waitnwatch
05-30 06:57 PM
the reason she was denied is because she is young
It is so difficult to analyze visitor visa denials. There are instances of refusing visas to one spouse's parents but giving them to the parents of the other. So it is not an issue of young or old though we may rationalize it that way. These refusals are generally based on the clause the applicant does not have sufficient ties to home country. I for one have not seen an instance of direct family members of H1-B's overstaying but nevertheless I think it primarily depends on which side of the bed the consular officer climbed out in the morning.
It is so difficult to analyze visitor visa denials. There are instances of refusing visas to one spouse's parents but giving them to the parents of the other. So it is not an issue of young or old though we may rationalize it that way. These refusals are generally based on the clause the applicant does not have sufficient ties to home country. I for one have not seen an instance of direct family members of H1-B's overstaying but nevertheless I think it primarily depends on which side of the bed the consular officer climbed out in the morning.
prioritydate
09-21 11:45 PM
I was in a consulting field with employer taking 30% and me getting 70%.
He supposed to deduct $400 for medical insurance from my paycheck -biweekly, instead deduction was only $200. I never knew that.
My question is why not he acted immediately after knowing the error?
Why should I pay for somebody's mistake?
Am I going to get any tax benefit now?
Why not he deducted single penny in last 2 months before I left?
I didn't sign any paper to pay him back over a period neither did he come up with any plan.
All this proves that he agreed to waive off while I was working for him.
In my view, it is his mistake. I am seriously think that he is lieing to you. First of all, deduction 400$ biweekly is too much. You didn't specified if you have any dependents. If you are single, then he is really lieing to you. I say just file a complaint with DOL in your home state.
He supposed to deduct $400 for medical insurance from my paycheck -biweekly, instead deduction was only $200. I never knew that.
My question is why not he acted immediately after knowing the error?
Why should I pay for somebody's mistake?
Am I going to get any tax benefit now?
Why not he deducted single penny in last 2 months before I left?
I didn't sign any paper to pay him back over a period neither did he come up with any plan.
All this proves that he agreed to waive off while I was working for him.
In my view, it is his mistake. I am seriously think that he is lieing to you. First of all, deduction 400$ biweekly is too much. You didn't specified if you have any dependents. If you are single, then he is really lieing to you. I say just file a complaint with DOL in your home state.
gcisadawg
03-09 07:21 PM
My 140 was filed in Nov 2006. I had to wait 2 full years before my case got approved in Nov 2008.
My lawyer did not even open a service request. She was against infopass too. Her reason was that these would work for any other case except 140.
Based on my experience, I would recommend the following:
1. Ask your lawyer to go through AILA. This is the most preferred way and should work in 99% of the cases (This is what worked for me though it took a lot of time)
2. If option 1 does not work, try to go through your local congressman.
Hope this helps. All the best.
My lawyers filed a Service Request and I contacted the local congressman for my Pending I-140 at TSC. Should I be worried since those actions would jeopardize my case?
-G
My lawyer did not even open a service request. She was against infopass too. Her reason was that these would work for any other case except 140.
Based on my experience, I would recommend the following:
1. Ask your lawyer to go through AILA. This is the most preferred way and should work in 99% of the cases (This is what worked for me though it took a lot of time)
2. If option 1 does not work, try to go through your local congressman.
Hope this helps. All the best.
My lawyers filed a Service Request and I contacted the local congressman for my Pending I-140 at TSC. Should I be worried since those actions would jeopardize my case?
-G
helmet
06-27 08:54 AM
I have I140 approval notice, Where can I see the A#?
more...
boston_gc
01-20 06:40 PM
Folks:
I was just informed by my lawyer that there is a potenital for significant delay in getting the visa stamped due to security checks. I assume it is PIMS related. My questions is:
1: Has anyone experienced such delay recently at Delhi Consulate? Please note that last visa H1B expired in Aug 2010.
2: Is there any proactive steps I can take before going to India and make sure that there are no delay due to PIMS verification
I also read somewhere that there is a way to get PIMS verification done while in US.
I will appreciate your responses.
I was just informed by my lawyer that there is a potenital for significant delay in getting the visa stamped due to security checks. I assume it is PIMS related. My questions is:
1: Has anyone experienced such delay recently at Delhi Consulate? Please note that last visa H1B expired in Aug 2010.
2: Is there any proactive steps I can take before going to India and make sure that there are no delay due to PIMS verification
I also read somewhere that there is a way to get PIMS verification done while in US.
I will appreciate your responses.
babu123
06-28 03:54 PM
I work in VA. Can we send the I-485 filing documents to TX now.
Or we need to send to Nebrasa only?
Or we need to send to Nebrasa only?
more...
anilsal
10-12 01:04 PM
Don't post for receipts people... IV people don't like it.
IV people will not like new threads on receipts. Use the lengthy "Receipts Thread" to your heart's content.
IV people will not like new threads on receipts. Use the lengthy "Receipts Thread" to your heart's content.
duttasurajit
10-18 02:22 PM
I did some research and it seems for AC21 the job description matters and it should be same or similar. The job title may be different.
I think we should be fine but it is safe to take the opinion of at least two good immigration attorneys before proceeding.
I think we should be fine but it is safe to take the opinion of at least two good immigration attorneys before proceeding.
more...
surabhi
10-22 01:29 PM
I filed second set on August 16 as a insurance policy . ANd sure enough, I didnt actually got the checks cashed until October 13th. I am glad I didnt spend sleepless nights specially after 90 day window.
The second set got cashed on October 15th.
Now I have 2 sets of receipt notices.
I have indicated in the cover letter when I filed the second I-485 mentioning that this is a second appliication. I indicated in the actual application as well.
As per the USCIS' SOP manual, they have to check if there is a duplicate filing and in case they find one, they will attach to the first application.
According to USCIS updates, they are doing minimal data entry to ensure faster receipting and hence it is possible that they didnt validate if there was an existing filiing.
This is different from "second I-485' which you will do if you and spouse claim each other as dependents. In this case, the application will go to review by a IO.
I didnt do stop check becuase I didnt want another set of issues and treat the second application as insurance fees . What else I could do.
Plan of Action:
I will write another letter with both receipt notices asking to merge the application. In the meanwhile, if I will attend both FP if I get them.
I will ask for refund on that application. If they dont, I understand that.
but I think overall application will not get affected since such scenario is part of USCIS Standard Operating Procedures.
The second set got cashed on October 15th.
Now I have 2 sets of receipt notices.
I have indicated in the cover letter when I filed the second I-485 mentioning that this is a second appliication. I indicated in the actual application as well.
As per the USCIS' SOP manual, they have to check if there is a duplicate filing and in case they find one, they will attach to the first application.
According to USCIS updates, they are doing minimal data entry to ensure faster receipting and hence it is possible that they didnt validate if there was an existing filiing.
This is different from "second I-485' which you will do if you and spouse claim each other as dependents. In this case, the application will go to review by a IO.
I didnt do stop check becuase I didnt want another set of issues and treat the second application as insurance fees . What else I could do.
Plan of Action:
I will write another letter with both receipt notices asking to merge the application. In the meanwhile, if I will attend both FP if I get them.
I will ask for refund on that application. If they dont, I understand that.
but I think overall application will not get affected since such scenario is part of USCIS Standard Operating Procedures.
NKR
05-08 03:20 PM
My opinion:
Well, can the Java Programmer walk the ramp and pull it off like a professional model? Their work is a lot harder than it appears on the outside taking into account the success rate among models. Considering that even school kids can write excellent java programs, if we still want to consider the Java programmer as "highly skilled", then so are models.
Giselle Bundchen is worth half a billion dollars or somewhere in that range.
Btw, I am in the programming line myself in case someone thinks I have a problem with programmers. But I wouldn't mind swapping places with a successful model ;)
The words �highly skilled� have been the most misrepresented words. H1s is not only for highly skilled and not all programmers are highly skilled but some are�
These words have been used by pro and anti-immigrants alike in equal measure. One group wants an increase in H1 saying that US has shortage of skilled labor. The other group ridicules this statement that even kids can do programming.
�H1 is not only for highly skilled and it is not only for programmers�
Well, can the Java Programmer walk the ramp and pull it off like a professional model? Their work is a lot harder than it appears on the outside taking into account the success rate among models. Considering that even school kids can write excellent java programs, if we still want to consider the Java programmer as "highly skilled", then so are models.
Giselle Bundchen is worth half a billion dollars or somewhere in that range.
Btw, I am in the programming line myself in case someone thinks I have a problem with programmers. But I wouldn't mind swapping places with a successful model ;)
The words �highly skilled� have been the most misrepresented words. H1s is not only for highly skilled and not all programmers are highly skilled but some are�
These words have been used by pro and anti-immigrants alike in equal measure. One group wants an increase in H1 saying that US has shortage of skilled labor. The other group ridicules this statement that even kids can do programming.
�H1 is not only for highly skilled and it is not only for programmers�
more...
vandanaverdia
09-09 03:26 PM
With inspiration from the TX chapter thread "Simple Math"
Dear WA IV Members:
We have approx. 3 people representing WA attending the DC Rally. I am sure many of you fall in either of this categories:
a. Family reasons
b. Economic reasons
c. Work reasons
d. Ignorance - I don't care.
I honestly would love for those who fall under category D to look back and do some simple math:
I am sure most of you earn between $25 to $35 /hour, aka. An average of $30/hour (pre-tax). There are 176 paid work hours a month. Which puts you in the range ~ $60,000/yr (pre-tax).
Those of you waiting for a GC, have some sort of an agreement with your employer (verbal/written). Let's assume that your employer with some calculation makes adjustments to your pay, reasoning that they need to bear the expenses for lawyer fees, application fees etc.
That's approximately $2500 for a 3 yr H1B work visa. The employer obviously marks up this cost as a result your pay decreases to $55,000.
Lets ballpark ~$10,000 towards the following:
a. Attorney fees
b. Job Advertisement
c. PERM
d. 140
e. 485
f. Number of Hours spent by you to the make the above steps happen.
THE ABOVE ARE VERY CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATES.
Imagine what a GC would do to your paycheck! Your $55,000, with just a GC, would put you on par with everyone else for jobs in your field of expertise. Your pay scale has the potential to jump to $80,000/year (Conservative estimates).
Thats an increase of 45%.
The total cost you have so far spent in staying legal in order to work in a highly skilled job while waiting for your GC is:
$5,000 (6 yr H1B)+ $10,000 (I-485 pending) = $15,000
The total cost of your trip to Washington DC would be in the range of $400 (Including lodging expenses). This represents 3% of the total cost you have spent waiting for your GC.
Assuming that by attending the DC rally, the lawmakers take notice and a special legislation is passed to expedite GC applications and provide sweeping temporary status to those waiting for 485 adjustment of status which would give you the same privileges as a GC would give,
YOUR INVESTMENT OF 3% JUST GOT YOU A 45% INCREASE IN YOUR ANNUAL SALARY.
If that is not a reason for you to stand up now and help yourself to that return on your investment, either you are a bad investor, or related to the likes of Gates, Bezos and Buffet families.
YOUR ARE NOT WASTING YOUR TIME IN ATTENDING THIS RALLY. YOU ARE HELPING YOURSELF TO A BETTER LIFE. I CAN'T MAKE DECISIONS FOR YOU. I CAN ONLY HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL. YOU HAVE TO MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS FOR YOUR OWN LIFE.
The cost of attending this rally say 300-400 whatever but the Rally has the potential of eradicating the disease of Retrogression - IF WE ALL CAN SHOW STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. EAD+AP cost for 1 year is $644... For 6 yrs of wait you will be spending 3500-3600 or even more if the rates change in a retrogressed world PLUS other disadvantages/hassles that we already know.
Remember IV is just a platform with some LOGICAL and PRACTICAL agenda before Congress - if we do not stand up and show our heads NO ONE IS GOING TO LISTEN TO AGENDAS.
Come on folks - its our chance to save some hardearned money over the next few years by investing in the rally.
Lets all stand up at DC and show them numbers.
Please consider helping people who want to come but the expenses are prohibitive due to some pressing situation.
Enroll your name in one of the databases:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WA_Immigration_Voice/
Dear WA IV Members:
We have approx. 3 people representing WA attending the DC Rally. I am sure many of you fall in either of this categories:
a. Family reasons
b. Economic reasons
c. Work reasons
d. Ignorance - I don't care.
I honestly would love for those who fall under category D to look back and do some simple math:
I am sure most of you earn between $25 to $35 /hour, aka. An average of $30/hour (pre-tax). There are 176 paid work hours a month. Which puts you in the range ~ $60,000/yr (pre-tax).
Those of you waiting for a GC, have some sort of an agreement with your employer (verbal/written). Let's assume that your employer with some calculation makes adjustments to your pay, reasoning that they need to bear the expenses for lawyer fees, application fees etc.
That's approximately $2500 for a 3 yr H1B work visa. The employer obviously marks up this cost as a result your pay decreases to $55,000.
Lets ballpark ~$10,000 towards the following:
a. Attorney fees
b. Job Advertisement
c. PERM
d. 140
e. 485
f. Number of Hours spent by you to the make the above steps happen.
THE ABOVE ARE VERY CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATES.
Imagine what a GC would do to your paycheck! Your $55,000, with just a GC, would put you on par with everyone else for jobs in your field of expertise. Your pay scale has the potential to jump to $80,000/year (Conservative estimates).
Thats an increase of 45%.
The total cost you have so far spent in staying legal in order to work in a highly skilled job while waiting for your GC is:
$5,000 (6 yr H1B)+ $10,000 (I-485 pending) = $15,000
The total cost of your trip to Washington DC would be in the range of $400 (Including lodging expenses). This represents 3% of the total cost you have spent waiting for your GC.
Assuming that by attending the DC rally, the lawmakers take notice and a special legislation is passed to expedite GC applications and provide sweeping temporary status to those waiting for 485 adjustment of status which would give you the same privileges as a GC would give,
YOUR INVESTMENT OF 3% JUST GOT YOU A 45% INCREASE IN YOUR ANNUAL SALARY.
If that is not a reason for you to stand up now and help yourself to that return on your investment, either you are a bad investor, or related to the likes of Gates, Bezos and Buffet families.
YOUR ARE NOT WASTING YOUR TIME IN ATTENDING THIS RALLY. YOU ARE HELPING YOURSELF TO A BETTER LIFE. I CAN'T MAKE DECISIONS FOR YOU. I CAN ONLY HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE POTENTIAL. YOU HAVE TO MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS FOR YOUR OWN LIFE.
The cost of attending this rally say 300-400 whatever but the Rally has the potential of eradicating the disease of Retrogression - IF WE ALL CAN SHOW STRENGTH IN NUMBERS. EAD+AP cost for 1 year is $644... For 6 yrs of wait you will be spending 3500-3600 or even more if the rates change in a retrogressed world PLUS other disadvantages/hassles that we already know.
Remember IV is just a platform with some LOGICAL and PRACTICAL agenda before Congress - if we do not stand up and show our heads NO ONE IS GOING TO LISTEN TO AGENDAS.
Come on folks - its our chance to save some hardearned money over the next few years by investing in the rally.
Lets all stand up at DC and show them numbers.
Please consider helping people who want to come but the expenses are prohibitive due to some pressing situation.
Enroll your name in one of the databases:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/WA_Immigration_Voice/
hpandey
12-17 10:20 AM
What is NOID? If i don't respond do i have the time to respond. How much time do i have?
And what is RFE?
Thanks
NOID means Notice of Intent to Deny which is usually sent if they haven't heard from you regarding an earlier notice ( for e.g RFE which is request for evidence , or continuity of case from your employer etc )
RFE - Request for evidence is usually generated when USCIS needs something from you or your employer . They have to be responded between 30-45 days mostly .
Contact both your lawyer and USCIS to find out why your case was denied.
And what is RFE?
Thanks
NOID means Notice of Intent to Deny which is usually sent if they haven't heard from you regarding an earlier notice ( for e.g RFE which is request for evidence , or continuity of case from your employer etc )
RFE - Request for evidence is usually generated when USCIS needs something from you or your employer . They have to be responded between 30-45 days mostly .
Contact both your lawyer and USCIS to find out why your case was denied.
more...
radhikac
07-17 06:47 PM
I think we should organize a blood donation campaign for saying thank you. Something very constructive and should get medias attention and put IV in a positive and innovative light.
What do you all think?
What do you all think?
Jerrome
04-08 02:56 PM
Total EB2 Primary applicants 21,843 (http://www.dhs.gov/ximgtn/statistics/publications/LPR07.shtm)
EB2 ROW and EB2 Mexico were current full last year.. So take out 3000 visas for primary. It leaves 17000 Primary to share between India and China.
Even if it is 50% share, it would be 8500 primary applicants for india and china.
Still the PD for India did not move beyond December 2003.
I don't know man.. How many pending applications are there before 2004 for india EB2.
EB2 ROW and EB2 Mexico were current full last year.. So take out 3000 visas for primary. It leaves 17000 Primary to share between India and China.
Even if it is 50% share, it would be 8500 primary applicants for india and china.
Still the PD for India did not move beyond December 2003.
I don't know man.. How many pending applications are there before 2004 for india EB2.
more...
chintu25
03-26 11:37 AM
Not accepting votes now ???
makemygc
08-03 10:58 PM
Here is the link.
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCR D&vgnextchannel=68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1 RCRD
Thanks. I still don't see it. It's definitely my cache issue. I even tried firefox but still see the last update of 08/02/2007.
August, 2007
USCIS Urges H-2B Employers to Continue to Identify "Returning Workers" on Petitions for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Start Dates (46KB PDF)
08/02/2007
Fact Sheet: Naturalization Through Military Service (44KB PDF)
08/01/2007
Never mind...it must be something wierd in my machine.
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis/menuitem.eb1d4c2a3e5b9ac89243c6a7543f6d1a/?vgnextoid=68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1RCR D&vgnextchannel=68439c7755cb9010VgnVCM10000045f3d6a1 RCRD
Thanks. I still don't see it. It's definitely my cache issue. I even tried firefox but still see the last update of 08/02/2007.
August, 2007
USCIS Urges H-2B Employers to Continue to Identify "Returning Workers" on Petitions for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 Start Dates (46KB PDF)
08/02/2007
Fact Sheet: Naturalization Through Military Service (44KB PDF)
08/01/2007
Never mind...it must be something wierd in my machine.
more...
pellucid
04-05 03:31 PM
America embraces foreign-born ballplayers, but not engineers, much to the
dismay of big business, says Fortune's Marc Gunther.
By Marc Gunther, Fortune senior writer
NEW YORK (Fortune) -- Imagine if the baseball season had begun this week
without such foreign-born stars as Albert Pujols, David Ortiz, Justin
Morneau and the latest Japanese import, pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka and his
mysterious "gyroball."
It wouldn't be as much fun, would it? Fans want to see the most skilled
players compete - immigrants and Americans.
So why is it that people don't want skilled immigrants to compete for jobs
in the multibillion-dollar technology industry?
They view these immigrants as a threat. CNN anchor Lou Dobbs argues
permitting more educated, foreign-born engineers, scientists and teachers
into the country would force many qualified American workers out of the job
market.
That may be true in baseball, where the number of jobs on big league rosters
is fixed. That's not necessarily so in technology, where people with skills
and ambition help expand job opportunities. Immigrants helped start Sun
Microsystems, Intel (Charts), Yahoo! (Charts), eBay (Charts) and Google (
Charts). Would America be better off if they'd stayed home?
"This is not about filling jobs that would go to Americans," says Robert
Hoffman, an Oracle (Charts) vice president and co-chair of a business
coalition called Compete America, which favors allowing more skilled workers
into the United States. "This is important to create jobs. It's not a zero
sum game."
This week, as it happens, is not just opening week of the baseball season.
It's the week when employers rush to apply for the limited number of visas,
called H-1B visas, that became available on April 1 to allow them to
temporarily hire educated, foreign-born workers. This year, Congress has
allowed 65,000 of these H-1B visas, plus another 20,000 for foreign-born
students who earn advanced degrees from U.S. universities. After obtaining
guest-worker visas, employees can then seek green cards that allow them to
stay in the United States
FedEx and UPS did a brisk business last weekend because the visas are
awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The first 65,000 are already
gone. The 20,000 earmarked for graduates of U.S. universities will be
distributed in a month or two, experts say.
This makes it very hard for companies to hire foreign-born graduates of the
U.S.'s top schools. More than half the graduate students in science and
engineering at U.S. universities were born overseas.
"It's sending a signal to the best international students that they may not
want to make their career in the United States," says Stuart Anderson,
executive director of the National Foundation for American Policy, a
research group. (Anderson, an immigration specialist, also wrote a study of
baseball and immigration that's available here as a PDF file.)
Expanding H1-B visas is a top priority for U.S. tech firms. Bill Gates,
Microsoft's (Charts) chairman, told Congress last month: "I cannot overstate
the importance of overhauling our high-skilled immigration system....
Unfortunately, our immigration policies are driving away the world's best
and brightest precisely when we need them most."
CNN's Lou Dobbs was unimpressed. "The Gates plan would force many qualified
American workers right out of the job market," he fretted on the air after
Gates testified. "There's something wrong when a man as smart as Bill Gates
advances an elitist agenda, without regard to the impact that he's having on
working men and women in this country."
It's not just Dobbs. Internet bulletin boards and blogs are filled with
complaints about foreign-born engineers. The U.S. branch of the Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the leading society of engineers,
brought about 60 engineers to Washington last month to ask for reforms to
the H-1B program. IEEE-USA supports a bill proposed by Senators Dick Durbin,
an Illinois Democrat, and Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, that is
designed to crack down on companies that use the guest worker program to
displace Americans from jobs.
As it happens, most of the largest users of the H1-B program are not
American companies but foreign firms that want to move jobs out of the
United States. Seven of the 10 firms that requested the most H1-B visas in
2006 were outsourcing firms based in India, which use the visas to train
workers in the United States before they are rotated home, according to Ron
Hira, an engineer who teaches public policy at the Rochester Institute of
Technology. Indian outsourcing firms Wipro and Infosys were the two top
requestors of H1-B visas.
In a paper for the Economic Policy Institute, Hira says that expanding H-1B
visas without improving controls will "lead to more offshore outsourcing of
jobs, displacement of American technology workers (and) decreased wages and
job opportunities" for Americans. He told me: "Bill Gates talks about how
you are shutting out $100,000-a-year software engineers. But if you look at
the median wage for new H1-B workers, it's closer to $50,000."
Asked about that, Jack Krumholtz, who runs Microsoft's Washington office,
said the average salary for Microsoft's H1-B workers is more than $109,000,
and that the company spends another $10,000 to $15,000 per worker applying
for the visas and helping workers apply for green cards. "We only hire
people who we want to have on our team for the long run," he said.
It seems clear that Microsoft - along with Oracle, Intel, Hewlett Packard
and other members of the Compete America coalition - do not use the guest
worker program to hire cheap labor. They just want to hire the best
engineers, many of whom are foreign born.
So what to do? Everyone seems to agree that the H1-B program needs fixing. (
Even Hira, the critic, says the United States should absorb more high-
skilled immigrants.) Whether Congress can fix it is questionable. The guest-
worker program is tied up in the debate over broader immigration reforms.
But guess what? Just last year, Congress passed the Compete Act of 2006,
which stands (sort of) for "Creating Opportunities for Minor League
Professions, Entertainers and Teams through Legal Entry." Yes, that law made
it easier for baseball teams to get visas for foreign-born minor league
players.
If the government can fix the problem for baseball, surely it can do so for
technology, too.
dismay of big business, says Fortune's Marc Gunther.
By Marc Gunther, Fortune senior writer
NEW YORK (Fortune) -- Imagine if the baseball season had begun this week
without such foreign-born stars as Albert Pujols, David Ortiz, Justin
Morneau and the latest Japanese import, pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka and his
mysterious "gyroball."
It wouldn't be as much fun, would it? Fans want to see the most skilled
players compete - immigrants and Americans.
So why is it that people don't want skilled immigrants to compete for jobs
in the multibillion-dollar technology industry?
They view these immigrants as a threat. CNN anchor Lou Dobbs argues
permitting more educated, foreign-born engineers, scientists and teachers
into the country would force many qualified American workers out of the job
market.
That may be true in baseball, where the number of jobs on big league rosters
is fixed. That's not necessarily so in technology, where people with skills
and ambition help expand job opportunities. Immigrants helped start Sun
Microsystems, Intel (Charts), Yahoo! (Charts), eBay (Charts) and Google (
Charts). Would America be better off if they'd stayed home?
"This is not about filling jobs that would go to Americans," says Robert
Hoffman, an Oracle (Charts) vice president and co-chair of a business
coalition called Compete America, which favors allowing more skilled workers
into the United States. "This is important to create jobs. It's not a zero
sum game."
This week, as it happens, is not just opening week of the baseball season.
It's the week when employers rush to apply for the limited number of visas,
called H-1B visas, that became available on April 1 to allow them to
temporarily hire educated, foreign-born workers. This year, Congress has
allowed 65,000 of these H-1B visas, plus another 20,000 for foreign-born
students who earn advanced degrees from U.S. universities. After obtaining
guest-worker visas, employees can then seek green cards that allow them to
stay in the United States
FedEx and UPS did a brisk business last weekend because the visas are
awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The first 65,000 are already
gone. The 20,000 earmarked for graduates of U.S. universities will be
distributed in a month or two, experts say.
This makes it very hard for companies to hire foreign-born graduates of the
U.S.'s top schools. More than half the graduate students in science and
engineering at U.S. universities were born overseas.
"It's sending a signal to the best international students that they may not
want to make their career in the United States," says Stuart Anderson,
executive director of the National Foundation for American Policy, a
research group. (Anderson, an immigration specialist, also wrote a study of
baseball and immigration that's available here as a PDF file.)
Expanding H1-B visas is a top priority for U.S. tech firms. Bill Gates,
Microsoft's (Charts) chairman, told Congress last month: "I cannot overstate
the importance of overhauling our high-skilled immigration system....
Unfortunately, our immigration policies are driving away the world's best
and brightest precisely when we need them most."
CNN's Lou Dobbs was unimpressed. "The Gates plan would force many qualified
American workers right out of the job market," he fretted on the air after
Gates testified. "There's something wrong when a man as smart as Bill Gates
advances an elitist agenda, without regard to the impact that he's having on
working men and women in this country."
It's not just Dobbs. Internet bulletin boards and blogs are filled with
complaints about foreign-born engineers. The U.S. branch of the Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the leading society of engineers,
brought about 60 engineers to Washington last month to ask for reforms to
the H-1B program. IEEE-USA supports a bill proposed by Senators Dick Durbin,
an Illinois Democrat, and Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, that is
designed to crack down on companies that use the guest worker program to
displace Americans from jobs.
As it happens, most of the largest users of the H1-B program are not
American companies but foreign firms that want to move jobs out of the
United States. Seven of the 10 firms that requested the most H1-B visas in
2006 were outsourcing firms based in India, which use the visas to train
workers in the United States before they are rotated home, according to Ron
Hira, an engineer who teaches public policy at the Rochester Institute of
Technology. Indian outsourcing firms Wipro and Infosys were the two top
requestors of H1-B visas.
In a paper for the Economic Policy Institute, Hira says that expanding H-1B
visas without improving controls will "lead to more offshore outsourcing of
jobs, displacement of American technology workers (and) decreased wages and
job opportunities" for Americans. He told me: "Bill Gates talks about how
you are shutting out $100,000-a-year software engineers. But if you look at
the median wage for new H1-B workers, it's closer to $50,000."
Asked about that, Jack Krumholtz, who runs Microsoft's Washington office,
said the average salary for Microsoft's H1-B workers is more than $109,000,
and that the company spends another $10,000 to $15,000 per worker applying
for the visas and helping workers apply for green cards. "We only hire
people who we want to have on our team for the long run," he said.
It seems clear that Microsoft - along with Oracle, Intel, Hewlett Packard
and other members of the Compete America coalition - do not use the guest
worker program to hire cheap labor. They just want to hire the best
engineers, many of whom are foreign born.
So what to do? Everyone seems to agree that the H1-B program needs fixing. (
Even Hira, the critic, says the United States should absorb more high-
skilled immigrants.) Whether Congress can fix it is questionable. The guest-
worker program is tied up in the debate over broader immigration reforms.
But guess what? Just last year, Congress passed the Compete Act of 2006,
which stands (sort of) for "Creating Opportunities for Minor League
Professions, Entertainers and Teams through Legal Entry." Yes, that law made
it easier for baseball teams to get visas for foreign-born minor league
players.
If the government can fix the problem for baseball, surely it can do so for
technology, too.
calaway42
10-04 01:04 AM
I am suppose to fill in the whole layer.. hwhere is the marquee area for the whole layer?
ggc
10-18 03:44 PM
Thank you all for your replies.
My attorney is in NY, he said he cannot come to CA for my interview.
Can I take a local attorney just for the interview purpose?
And we have a 1 year old kid, can we take kid to the interview?
My attorney is in NY, he said he cannot come to CA for my interview.
Can I take a local attorney just for the interview purpose?
And we have a 1 year old kid, can we take kid to the interview?
pachaik
02-11 10:08 PM
Just signed it.
DirCls
07-15 08:05 AM
They are entitled fro thier opinior and so are we as immigrants.
We are doing a great job so far, but have to do better.
Long live IV Core and its members!
We are doing a great job so far, but have to do better.
Long live IV Core and its members!
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