The April 2009 Visa Bulletin has been released. Unfortunately, even though there is some forward movement in some EB categories, the progress is very small and in fact, the dates for some EB-3 categories have retrogressed significantly. EB-1 remains current across the board. EB-2 remains unchanged - EB-2 ROW (Rest of World) is current, EB-2 China remains [...]
CNNfn.com has an interesting article on the H-1B visas demand for this April’s H-1B quota. The article cites the weak economy, the H-1B restrictions imposed recently on TARP recipients and the bankruptcy of Satyam Computer Services (which filed ~2,000 H-1Bs in 2008) as one of the reasons that the H-1B demand will be weakest in [...]
The cap-subject H-1B filing deadline of April 1 is approaching quickly. USCIS has advised that similar to last April’s filing window, this year, in the event that there are more H-1B applications than there are available visas (i.e. there will be a lottery), the filing window would be five (5) days, from Tuesday, April 1 [...]
We have been receiving calls and emails from employment-based applicants for green card asking us whether they have a second green card process started by a new company. Generally, the inquiries are from EB-3 beneficiaries who are eligible and would like to start an EB-2 application. Most of these inquiries come from individuals from countries [...]
About 6 months ago, USCIS made premium processing available to certain cases where the I-140 beneficiary is in danger of H-ing out. (Our original stories.) USCIS has just announced that it is expanding the I-140 premium processing program. Currently, only beneficiaries who are in H-1B status at the time of the filing of the I-140 [...]
A week after the Stimulus Bill was signed into law and the dust has started to settle, we have compiled a summary of the key points of the Stimulus Bill’s restriction on TARP-recipient companies to issue new H-1B visas. The law became effective upon the stimulus bill’s enactment, February 17, 2009. It is important to [...]
About the H-1B Visa and the Annual H-1B Cap The H-1B visa is one of the most commonly used U.S. work visas for highly skilled foreign born workers in fields such as information technology, engineering, research, academia, and others. The H-1B visa is both highly desirable and, unfortunately, in short supply. The H-1B visa category was created [...]
The final version of the stimulus bill, The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (H.R. 1, S. 1), was passed by the Congress late on Friday. The final version of ARRA included Senator Sanders’ amendment and the final version which is expected to be signed into law by President Obama on Tuesday, February 17th, will restrict [...]
Last week we wrote about the substantial delays in PERM processing. We have received numerous responses, inquiries and reactions from companies and immigrants who are concerned by this trend. According to DOL: [T]he delay was due to change in contractors and the subsequent period of hiring and training new contractor staff for the Atlanta National Processing [...]
In addition to the substantial delays in PERM processing, the Department of Labor (DOL) has indicated that in light of the substantial layoffs and increased unemployment, it would impose a heavier scrutiny on PERM labor certification applications which are the first step of any green card process. In a response to a question posed at a [...]