U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) issued updated guidance to adjudication officers to clarify what constitutes a valid employer-employee relationship to qualify for the H-1B ‘specialty occupation’ classification. The memorandum clarifies such relationships, particularly as it pertains to independent contractors, self-employed beneficiaries, and beneficiaries placed at third-party worksites.
We have just received another H-1 approval for an end-client placement. There were two intervening vendors and the end-client declined to provide a letter stating that there is no requirement in law for them to provide any such letter. We had to get together convincing secondary evidence. I was highly doubtful we will get the approval, but we did. So, despite the January 8 memo from USCIS, there is life yet for consulting industry.
We were recently retained by an employer whose employee fell out of status due to an omissions by the former counsel. Prior to the employee’s H1B expiration date, the employer tried to file an H1B extension. The employer’s former Counsel utilized an obsolete and inappropriate wage source when filing the LCA. This wage amount was also not representative of what the employee was earning. As a result, the employer had to withdraw the LCA. This circumstance resulted in an untimely filing of the employer’s H1B application and the employee’s status expiring due to no fault of his own.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) is announcing a 120-day period in which it will temporarily accept H-1B petitions filed without Labor Condition Applications (LCAs) that have been certified by the Department of Labor (DOL).
As of November 6, 2009, approximately 54,700 H-1B cap-subject petitions had been filed. USCIS has approved sufficient H1-B petitions for aliens with advanced degrees to meet the exemption of 20,000 from the fiscal year 2010 cap. Any H1-B petitions filed on behalf of an alien with an advanced degree will now count toward the general H1-B cap of 65,000.
As of November 20, 2009, approximately 56,900 H-1B cap-subject petitions had been filed. USCIS has approved sufficient H-1B petitions for aliens with advanced degrees to meet the exemption of 20,000 from the fiscal year 2010 cap. Any H-1B petitions filed on behalf of an alien with an advanced degree will now count toward the general H-1B cap of 65,000.
As of October 30, 2009, approximately 53,800 H-1B cap-subject petitions had been filed.
What kind of problems can employment-based nonimmigrants (H-1, L-1, E-1, E-2, E-3, TN) face during reentry?
I think this question is most relevant for H-1 holders, but other employment-based nonimmigrants may also note the general principles here.
Here is a question from our clients-only extranet.
Whats the relevance or importance of having continuous pay stubs (How much gap is permissible if Not significant?) in the processing of Green card of an H1B holder.
I am reproducing material from our employers-only (by invitation only) conference call for tomorrow. These matters need to be in place for H-1 new applications, transfers as well as extensions.
USCIS' Fraud Detection and National Security (FDNS) office has recently explained the three types of site visits that are currently being conducted:
1. Risk Assessment Program fraud study (RANDOM VISITS). This is a joint study by USCIS and ICE applicable to both family-based and employment-based cases. Cases are chosen for randomly for review and site visits usually after a case is approved. The purpose of this study is to build a profile of the types of cases where fraud is most prevalent.
Here is a series of questions that should be relevant for many people: