usavisanow.com. » Employer Sponsored Green Card http://www.usavisanow.com Immigration Attorney Services for Indivuals and Organizations in all 50 States. Online account. Fast processing. Affordable fees. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:10:26 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 February Visa Bulletin – Employment Based – EB-2 for India & China jumps ahead by 1 year to January 1, 2010! http://www.usavisanow.com/2012/01/06/february-visa-bulltein-employment-based/ http://www.usavisanow.com/2012/01/06/february-visa-bulltein-employment-based/#comments Sat, 07 Jan 2012 04:27:08 +0000 admin http://www.usavisanow.com/?p=5435 If your priority date is on or before 1/1/2010, then you may apply for adjustment of status in February 2012.

http://www.usavisanow.com/visa-bulletin/visa-bulletin-dates-employment/

]]> http://www.usavisanow.com/2012/01/06/february-visa-bulltein-employment-based/feed/ 0 BALCA Says Wall Street Journal Is a Newspaper of General Circulation (Not a Professional Journal) http://www.usavisanow.com/2012/01/05/balca-says-wall-street-journal-is-a-newspaper-of-general-circulation-not-a-professional-journal/ http://www.usavisanow.com/2012/01/05/balca-says-wall-street-journal-is-a-newspaper-of-general-circulation-not-a-professional-journal/#comments Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:17:32 +0000 admin http://www.usavisanow.com/?p=5403 Ad that was not run on a Sunday cannot be used in lieu of the mandatory Sunday ads under 20 CFR §656.17(e)(1)(i). (Matter of Discovery Networks)

]]> http://www.usavisanow.com/2012/01/05/balca-says-wall-street-journal-is-a-newspaper-of-general-circulation-not-a-professional-journal/feed/ 0 U.S. Consulate General in Chennai will no longer process Immigrant Visa petitions as of January 1, 2012 http://www.usavisanow.com/2012/01/05/u-s-consulate-general-in-chennai-will-no-longer-process-immigrant-visa-petitions-as-of-january-1-2012/ http://www.usavisanow.com/2012/01/05/u-s-consulate-general-in-chennai-will-no-longer-process-immigrant-visa-petitions-as-of-january-1-2012/#comments Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:12:28 +0000 admin http://www.usavisanow.com/?p=5400 The U.S. Embassy in New Delhi and U.S. Consulate in Mumbai will become the only acceptance centers in India for Immigrant Visas.

]]> http://www.usavisanow.com/2012/01/05/u-s-consulate-general-in-chennai-will-no-longer-process-immigrant-visa-petitions-as-of-january-1-2012/feed/ 0 Update on H.R. 3012 – Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/12/16/update-on-h-r-3012-%e2%80%93-fairness-for-high-skilled-immigrants-act/ http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/12/16/update-on-h-r-3012-%e2%80%93-fairness-for-high-skilled-immigrants-act/#comments Fri, 16 Dec 2011 21:43:48 +0000 admin http://www.usavisanow.com/?p=5362 From AILA, 12/16/11: On 12/15/12, in order to release his hold on hold on H.R. 3012, Senator Grassley offered an amendment that would make dramatic changes to the bill including elimination of the family per county limit increase and reducing the employment based per country limit to 15%. Furthermore, his amendment would eliminate the diversity visa program and adds in provisions that would increase enforcement and U.S. worker protections to the H-1B and L-1 visa programs.

Senator Grassley’s amendment was objected to, therefore his hold on the bill remains. While other senators may try to negotiate a compromise amendment with Senator Grassley, at this time it appears unlikely that such an agreement is likely.

 

]]> http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/12/16/update-on-h-r-3012-%e2%80%93-fairness-for-high-skilled-immigrants-act/feed/ 0 January 2012 Visa Bulletin – EB-2 India makes huge leap to January 1st 2009 http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/12/09/january-2012-visa-bulletin-eb-2-india-makes-huge-leap-to-january-1st-2009/ http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/12/09/january-2012-visa-bulletin-eb-2-india-makes-huge-leap-to-january-1st-2009/#comments Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:49:13 +0000 admin http://www.usavisanow.com/?p=5322 EB-2 India makes huge leap to January 1st 2009.

http://www.usavisanow.com/visa-bulletin/visa-bulletin-dates-employment/

]]> http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/12/09/january-2012-visa-bulletin-eb-2-india-makes-huge-leap-to-january-1st-2009/feed/ 0 BALCA: Matter of Karl Storz Endoscopy-America – Definition of Recruitment Period http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/12/09/balca-matter-of-karl-storz-endoscopy-america-definition-of-recruitment-period/ http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/12/09/balca-matter-of-karl-storz-endoscopy-america-definition-of-recruitment-period/#comments Fri, 09 Dec 2011 18:45:58 +0000 admin http://www.usavisanow.com/?p=5313 Summary:

Matter of Karl Storz Endoscopy-America – Definition of Recruitment Period

The SWA PWD (Prevailing Wage Determination) was valid from September 11, 2008 to January 1, 2009.

The Employer placed a job order with the SWA (State Workforce Agency) and placed an advertisement with a job search website on September 5, 2008 (before the PWD was issued).

The Employer filed its application for Permanent Employment Certification (ETA Form 9089) on February 11, 2009 (after the PWD expired).

BALCA Discussion:

Employers are required to file their applications or commence the required recruitment within the validity period specified by the PWD.

“The first recruitment step, whatever step that may be, initiates the recruitment process. An employer can only begin recruitment once. Accordingly, “begin the recruitment” means that an employer begins the recruitment process by conducting its first recruitment step.”

For the purposes of Section 656.17(e), “the ‘recruitment period’ . . . refers to the six months prior to filing an application,” during which all of an employer’s recruitment must be conducted.”

The term “begin the recruitment” in 20 CFR 656.40(c) refers to the commencement of the first recruitment step, not to the commencement of any individual recruitment step.

BALCA Decision:

“The CO properly denied certification because the Employer neither began recruitment nor filed its application within the PWD validity period.”

]]> http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/12/09/balca-matter-of-karl-storz-endoscopy-america-definition-of-recruitment-period/feed/ 0 H.R. 3012 – Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/11/30/h-r-3012-%e2%80%93-fairness-for-high-skilled-immigrants-act/ http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/11/30/h-r-3012-%e2%80%93-fairness-for-high-skilled-immigrants-act/#comments Wed, 30 Nov 2011 20:20:06 +0000 admin http://www.usavisanow.com/?p=5261 H.R. 3012, the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act, introduced on September 22, 2011 by Rep. Chaffetz (R-UT), eliminates the employment-based per-country cap entirely by fiscal year 2015 and raises the family-sponsored per-country cap from 7% to 15%.

On 11/29/11 the House passed H.R. 3012, the Fairness for High-Skilled Immigrants Act by a vote of 389-15 with no additional amendments. The measure now moves on to the Senate for consideration.

On 10/27/11, the House Judiciary Committee held a markup and H.R. 3012 was reported favorably out of committee by a voice vote. An amendment from Rep. Lofgren (D-CA) that would make adjustments to the three year phase-in period was accepted. H.R. 3012 must next be scheduled for House floor debate which may occur in the next few weeks.

Our comment: While this is good news for those born in India and China, it is not so good news for all other countries since it does not increase the # of “visas” issued.

 

]]> http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/11/30/h-r-3012-%e2%80%93-fairness-for-high-skilled-immigrants-act/feed/ 0 December 2011 Visa Bulletin Update http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/11/10/december-2011-visa-bulletin-update/ http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/11/10/december-2011-visa-bulletin-update/#comments Thu, 10 Nov 2011 16:39:12 +0000 admin http://www.usavisanow.com/?p=5234 EB-2 India and China were the big movers, advancing from 11/1/2007 to 3/15/2008.

http://www.usavisanow.com/visa-bulletin/visa-bulletin-dates-employment/

About the Visa Bulletin:

The Visa Bulletin is issued monthly by the State Department, usually between the 8th and 15th day each month and provides availability of visas on a per country basis and within each preference category.

Because the demand for green cards exceeds the supply, many foreign nationals, especially those born in India and China and to a lesser degree Mexico and Philippines, have to wait in line until an immigrant visa is available.

The following factors determine how long a foreign national must wait in line to get a green card:

(1) The visa availability for the foreign national’s preference category (example: Eb-2, EB-3);

(2) The country to which the foreign national’s visa will be charged, which is usually the country of birth; and,

(3) The foreign national’s priority date (the date that the PERM was filed, or if no PERM was filed the date that the I-140 was filed).

]]> http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/11/10/december-2011-visa-bulletin-update/feed/ 0 PERM prevailing wage determinations update http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/10/21/perm-prevailing-wage-determinations-update/ http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/10/21/perm-prevailing-wage-determinations-update/#comments Fri, 21 Oct 2011 06:44:33 +0000 admin http://www.usavisanow.com/?p=5024 Current processing time for PERM prevailing wage determinations is approximately 56 days.

October 27, 2011

We received prevailing wage determinations today that we filed on September 9, 2011.

October 21, 2011

We received prevailing wage determinations today that we filed on August 29, 2011.

October 20, 2011

We received prevailing wage determinations today that we filed on August 25, 2011.

October 13, 2011

We received prevailing wage determinations today that we filed on August 10, 2011.

October 6, 2011

We received prevailing wage determinations today that we filed on July 27, 2011.

October 5, 2011

We received prevailing wage determinations today that we filed on July 26, 2011.

September 29, 2011

We received prevailing wage determinations today that we filed on July 14, 2011.

September 27, 2011

We received prevailing wage determinations today that we filed on July 11 2011.

September 22, 2011

We received prevailing wage determinations today that we filed on July 5 and July 6 2011.

September 20, 2011

We received prevailing wage determinations today that we filed on June 28 and June 30, 2011.

September 16, 2011

We received prevailing wage determinations today that we filed on June 24, 2011.

September 15, 2011

We received a prevailing wage determination today that we filed on June 23, 2011.

September 13, 2011

We received a prevailing wage determination today that we filed on June 22, 2011.

September 12, 2011

We received a prevailing wage determination today that we filed on June 20, 2011.

September 8, 2011

We received a prevailing wage determination today that we filed on June 15, 2011.

September 2, 2011

We received a prevailing wage determination today that we filed on June 13, 2011.

August 30, 2011

Today our office received a prevailing wage determination that we filed on June 10, 2011. Hopefully this is the start of more good news. We will keep this post updated.

August 25, 2011

DOL Liaison has received reports from members that PERM prevailing wage determinations are beginning to be received for requests submitted in early June 2011.

Additionally, AILA has been in discussions with other stakeholders on possible courses of action, including individual mandamus actions, if DOL does not resume issuing prevailing wage determinations promptly

]]> http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/10/21/perm-prevailing-wage-determinations-update/feed/ 0 H.R. 3012. One simple action item. Make phone-calls. Remove the per-country quota from employment based immigration. http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/10/20/h-r-3012-one-simple-action-item-make-phone-calls-remove-the-per-country-quota-from-employment-based-immigration/ http://www.usavisanow.com/2011/10/20/h-r-3012-one-simple-action-item-make-phone-calls-remove-the-per-country-quota-from-employment-based-immigration/#comments Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:33:28 +0000 admin http://www.usavisanow.com/?p=5208 From Aman Kapoor at immigrationvoice.org:

We need one simple action item from you for Thursday and Friday this week — make calls the offices listed below and say one simple thing :

“My name is _______. I would like Congressman/Congresswoman ______ to support H.R. 3012 that removes the per-country quota from employment based immigration. Thank you”.

Below are the phone numbers and names of Congressman and Congresswomen in House Judiciary Committee that really matter this week and next week for this bill. Spare 15 minutes of time to do this and just do it if you have not already. If you called earlier this week, call again. Numbers matter. Call volume matters. Democracy works only for those who show up. It’s time to do your part.

  1. Rep.Lamar Smith [TX, 21st District] – 202-225-4236
  2. Rep.Jason Chaffetz [UT, 3rd District] – 202-225-7751
  3. Rep.Bob Goodlatte [VA, 6th District] – 202-225-5431
  4. Rep.Zoe Lofgren [CA, 16th District] – 202-225-3072
  5. Rep.Pedro Pierluisi [Puerto Rico] – 202-225-2615
  6. Rep.John Conyers [MI, 14th District] – 202-225-5126
  7. Rep.Howard Berman [CA, 28th District] – 202-225-4695
  8. Rep. Elton Gallegly [CA – 24th District] – 202-225-5811
  9. Rep.Steve Chabot [OH, 1st District]- 202-225-2216
  10. Rep.Darrell Issa [CA, 49th District] – 202-225-3906
  11. Rep.James Sensenbrenner [WI, 5th District] – 202-225-5101
  12. Rep. Howard Coble [NC, 6th District] – 202-225-3065
  13. Rep.Daniel Lungren [CA, 3rd District] – 202-225-5716
  14. Rep.Mike Pence [IN, 6th District] – 202-225-3021
  15. Rep.Randy Forbes [VA, 4th District]- 202-225-6365
  16. Rep.Trent Franks [AZ-2nd District] – 202-225-4576
  17. Rep.Louie Gohmert [TX, 1st District] – 202-225-3035
  18. Rep.Jim Jordan [OH, 4th District] – 202-225-2676
  19. Rep.Ted Poe [TX, 2nd District] – 202-225-6565
  20. Rep.Tim Griffin [AR, 2nd District] – 202-225-2506
  21. Rep.Tom Marino [PA, 10th District] – 202-225-3731
  22. Rep.Trey Gowdy [SC, 4th District] – 202-225-6030
  23. Rep.Dennis Ross [FL, 12th District] – 202-225-1252
  24. Rep.Sandy Adams [FL, 24th District] – 202-225-2706
  25. Rep.Ben Quayle [AZ, 3rd District] – 202-225-3361
  26. Rep. Mark Amodei [NV, 2nd District] – 202-225-6155
  27. Rep.Jerold Nadler [NY, 8th District] – 202-225-5635
  28. Rep.Robert Scott [VA, 3rd District] – 202-225-8351
  29. Rep.Mel Watt [NC, 12th District] – 202-225-1510
  30. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee [TX, 18th District] – 202-225-3816
  31. Rep.Maxine Waters [CA, 25th District] – 202-225-2201
  32. Rep.Steve Cohen [TN, 9th District] – 202-225-3265
  33. Rep.Henry Johnson [GA, 4th District] – 202-225-1605
  34. Rep.Mike Quigley [IL, 5th District] – 202-225-4061
  35. Rep. Judy Chu [CA, 32nd District] – 202-225-5464
  36. Rep.Ted Deutch [FL, 19th District] – 202-225-3001
  37. Rep.Linda Sanchez [CA, 39th District] – 202-225-6676

 

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