirements.
USCIS has stated:
I have attained Canadian Citizenship but a born Indian citizen, when I am applying for 485 which priority dates do I need to consider, General or India. I do not have Indian passport.
Still, India. Your chargeability follows the place of birth, not your citizenship.
I am sharing with you a response to a frequently asked question about adopting a child from India. Our inquirer also wanted to know if she could adopt her niece. Here is the info:
The following pointers have emerged from recent cases and comments from USCIS:
1. Make sure you document the citation records (to show how many hits the journal gets), impact factor and circulation figures of the journals in which your publications appear.
2. (This we already knew) Recommendations from people who know you personally carry less weight than from those who know you by reputation.
3. Emphasize/document the "international" nature of your accomplishments.
What does the stimulus Bill (American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009) say about H-1 hiring and about green cards?
There is a lot of confusion out there as is obvious from a gazillion emails I have received. So, I braved the lion’s den and tried to figure out this thing. Here is how I see it.
1. If an employer receives TARP funding they can hire NEW H-1B workers only if they comply with certain requirements. Note that existing H-1 workers are not affected. Note also that there is no effect on existing or future green card applications of such employers.
The category of Engineers includes several different types of engineers.
Congress passed the Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000 (VTVPA) in order to provide:
Hi
I am really thankful to Mr. Rajiv Khanna and Ms. Judy Dumas who applied for my H1B Visa and I got my visa approved pretty soon without any query....
I really appreciate Your services...
Kind Regards
Harpal
The law office of Mr. Rajiv S. Khanna filed my and my wife's I-485 and I-140 cases con-currently on the February 19th 2008. We got approvals on the February 24th 2009 and received our Green Cards on the March 6th 2009. . We are amazed to get our cases approved within 1 year of filing. We received RFE for our cases on “Proof of birth and parentage and bona fide marriage”. Mr. Khanna's professional team responded and our cases got approved in less than 10 days of the response. I am greatly satisfied with the professionalism and the dedicated service of Mr. Khanna’s team through out the entire journey of the Green Card process. I would like to specially thank Mr. Rajiv S. Khanna, Mr. Mathew Chacko, Prerna Mehta, Bharathi Gajala, Amrita, Sheena and Kimberly for their dedicated help and support in the successful approvals of our I-485s, I-140 and PERM Labor Certificate. I will definitely consult the law office Rajiv S. Khanna in the future for all my immigration related legal needs. I highly recommend reader's of this testimonial to consult Mr. Khanna's immigration experts for any immigration related legal issues and/or advice. You will be certainly pleased to find such a great friendly group of people that are well prepared to provide you the service you deserve. Last but not the least; www.immigrationportal.com is a great source of very useful immigration related information that has been brought to all of us by Mr. Khanna’s law office. The forum maintained by his office is by far an active place for all sorts of valuable immigration and visa related discussions.
It was back in June 2005 we signed with Mr.Rajiv's firm regarding my employment based GC process. With the excellent process and support from Rajiv's office my PERM labor got approved in 4 months and then I-140 in 7 months and there was a RFE which Mr.Mathew helped my employer by contacting USCIS and effectively getting approval. With lot of inquiry made by Rajiv's office and continuous follow-up with USCIS my case and my wife's case got approved without any RFE.
I sincerely appreciate their help and patience shown during my GC process and highly recommend them for any immigration related process.
This is the how to page
I cannot thank enough the Law Offices of Mr. Khanna for getting me and my wife our L1-A and L2 approvals. A special thank you to Mr. Jagbir, who assisted us, guided us and was there for us the entire time. He was very patient, helpful and informative, and Mr. Khanna was always available to answer my never ending questions. I can confidently say that it is because of their hard work and dedication to this case that we got our approval. We had a very complicated case whereby our LI-A had already expired, and the extension was denied. Mr. Jagbir presented our case with updated information and new evidence, and after he responded to the RFE with a 700 page file, our case was approved. Thank you so very much Mr. Khanna, Mr. Jagbir and Ms. Anna, we will forever be indebted to you.