harivenkat
05-06 08:54 PM
Tech firms play quiet role in immigration-overhaul push - Politics AP - MiamiHerald.com (http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/06/1617199_p2/tech-firms-play-quiet-role-in.html)
WASHINGTON � The technology sector, a little-publicized but key player in the coalition that's pushing for an overhaul of immigration laws, has given mixed reviews to the proposal that Senate Democrats unveiled last week.
Public dialogue on immigration has focused largely on a path to legalization for the estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States, but technology companies have lobbied for years to streamline and ease the process of hiring skilled legal immigrant workers. They hope to capitalize on the momentum that surrounds immigration.
Peter Muller is the director of government relations for Intel, one of the largest sponsors of H-1B temporary visas for skilled workers. The company was approved for 723 new H-1B visas in 2009. Muller said Intel had been hindered in hiring and keeping the most qualified people by the annual caps on H-1B visas and the sometimes decade-long delay in processing green card applications.
"To not be able to hire the people who really drive innovation in our company is a frustration," he said.
The number of H-1B visas issued each year is capped at 65,000, with another 20,000 reserved for foreign-born students who graduate from U.S. schools with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and math, programs from which companies such as Intel recruit many of their workers. In past years, the allotment often was gone within days after the application period opened in April. Last year, it took until December to hit the cap.
Even with a slower economy reducing demand for workers, however, tech companies say they want the system overhauled.
"Companies are still hiring, so fixing the problems and fixing the system is important," said Jessica Herrera-Flanigan, the co-executive director of Compete America, a coalition of companies that are lobbying for more high-skilled immigration. "It's an issue today for some companies, and it's going to continue to be an issue that needs to be addressed."
For H-1B workers who want to stay in the country permanently, the wait for a green card can take years. Ashish Sharma, an Indian citizen who's working for a technology company in California, has waited for a green card for seven years. At one point, Sharma said, he considered leaving the United States because of the uncertainty of his status.
"The long wait does bother people," he said. "I did look at what Canada was offering, where they give you a green card within three months."
Sharma ultimately decided to stay for the sake of his two children, who were raised in the U.S., but some employers as well as workers have chosen to go abroad. Microsoft, a top sponsor of H-1B visas with 1,318 petitions approved in 2009, opened a development center in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 2007, in part to take advantage of Canada's more lenient immigration laws.
Compete America praised some aspects of the Democratic immigration framework that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Sens. Charles Schumer of New York and Robert Menendez of New Jersey put forward last week.
The coalition favors a provision that would offer green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. universities with advanced degrees in specialized fields, but it's pushing back against provisions that would limit the hiring of H-1B workers and increase government scrutiny of companies that sponsor the temporary visas.
The language in the Democrats' framework that deals with temporary visas came largely from a bill intended to curb abuses in the H-1B system that Sens. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, introduced last year.
Durbin said in an e-mailed statement that the H-1B program was too easily abused by employers who used it to, in effect, outsource jobs that American workers could fill.
"Congress created the H-1B visa program so an employer could hire a foreign guest worker when a qualified American worker could not be found," he said. "However, the H-1B visa program is plagued with fraud and abuse and is now a vehicle for outsourcing that deprives qualified American workers of their jobs."
Tech industry representatives disagreed.
"We are all for strong enforcement," Herrera-Flanigan said. "But the way the provisions are written, it's much more far-reaching than that, and it could have an adverse effect on companies that are not bad actors."
The H-1B provisions came in for criticism from people who represent immigrant workers as well as from employers. Aman Kapoor, the president of Immigration Voice, a network of skilled immigrant workers, called the proposal draconian and said the restrictions could render the H-1B process essentially useless.
Schumer's office didn't respond to requests for comment.
Advocates in the broader immigration-overhaul coalition said support from the technology industry would be key to winning the wide political backing that was necessary to give a comprehensive bill a shot at passing.
"I think it is important, and in part that is because tech is one of the key business sectors that will be necessary to bring the Republican votes we will need, in the Senate, especially," said Jeanne Butterfield, a senior adviser for the National Immigration Forum, a group that advocates policies that are more welcoming toward immigrants.
Technology companies make up a substantial portion of the voices that are lobbying for federal immigration revisions. Of the 288 federal lobbyist filings that had reported lobbying on immigration issues in the first quarter of the year as of Monday, an analysis shows that about 17 percent came from companies and organizations that represent the technology and engineering sectors. Others represented fields such as medicine and education, which also are interested in skilled immigrants.
The people who are lobbying on behalf of the tech sector said that although their issues with the immigration system were specific, they had no plans to peel off from the broader overhaul coalition to pursue a more tailored bill.
Muller said the word from Capitol Hill had been that immigration was too contentious an issue to tackle piecemeal.
PROVISIONS THAT WOULD AFFECT TECH SECTOR:
Green cards (legal permanent resident visas):
* Foreign students who graduate from U.S. schools with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics automatically would be eligible for green cards if U.S. employers offer them jobs.
* The caps that limit the numbers of immigrants who can come from specific countries would be eliminated.
H-1B visas (temporary work visas for foreign workers in specialized jobs):
* Would forbid employers from giving priority to H-1B applicants and would limit the number of H-1B employees that large employers may hire.
* Would authorize the Department of Labor to investigate applications for possible fraud and would require the department to audit companies that have large numbers of H-1B employees.
WASHINGTON � The technology sector, a little-publicized but key player in the coalition that's pushing for an overhaul of immigration laws, has given mixed reviews to the proposal that Senate Democrats unveiled last week.
Public dialogue on immigration has focused largely on a path to legalization for the estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States, but technology companies have lobbied for years to streamline and ease the process of hiring skilled legal immigrant workers. They hope to capitalize on the momentum that surrounds immigration.
Peter Muller is the director of government relations for Intel, one of the largest sponsors of H-1B temporary visas for skilled workers. The company was approved for 723 new H-1B visas in 2009. Muller said Intel had been hindered in hiring and keeping the most qualified people by the annual caps on H-1B visas and the sometimes decade-long delay in processing green card applications.
"To not be able to hire the people who really drive innovation in our company is a frustration," he said.
The number of H-1B visas issued each year is capped at 65,000, with another 20,000 reserved for foreign-born students who graduate from U.S. schools with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and math, programs from which companies such as Intel recruit many of their workers. In past years, the allotment often was gone within days after the application period opened in April. Last year, it took until December to hit the cap.
Even with a slower economy reducing demand for workers, however, tech companies say they want the system overhauled.
"Companies are still hiring, so fixing the problems and fixing the system is important," said Jessica Herrera-Flanigan, the co-executive director of Compete America, a coalition of companies that are lobbying for more high-skilled immigration. "It's an issue today for some companies, and it's going to continue to be an issue that needs to be addressed."
For H-1B workers who want to stay in the country permanently, the wait for a green card can take years. Ashish Sharma, an Indian citizen who's working for a technology company in California, has waited for a green card for seven years. At one point, Sharma said, he considered leaving the United States because of the uncertainty of his status.
"The long wait does bother people," he said. "I did look at what Canada was offering, where they give you a green card within three months."
Sharma ultimately decided to stay for the sake of his two children, who were raised in the U.S., but some employers as well as workers have chosen to go abroad. Microsoft, a top sponsor of H-1B visas with 1,318 petitions approved in 2009, opened a development center in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 2007, in part to take advantage of Canada's more lenient immigration laws.
Compete America praised some aspects of the Democratic immigration framework that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Sens. Charles Schumer of New York and Robert Menendez of New Jersey put forward last week.
The coalition favors a provision that would offer green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. universities with advanced degrees in specialized fields, but it's pushing back against provisions that would limit the hiring of H-1B workers and increase government scrutiny of companies that sponsor the temporary visas.
The language in the Democrats' framework that deals with temporary visas came largely from a bill intended to curb abuses in the H-1B system that Sens. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, introduced last year.
Durbin said in an e-mailed statement that the H-1B program was too easily abused by employers who used it to, in effect, outsource jobs that American workers could fill.
"Congress created the H-1B visa program so an employer could hire a foreign guest worker when a qualified American worker could not be found," he said. "However, the H-1B visa program is plagued with fraud and abuse and is now a vehicle for outsourcing that deprives qualified American workers of their jobs."
Tech industry representatives disagreed.
"We are all for strong enforcement," Herrera-Flanigan said. "But the way the provisions are written, it's much more far-reaching than that, and it could have an adverse effect on companies that are not bad actors."
The H-1B provisions came in for criticism from people who represent immigrant workers as well as from employers. Aman Kapoor, the president of Immigration Voice, a network of skilled immigrant workers, called the proposal draconian and said the restrictions could render the H-1B process essentially useless.
Schumer's office didn't respond to requests for comment.
Advocates in the broader immigration-overhaul coalition said support from the technology industry would be key to winning the wide political backing that was necessary to give a comprehensive bill a shot at passing.
"I think it is important, and in part that is because tech is one of the key business sectors that will be necessary to bring the Republican votes we will need, in the Senate, especially," said Jeanne Butterfield, a senior adviser for the National Immigration Forum, a group that advocates policies that are more welcoming toward immigrants.
Technology companies make up a substantial portion of the voices that are lobbying for federal immigration revisions. Of the 288 federal lobbyist filings that had reported lobbying on immigration issues in the first quarter of the year as of Monday, an analysis shows that about 17 percent came from companies and organizations that represent the technology and engineering sectors. Others represented fields such as medicine and education, which also are interested in skilled immigrants.
The people who are lobbying on behalf of the tech sector said that although their issues with the immigration system were specific, they had no plans to peel off from the broader overhaul coalition to pursue a more tailored bill.
Muller said the word from Capitol Hill had been that immigration was too contentious an issue to tackle piecemeal.
PROVISIONS THAT WOULD AFFECT TECH SECTOR:
Green cards (legal permanent resident visas):
* Foreign students who graduate from U.S. schools with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics automatically would be eligible for green cards if U.S. employers offer them jobs.
* The caps that limit the numbers of immigrants who can come from specific countries would be eliminated.
H-1B visas (temporary work visas for foreign workers in specialized jobs):
* Would forbid employers from giving priority to H-1B applicants and would limit the number of H-1B employees that large employers may hire.
* Would authorize the Department of Labor to investigate applications for possible fraud and would require the department to audit companies that have large numbers of H-1B employees.
va_dude
03-25 02:32 PM
so what's the problem here.
Just work with your attorney and employer who filed your 140 to send them the info/letter they need with details on which client you worked for and when, etc.
Just work with your attorney and employer who filed your 140 to send them the info/letter they need with details on which client you worked for and when, etc.
SAPGURU
01-04 09:09 AM
They can't do that they are asking to make a choice .Per them porting eb3 priority date is not possible. I am not sure what are legal issues involved in porting the priority date. I am asked to make a choice either EB3 04 OR eb2 06.
rkp27
07-11 01:03 PM
Your case is just like many others here. Does that worth you own thread?
Spend some time to read thru some posts. You will know there are many people who are with 2002 PD have not been approved yet. If there's a definitely answer for your question, why will they be frustrate.
My friend,
I dont know what tends to write the answer you replied.. but i am not here to find out why anybody frustrate or what any anybody is doing etc.. Its not my business as well..
I ask question because it just came in my mind.. i dont bothers about others at all..
God bless everyone..
Spend some time to read thru some posts. You will know there are many people who are with 2002 PD have not been approved yet. If there's a definitely answer for your question, why will they be frustrate.
My friend,
I dont know what tends to write the answer you replied.. but i am not here to find out why anybody frustrate or what any anybody is doing etc.. Its not my business as well..
I ask question because it just came in my mind.. i dont bothers about others at all..
God bless everyone..
more...
up_guy
02-22 10:05 AM
My husband is working on H-1 B and his I -140 is approved and I am on H-4 visa. I am trying to get in US medical residency and most likely I will get J-1 visa
I have following questions -
1) Do I qualify for non-immigrant, J-1 visa considering my husband's I-140 approval? Would his I-140 approval not have my name associated to it ?
2) Once I accept J-1 visa, would I be able to file I-485 when my husband's PD will be current?
3) If I decide to quit residency after few months/year to file, would I be able to convert my J-1 visa to H-4 visa again?
4) After converting H-4 visa would I be able to file I-485 once my husband's date is current?
5) How difficult or easy is to get J-1 wavier
Thanks in advance for your replied
I have following questions -
1) Do I qualify for non-immigrant, J-1 visa considering my husband's I-140 approval? Would his I-140 approval not have my name associated to it ?
2) Once I accept J-1 visa, would I be able to file I-485 when my husband's PD will be current?
3) If I decide to quit residency after few months/year to file, would I be able to convert my J-1 visa to H-4 visa again?
4) After converting H-4 visa would I be able to file I-485 once my husband's date is current?
5) How difficult or easy is to get J-1 wavier
Thanks in advance for your replied
god_bless_you
04-24 06:07 PM
THANK YOU ALL :)
Your day too will come soon when it is decided to come..
God bless you, ALL
Your day too will come soon when it is decided to come..
God bless you, ALL
more...
idreamofgc
06-02 09:06 PM
I am a client of fragemonon and what does it mean now
my case was audited on may 21. They were saying there are 10,000
cases they filed and all are audited. What is supervised recruitment
?????
are we doomed?
Where did you get this 10,000 number from ? Any sources ?
Frago-moron killed our GC dream.
my case was audited on may 21. They were saying there are 10,000
cases they filed and all are audited. What is supervised recruitment
?????
are we doomed?
Where did you get this 10,000 number from ? Any sources ?
Frago-moron killed our GC dream.
Bpositive
01-10 10:38 PM
My wife is planning to travel on AP while H1B is pending administrative processing after a Chennai Consulate interview. We have submitted the required information but she needs to rejoin work and can't wait beyond our existing travel plans.
Has anyone gone through a similar situation. Should we be having any port of entry concerns?
Has anyone gone through a similar situation. Should we be having any port of entry concerns?
more...
sanju
07-11 10:57 PM
Schwarzenegger cares for Kali-4-nia. He should support legal immigrants as a lot of this community lives there. Where? In Kali-4-nia.
pointlesswait
02-24 09:41 AM
u can log onto USCIS website and check the status of ur past and pending cases.
but u need to know the LIN #'s...
so add ur previous 140 case and check for any updates..simple!
Case reopened or reconsidered based on USCIS determination, and the case is now pendiDid anyone see this kind of status on their approved H1b application?
Please share your views.
but u need to know the LIN #'s...
so add ur previous 140 case and check for any updates..simple!
Case reopened or reconsidered based on USCIS determination, and the case is now pendiDid anyone see this kind of status on their approved H1b application?
Please share your views.
more...
Ramba
10-24 11:49 AM
Ok Guru's I am in an awkward situation. My GC got approved some time in Aug 2008. But before the approval of my GC my wife in india applied for H4 visa based on my H1b. The consulate approved her H4 and stamped it on her passport last month. Even though I am on GC now. i have files I-824 for her Follow to Join.
Now the question I have is.
1- Can she travel to US on that H4 (the visa stamp is valid till 2010)?
2- If the CBP agents at the aiport let her in the country can I file for her I-485 and have her wait here on AOS?
Let me know what you guys think. On mountain crossed and still more hills keep coming.
Talk to lawyer. My feeling is that if she had H4 status before leaving US and just got a renewal, she can come on H4 visa though your GC is approved when renewal is pending. However she should have applied the renewal before your GC is approved. Also, filing 485 may not cause any issue.
Now the question I have is.
1- Can she travel to US on that H4 (the visa stamp is valid till 2010)?
2- If the CBP agents at the aiport let her in the country can I file for her I-485 and have her wait here on AOS?
Let me know what you guys think. On mountain crossed and still more hills keep coming.
Talk to lawyer. My feeling is that if she had H4 status before leaving US and just got a renewal, she can come on H4 visa though your GC is approved when renewal is pending. However she should have applied the renewal before your GC is approved. Also, filing 485 may not cause any issue.
sanjay
08-29 12:29 PM
I saw many 2nd July Polls but doesn't have full proof information.
So thaught creating New Poll.
Hope everyone will participate in the Poll.
where is the poll? Any way there more than 5 - 6 polls as of now and there is no way to find a full proof information. We all do more speculations and analysis. So, no need to create new threads with these polls. We got many.
So thaught creating New Poll.
Hope everyone will participate in the Poll.
where is the poll? Any way there more than 5 - 6 polls as of now and there is no way to find a full proof information. We all do more speculations and analysis. So, no need to create new threads with these polls. We got many.
more...
Cheran
04-08 02:16 PM
There is a correlation between election year and immigration. But if that works out, lets say they make the priority date current, it does not matter whether you filled in 2005 or 2007. Now, we are assuming that they will make the date current. You never know, they might bring some weird rule, which take the priority date as a criteria. So what I am saying is, its your call. If I were in your position, I would wait atleast until we get some answers about the new initiatives....
Hi all,
One of my relatives who has been here in United States for last 10 years keep on telling me that there is a co-relation between Expedition of Green Card process and election year.
I am planning to switch my job as I am having a great offer, but he kept on telling me that in the past, he has noticed great expedition of green card process during the election years. He advises me against switching the job at this point. My PD is Jan 2005.
Please let me know, if any of you agree with him.
Hi all,
One of my relatives who has been here in United States for last 10 years keep on telling me that there is a co-relation between Expedition of Green Card process and election year.
I am planning to switch my job as I am having a great offer, but he kept on telling me that in the past, he has noticed great expedition of green card process during the election years. He advises me against switching the job at this point. My PD is Jan 2005.
Please let me know, if any of you agree with him.
nonimmi
03-11 12:25 PM
This is the problem with most of them (attorney). Once they receive full payment, they dont even care to respond or take any interest in our case. More clients they have more misbehavior we face. Anyway if we look for some real good attorney and find details about him/her it can be good for all of us. I dont think location is that important if attorney is good. Lets do a countrywide search and if someone has real good experience with their attorney please let others know.
more...
kirupa
10-27 06:42 PM
Added :)
You should see at least a few hour delay for this is a manual process haha.
You should see at least a few hour delay for this is a manual process haha.
Britsabroad
March 6th, 2004, 08:51 AM
Didnt see the edits. The first image you took is the best
more...
raysaikat
07-10 07:17 PM
Hi,
My friend has this scenario and want expert advise from IV members.
- On L1 for 3 1/2 years and H1 for 2 years 3 months. About to complete 6
years in 3 months.
- Filed Labor (approved. PD Aug 2004 EB3), I140 (applied in May 2007) and
I485 (July fiasco)
- I140 still pending
Question:
1. Does L1 period is counted for H1 extention?
2. Can he do H1 transfer using AC21 without I140 approval?
As 6 years are going to be expired?
3. What if the old employer revokes his I140 now? His GC process is invalid?
4. If we leave about GC, Can he do H1 transfer atleast?
Thanks for your valuable suggestions.
Ask him to request I-140 premium processing; I think he is eligible. He will get the approval/denial in 15 days.
My friend has this scenario and want expert advise from IV members.
- On L1 for 3 1/2 years and H1 for 2 years 3 months. About to complete 6
years in 3 months.
- Filed Labor (approved. PD Aug 2004 EB3), I140 (applied in May 2007) and
I485 (July fiasco)
- I140 still pending
Question:
1. Does L1 period is counted for H1 extention?
2. Can he do H1 transfer using AC21 without I140 approval?
As 6 years are going to be expired?
3. What if the old employer revokes his I140 now? His GC process is invalid?
4. If we leave about GC, Can he do H1 transfer atleast?
Thanks for your valuable suggestions.
Ask him to request I-140 premium processing; I think he is eligible. He will get the approval/denial in 15 days.
msyedy
03-10 12:08 PM
Hello,
My wife is planning to convert from H4 to H1 for dentist.
1) Does she need a dental license to apply for H1 ?
She 'qualifies' for a dental license (ie meets all requirements), but almost all states require a SSN to issue a dental license. Since she is on H4, she doesnt have a SSN. Problem: Dental License needs SSN - SSN needs H1 - H1 needs license - basically a "Catch 22" position here
2) I did some googling and found that UCSIS issues H1 for 1 year for nurses who do not have license(because of no SSN). Would this apply to dentists as well ?? link (http://www.murthy.com/nurse_faq.html#2)
Please help !
Thanks !!
H1-B is all sponser based. You just can't go to USCIS and say that give my wife H1-B. You need an employer who is willing to hire her, show how much he is willing to pay and many more things. You say for a license she needs SSN, so there is your answer
"NO"
Nurses come under schedule A which is completely different
Main point---
Nurses is completely a different cap and category.
My wife is planning to convert from H4 to H1 for dentist.
1) Does she need a dental license to apply for H1 ?
She 'qualifies' for a dental license (ie meets all requirements), but almost all states require a SSN to issue a dental license. Since she is on H4, she doesnt have a SSN. Problem: Dental License needs SSN - SSN needs H1 - H1 needs license - basically a "Catch 22" position here
2) I did some googling and found that UCSIS issues H1 for 1 year for nurses who do not have license(because of no SSN). Would this apply to dentists as well ?? link (http://www.murthy.com/nurse_faq.html#2)
Please help !
Thanks !!
H1-B is all sponser based. You just can't go to USCIS and say that give my wife H1-B. You need an employer who is willing to hire her, show how much he is willing to pay and many more things. You say for a license she needs SSN, so there is your answer
"NO"
Nurses come under schedule A which is completely different
Main point---
Nurses is completely a different cap and category.
GCapplicant
07-14 11:13 AM
Yes Why isnt korea facing any retrogressions like us...Sounds like real partiality.
China is comparitively less than Korea and they face retrogression...unable to judge this partiality.
China is comparitively less than Korea and they face retrogression...unable to judge this partiality.
waitingGC
03-09 10:13 AM
I think most of the EB1 category for India is being used up by the L1-A visa holders who are Multinational Executives.
The place I work has so many people from Big Indian companies and they have applied in EB-1 category and got their GCs in less than a Year.
I strongly feel L1-A visa holders shud not be put in EB-1 category.
What do you think.
Why not? If multinational executives are not excellent enough to apply for EB1, who esle are?
The place I work has so many people from Big Indian companies and they have applied in EB-1 category and got their GCs in less than a Year.
I strongly feel L1-A visa holders shud not be put in EB-1 category.
What do you think.
Why not? If multinational executives are not excellent enough to apply for EB1, who esle are?
newhandle
03-06 11:48 PM
bump. How should I approach my AOS given my case above?
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