The Los Angeles Times has requested and been able to obtain statistics from USCIS regarding the adjudication rates for H, L, O and P petitions for the Vermont and California Service Centers since Fiscal Year 2008 (FY2008). The statistics are current as of July 2010 and provide a very helpful overview of approval, denial and [...]
The H-1B season is well underway. Yesterday we reported on the Vermont Service Center's H-1B FY2011 numbers as of April 5. Today, USCIS released the first "official" FY2011 information on the numbers of cap-subject H-1Bs filed since April 1 for both the Vermont and California Service Centers. As of April 8, 2010, USCIS has received [...]
The Vermont Service Center (VSC) of USCIS has released the first "semi-official" Fiscal Year 2011 H-1B numbers. As of close of business on Monday, April 5th, VSC has received a total of 9,525 cap-subject H-1B petitions. Of those, 6,791 were "regular H-1B cap" and 2,734 were "master's cap" petitions. Note that this information is for [...]
During a recent AILA conference, the Vermont Service Center (VSC) Director Dan Renaud told the audience that the performance review structure for adjudicating officers has recently changed. Pursuant to the new performance review structure, officers get credit for issuance of Requests for Evidence (RFES), in addition to issuing approvals and denials, under the previous performance [...]
By nature, consulting companies often send their employees to work at a third-party’s worksite and perform services onsite. When filing H-1B work visa petitions for their workers, many consulting or third-party worksite companies have faced an increasing number of requests for evidence (”RFES”) requesting information about the duties of the employee, itinerary of work and [...]
USCIS has instituted a new (and supposedly more streamlined and reliable) process for directing case status inquiries with USCIS service centers. Case status inquiries should be conducted by following these steps: Step 1: Contact the National Customer Service Center (NCSC) at 1-800-375-5283. The NCSC can assist customers, community-based organizations and liaison groups with case related inquiries. [...]
The Vermont Service Center has issued some guidance on properly completing Form I-539, Application to Extend/Change Nonimmigrant Status. The guidance is based on experience with improperly completed and filed Forms I-539. Ensure that the applicant and beneficiary names as entered in the form I-539 match the names as written in the passport; Provide a copy of biographical [...]
The Vermont Service Center (VSC) has provided an update to the number of pending cap-subject cases which were filed pursuant to the H-1B FY 2009 cap in April 1, 2008. As of January 9, 2009, there are a total of 3,432 H-1B cap cases, in various stages of adjudication, which remain pending. VSC has indicated that [...]
The Vermont Service Center (VSC) has issued a practice pointer on the circumstances under which VSC will transfer a priority date to a subsequent petition. Retaining an earlier priority date is possible when: If the same petitioner (employer) and beneficiary (employee) are parties to both the original and the subsequent petitions (under 8 C.F.R. 204.2(h)(2)) and: the subsequent [...]
We have received a number of inquiries about H-1B applications which are still pending. For those with such pending applications at the Vermont Service Center, our information, which is as of October 20th, is that there were 4,345 petitions that were part of this fiscal year’s cap and which were not completely adjudicated. Of these, [...]