USCIS has announced that it is continuing to accept H-1B nonimmigrant visa petitions subject to the fiscal year 2010 (FY 2010) cap. USCIS will continue to monitor the number of H-1B petitions received for both the 65,000 regular cap and the 20,000 U.S. Master's degree or higher educational exemption cap.
This is the buzz going around in techie town. If you have already heard it then pl. ignore if not this is interesting.
A techie based of Jersey goes to India to visit his family recently. Techie is assumed have lived in the US for quite some time. He is currently working on his work permit as an alien worker. Techie also has a temporary un-approved/un-guaranteed green card called the EAD.
While re entering an immi-officer that if they can call his manager. Techie then hands all the contact information. Officer gives him a call and asks if they really need a H1B worker for his position. Officer also ensures if the H1B possesses exceptional skills. Manager replies back with a YES!
Officer then calls an office that could tell how many citizens posses the same skill and are unemployed. Officer is told numerous unemployed. Officer now decides to send the techie back. Techie then pleads that he has a house on mortage, a car out of a loan. He needs time to return. Officer then grants him a month on a visiting visa. Techie once again pleads and successfully bargains a 3 month on a visitor visa to return back.
If this is all what happened, then the govt. has acted illegally. There is no question in my mind about it.
USCIS recently updated the following USCIS form(s):
Fee Increase Consistent with the Consumer Price Index
The attached document explains the criteria.
Discussion Topics:
H-4 to F-1 status change || Employer-sponsored EB1A || Portability under 221(g) || Expedite EAD request on Financial Hardship || Multiple H-4 processing in parallel for dependent along with Primary dependent H-1 Visa || H-1B Transfer issues
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.
This page provides you with the most recent processing times for petitions and applications submitted to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS).
Pursuant to 22 CFR 4 1.1 12 and 8 CFR 214.1 automatic revalidation applies to expired nonimmigrant visas of aliens who have been out of the U. S. for thirty days or less in contiguous territory (Canada and Mexico).
Published by : ETtech From the Economic Times - Article by: Ayan Pramanik & Priyanka Sangani - Date: November 05, 2019
Quotes and Excerpts from Rajiv on the article:
USCIS announced an updated number of filings for H-1B petitions for the fiscal year 2010 program. USCIS has received approximately 42,000 H-1B petitions counting toward the Congressionally-mandated 65,000 cap. The agency continues to accept petitions subject to the general cap.
LOS ANGELES – A federal grand jury has indicted two men in a scheme to obtain lawful permanent resident status for South Korean nationals by submitting fraudulent visa applications that falsely claimed American businesses wanted to hire skilled foreign workers.
WASHINGTON—U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services today announced a final rule that will require a $10 non-refundable fee for each H-1B registration submitted by petitioning employers, once it implements the electronic registration system. The registration fee is part of an agency-wide effort to modernize and more efficiently process applications to live or work in the United States.
I have done my H1B and PERM processing through Law Offices of Rajiv S Khanna. I got both of them approved. Their service is just great! and I am not into IT..Their whole process is very meticulous and thorough. They work with you diligently through the entire process. Rest assured everything that needs to be and can be done right is done right! I recently changed jobs and unfortunately, I had to go with my new employer's attorney and they have not paid attention to basics and filied recklessly and now I have an enquiry. I wish I had gone with Rajiv..
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USCIS now wants consulting companies to provide tax information on their clients. This is gross over-reaching in my view. Here is an excerpt from an RFE we received last week:
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.
WASHINGTON – The Department of Homeland Security will publish a notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal Register to adjust the U.S.
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:
My question is that i have just entered USA on B1 /B2 visa on February 21 and sir now I am planning to stay here in USA...I am planning to carry on my further studies in Bridgeport university my arrival is for 3 months and I want to complete this procedure as soon as possible because I don't want to take the law in my hands
While it is permissible to change from one status to another from within U.S., it may not always be advisable.
Typically, when someone enters the U.S., supposedly for a short visit (e.g. B-1 or B-2) and then tries to change it to a longer term visa (F-1, L-1, H-1, etc.), USCIS often frowns upon it (and may not grant it), but the consulates invariably frown upon it. My recommendation in most of these cases is to avoid this type of change. If you have already obtained the change, it may be very difficult to procure a visa whenever you need to travel abroad.
1. I am curruntly on HIB Visa for the past 5yrs and 2 months (GC process started and 1-140 approved) working for a State Health Department.
My son was about to age out when his H4 to F1 was denied at US Consulate in Chennai. It was then that we sought help from Immigration.com.
The entire staff there was very professional and their guidance was very invaluable. Their review of our documents was so meticulously.
Mr. Rajiv Khanna is very knowledgeable. He literally handheld us and guided us, every single step of the way. We were so comfortable working with him that we felt we were working with a family well wisher, (besides the fact that he is a top notch immigration attorney) who was always there for us, wanting us to succeed.
But for him, we would not have made it.
Thank you, Rajiv Sir, for helping us with my son's visa and keeping our family together.
Special thanks to Kalpana, Pavithra and others, who patiently took our questions and guided us.
I would VERY STRONGLY recommend their services.