unitednations
02-18 10:15 PM
I understand that there is concern about people from visitor visa category (Tourist B1 B2)would be filing for green cards and that shall cause the retrogression to be perpetual...a few adjustments to the applicable statute can rectify that...
Yes, it can't be blanket filing. If there is a time limit to it; or a restriction that it can only be done from H-1b visa then it would take care of this issue if the priority date isn't current.
However, the e-mail I posted a few posts back would not prevent that person because their priority date would be current; they could also go for consular route since date is current.
Yes, it can't be blanket filing. If there is a time limit to it; or a restriction that it can only be done from H-1b visa then it would take care of this issue if the priority date isn't current.
However, the e-mail I posted a few posts back would not prevent that person because their priority date would be current; they could also go for consular route since date is current.
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unitednations
02-18 10:13 PM
In my opinion, it is more relevant to EB immigration....To support a higher number of benefit recipient you need a higher number of EB immigrant who are more likely to be productive that FB immigrants.....
Now that is equivalent of passing judgment on FB immigrants as being unproductive.....I know I am going to get flak on that...
Remember a few posts back; I had said that I thought it was difficult to get h-1b or EB based greencard because it would be pretty difficult to prove that no American is qualified for the job. I wish I had never got involved in immigration so that I could have kept with that thought.
However; I am sure that just about everyone on these boards also thinks that.
The employment base definition of a skilled worker is a job which requires two years of experience (this is the same thing as a professional worker where the job requires a degree). Would you be surprised to know that just about everyone who is coming through family base or lottery visa would also fall into the definition of skilled worker.
In the past three years; I have seen an administrative assistant get sponsored as a skilled worker; a cook making $8.50 as a specialty cook at an Indian restaurant; 8 phillipinos getting sponsored as cooks with a wage of $9.00 at a restaurant; a convenience store clerk; (from reading administrative appeals decisions; i have seen a driving instructor, horse trainer, etc.). All of these jobs fit into a definition of "skilled worker" and share same eb3 category as professional.
Now that is equivalent of passing judgment on FB immigrants as being unproductive.....I know I am going to get flak on that...
Remember a few posts back; I had said that I thought it was difficult to get h-1b or EB based greencard because it would be pretty difficult to prove that no American is qualified for the job. I wish I had never got involved in immigration so that I could have kept with that thought.
However; I am sure that just about everyone on these boards also thinks that.
The employment base definition of a skilled worker is a job which requires two years of experience (this is the same thing as a professional worker where the job requires a degree). Would you be surprised to know that just about everyone who is coming through family base or lottery visa would also fall into the definition of skilled worker.
In the past three years; I have seen an administrative assistant get sponsored as a skilled worker; a cook making $8.50 as a specialty cook at an Indian restaurant; 8 phillipinos getting sponsored as cooks with a wage of $9.00 at a restaurant; a convenience store clerk; (from reading administrative appeals decisions; i have seen a driving instructor, horse trainer, etc.). All of these jobs fit into a definition of "skilled worker" and share same eb3 category as professional.
BharatPremi
07-13 02:04 AM
And Do you (canadian wanna be) have any clue that to get respected salary and position you will be forced by illiterate Canadians to have "Professional Engineering Certificates"... It will suck blood out of your body for 5 years... So just do not read "Greener Side" of Canadian Immigration... I know it may not be applicable to all but more or less most of will have to face the same music in their careers. My all Canadian friends and relatives want to be Americans.. Only some of them practically could proceed for that.. After some stage of life it becomes hard to move families.. That is the reason they are facing now to take decision and simultaneously do not want to live in Canada anymore.. If you have 101 fever it will take 1 month to have Doctor's appointment... GST.. Higher taxes.. statistically there are chances "Most of members of this forum - Canadian Wanna Be" will have less promotions and/or increments in salary eventhough they will find themselves most skilled wherever they will work. Top posts would be the dream for most of you guys unless you start your own business.. if you understand what I am trying to tell... In USA it is not that way.... Having said this I can not say that everybody will experience the same what I am trying to portray but most fo them will.
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shreekhand
09-15 11:55 AM
vdlrao,
Are you 100% sure that the data for calendar year 2005 includes the traditional labor certifications as well ? I did not see any in the txt file given on the DoL website for FY 2005.
Remember missing those out could mean missing huge numbers, I know several who filed from Jan 01, 2005 to just before PERM came into the picture in late March 2005.
Year, TOT_LBRS, Certified, LBR_INDIA PD_>_10/1/2001
2000 074048 70204 ????? 0
2001 082139 77921 ????? 0
2002 089168 79784 ????? 7873
2003 095299 62912 ????? 25956
2004 098866 43582 ????? 26569
2005 014253 06133 01350 6133
2006 105960 79782 22298 79782
2007 098753 85112 24573 85112
2008 061997 21092 07198 21092
Total 720483 526522 55419 252517
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/forum2-retrogression-priority-dates-and-visa-bulletins/23813-perm-labor-data-analysis.html
In 2005 there are a total of 01350 labors certified only for India.
In 2006 there are a total of 22298 labors certified only for India.
The other important thing here to note down is there are many outsourcing companies out there filed/filing GCs for their so called managers in EB1 category.
Are you 100% sure that the data for calendar year 2005 includes the traditional labor certifications as well ? I did not see any in the txt file given on the DoL website for FY 2005.
Remember missing those out could mean missing huge numbers, I know several who filed from Jan 01, 2005 to just before PERM came into the picture in late March 2005.
Year, TOT_LBRS, Certified, LBR_INDIA PD_>_10/1/2001
2000 074048 70204 ????? 0
2001 082139 77921 ????? 0
2002 089168 79784 ????? 7873
2003 095299 62912 ????? 25956
2004 098866 43582 ????? 26569
2005 014253 06133 01350 6133
2006 105960 79782 22298 79782
2007 098753 85112 24573 85112
2008 061997 21092 07198 21092
Total 720483 526522 55419 252517
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/forum2-retrogression-priority-dates-and-visa-bulletins/23813-perm-labor-data-analysis.html
In 2005 there are a total of 01350 labors certified only for India.
In 2006 there are a total of 22298 labors certified only for India.
The other important thing here to note down is there are many outsourcing companies out there filed/filing GCs for their so called managers in EB1 category.
more...
pmat
06-12 09:30 AM
2nd best engineering college in Rajasthan? There were 25 states in India , now including IITs, & NITs and BITS, that would make it, atleast 30 colleges in India which are better than yours. And here we are just talking of engineering colleges. Not even mentioned about medical or others. So yours would be like probably 50th best college in India. That is certainly not the best and brightest. I am from top 10 engineering colleges of India at the time.
My brother is a gold medalist in CS from India's top NIT and has done MS here from top 10 universities. My wife has also done MS from here (top 20 school) with a good GPA.
So give up ur GC now for recapture and go back! The better and brighter are waiting for it behind you.
What do you mean by not being a public burden? You will still eat up a job , that can be retained for India's best and brightest, in case you do return due to economy or healthcare factors here.
Dude... he is talking about the second best engineering college in India that is located in Rajasthan.. aka - BITS Pilani (my guess).
My brother is a gold medalist in CS from India's top NIT and has done MS here from top 10 universities. My wife has also done MS from here (top 20 school) with a good GPA.
So give up ur GC now for recapture and go back! The better and brighter are waiting for it behind you.
What do you mean by not being a public burden? You will still eat up a job , that can be retained for India's best and brightest, in case you do return due to economy or healthcare factors here.
Dude... he is talking about the second best engineering college in India that is located in Rajasthan.. aka - BITS Pilani (my guess).
thomachan72
01-13 01:29 PM
Can somebody who can access the document put out the important points/changes that are in there?
more...
bestia
02-14 01:43 PM
Bestia,
I am not fighting with you believe it or not - just that some things said on this forum are just downright nasty. FYI though.. the Congo WAS colonized and terrorized by the Europeans. Hear of the Belgian Congo?? I don't know about Sierra Leone though.
"Nasty" - might be just person's opinion. We don't have right to GC, but we have right to nasty opinions. I used to live in Maryland and was so tired of being careful when using words starting with "black*", "Afro*", "slave*", etc. Everything was always tended to be interpreted as implication, that someone is inferior to someone, etc. etc. The only solution was just to keep my mouth shut. And this is in country which is so proud of "free speech".
OK, I stand corrected, maybe not "colonized", but "settled" (still it's a wrong term - "immigrated"? Natives didn't have any immigration laws, though, so Europeans didn't brake any law). Europeans came here to build cities and live here. Congo was colonized for trading (robbing if you wish) purposes, slave trade, etc. That's the key difference.
But we are far from ROW/India+China debate :) I'm from ROW and it's my 8th year in the US, and all these years I'm "enjoying" not having any quota.
I am not fighting with you believe it or not - just that some things said on this forum are just downright nasty. FYI though.. the Congo WAS colonized and terrorized by the Europeans. Hear of the Belgian Congo?? I don't know about Sierra Leone though.
"Nasty" - might be just person's opinion. We don't have right to GC, but we have right to nasty opinions. I used to live in Maryland and was so tired of being careful when using words starting with "black*", "Afro*", "slave*", etc. Everything was always tended to be interpreted as implication, that someone is inferior to someone, etc. etc. The only solution was just to keep my mouth shut. And this is in country which is so proud of "free speech".
OK, I stand corrected, maybe not "colonized", but "settled" (still it's a wrong term - "immigrated"? Natives didn't have any immigration laws, though, so Europeans didn't brake any law). Europeans came here to build cities and live here. Congo was colonized for trading (robbing if you wish) purposes, slave trade, etc. That's the key difference.
But we are far from ROW/India+China debate :) I'm from ROW and it's my 8th year in the US, and all these years I'm "enjoying" not having any quota.
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greencard_fever
07-25 07:13 PM
I still believe in EB2 will try to catch up current by next October.
vdlrao you have been really amazing on doing the analysis on VB prediction. Kudos to you dude..i will hope you will be proved right in feature. keep your figures crossed till Sep 08 Bulletin which will shed some light on your predictions..
vdlrao you have been really amazing on doing the analysis on VB prediction. Kudos to you dude..i will hope you will be proved right in feature. keep your figures crossed till Sep 08 Bulletin which will shed some light on your predictions..
more...
jthomas
05-31 01:41 AM
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vinrobo
07-21 02:05 PM
When I moved to Cali about 2 yrs back from the midwest, I saw a guy at a desi store in the bay area who looked very similar to an old school friend whom I have not seen in 14 yrs. I went upto him and started talking to him asking if he was the same guy, He insulted me and avoided me like the plague. In midwest, I have not had any similar exp when I have tried stiking any conversation with a desi, so I was shocked. Then my BIL who had been living in the bay area for a while tole me about amway cons being in huge numbers and the fact that Desis do not trust anyone in the bayarea who appear friendly and the probable reason why this guy behaved the way he did. It is sad that we cannot be friendly to our own countrymen.
sad indeed. but its not isolated to bay area.
sad indeed. but its not isolated to bay area.
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Legal
07-21 05:34 PM
Sorry, silly question. Does this mean that these 32k visas are available to the EB2 I/C folks in Aug/Sep?
Nothing can be silly when it comes to interpreting USCIS rules and regulations.
Unused numbers should be used before Sep 30th. There is no mechanism for overflow of numbers to next year.
Nothing can be silly when it comes to interpreting USCIS rules and regulations.
Unused numbers should be used before Sep 30th. There is no mechanism for overflow of numbers to next year.
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andy garcia
06-27 08:32 AM
In the absence (to our knowledge) of USCIS URL, it is not possoble to say that dates can not retrogress in the middle of a month. For example, USCIS has no rule of time period between switching jobs. This means they can do whatever they feel like.
I am saying that 2007 GCs can get exhausted at any time independent of I-485s received/approved.
Hi Macaca;
This is taken from the July 2000 VB:
HOW THE SYSTEM OPERATES
At the beginning of each month, the Visa Office receives a report from each immigrant visa processing post listing totals of documentarily qualified immigrant visa applicants in categories subject to numerical limitation.
Cases are grouped by foreign state chargeability/preference/priority date. No names are reported. During the first week of each month, this documentarily qualified demand is tabulated.
VO subdivides the annual preference and foreign state limitations which are specified by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) into twelve monthly allotments. The totals of documentarily qualified applicants reported to VO, and the expected INS demand for numbers, are compared each month with the numbers available for the next regular allotment. This allows for the determination of the monthly cut-off dates, and the allotment of numbers for reported applicants who have priority dates within the newly established cut-off dates.
If there are sufficient numbers in a particular category to satisfy all reported documentarily qualified demand, the category is considered "current."
From this it is very clear that the number of Visas available for the rest of the FY 07 is enough to accept as many applications as can be approved in those 3 months(July, Aug and Sep).
I am saying that 2007 GCs can get exhausted at any time independent of I-485s received/approved.
Hi Macaca;
This is taken from the July 2000 VB:
HOW THE SYSTEM OPERATES
At the beginning of each month, the Visa Office receives a report from each immigrant visa processing post listing totals of documentarily qualified immigrant visa applicants in categories subject to numerical limitation.
Cases are grouped by foreign state chargeability/preference/priority date. No names are reported. During the first week of each month, this documentarily qualified demand is tabulated.
VO subdivides the annual preference and foreign state limitations which are specified by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) into twelve monthly allotments. The totals of documentarily qualified applicants reported to VO, and the expected INS demand for numbers, are compared each month with the numbers available for the next regular allotment. This allows for the determination of the monthly cut-off dates, and the allotment of numbers for reported applicants who have priority dates within the newly established cut-off dates.
If there are sufficient numbers in a particular category to satisfy all reported documentarily qualified demand, the category is considered "current."
From this it is very clear that the number of Visas available for the rest of the FY 07 is enough to accept as many applications as can be approved in those 3 months(July, Aug and Sep).
more...
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H1BinNY
07-04 09:46 AM
Anybody who got contact at NPR or anybody who want to take a challenge and work on contacting NPR and telling them about our story.
http://www.npr.org/about/pitch/
NPR - this might help
Matt Gallivan
mgallivan@npr.org
http://www.npr.org/about/pitch/
NPR - this might help
Matt Gallivan
mgallivan@npr.org
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dan19
08-31 02:17 PM
They keep the passport.
But it didn't take 45 days for me. I got it in 2 weeks.
For the Police certificate at the Indian consulate, do they keep the passport for 45 days i.e. until clearance is received. Or do we get the passport back the same day on which we apply and then the certificate is sent later.
But it didn't take 45 days for me. I got it in 2 weeks.
For the Police certificate at the Indian consulate, do they keep the passport for 45 days i.e. until clearance is received. Or do we get the passport back the same day on which we apply and then the certificate is sent later.
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srkamath
07-21 09:01 PM
CAN ANY ONE BELIEVE THEY GAVE 10,326 "UNUSED" EB NUMBERS TO FAMILY BASED IN THE YEAR 2006?? AMAZING.
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/publications/LPR_FR_2007.pdf
Another concern I have on your estimation is it looks like unlimited categories (immediate relatives) eat into the overall numbers. But it looks like FB is guaranteed minimum of 226,000 each year.
that's right, vdlrao is spot on (as usual) with the analysis.
A recapture loop is already built into the system, the subtraction of the unlimited category numbers acts sort of like a negative-feedback loop, keeping the numbers stable.
USCIS processing efficiency affects mostly EB categories, it doesn't affect FB much which has hard 7% limits / country.
vdlrao's clear analysis suggests that FY 2008 could see more than 70,000 EB2s issued in total.
EB2 In/CH being retrogressed will get the maximum benefits.
USCIS is definitely capable of processing 12k to 15k per month.
EB2 will become current for all countries very soon.
EB3 will then get a lot of spillovers, ensuring rapid movement.
http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/statistics/publications/LPR_FR_2007.pdf
Another concern I have on your estimation is it looks like unlimited categories (immediate relatives) eat into the overall numbers. But it looks like FB is guaranteed minimum of 226,000 each year.
that's right, vdlrao is spot on (as usual) with the analysis.
A recapture loop is already built into the system, the subtraction of the unlimited category numbers acts sort of like a negative-feedback loop, keeping the numbers stable.
USCIS processing efficiency affects mostly EB categories, it doesn't affect FB much which has hard 7% limits / country.
vdlrao's clear analysis suggests that FY 2008 could see more than 70,000 EB2s issued in total.
EB2 In/CH being retrogressed will get the maximum benefits.
USCIS is definitely capable of processing 12k to 15k per month.
EB2 will become current for all countries very soon.
EB3 will then get a lot of spillovers, ensuring rapid movement.
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srikondoji
06-26 12:47 PM
Well....
the rumour is that USCIS will accept as much as their parking lot can accommodate 485 applications.
They will at best try not to spill over to the roads nearby causing traffic jams.:eek:
There is possibility that retrogression begins in August. The USCIS maail department will acept only those cases the clerk could manually enter into the system by July 31st and then send all those applications back which he could not enter manually
IV Roumor thread - lets give the 'Best roumour of the day' award to the most convincing roumor .....
:D :D :D :D
the rumour is that USCIS will accept as much as their parking lot can accommodate 485 applications.
They will at best try not to spill over to the roads nearby causing traffic jams.:eek:
There is possibility that retrogression begins in August. The USCIS maail department will acept only those cases the clerk could manually enter into the system by July 31st and then send all those applications back which he could not enter manually
IV Roumor thread - lets give the 'Best roumour of the day' award to the most convincing roumor .....
:D :D :D :D
more...
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nixstor
07-03 06:34 PM
Wish the Senators a Happy Independence Day in the mail ....
Lets go guys its time to fill up those emails and fax machines .....
Please try to understand who is a senator and who is a representative. While that might not make any difference to us, it is of great importance if some one happens to get on our forums. Rep Zoe Lofgren. Not Senator Lofgren
Lets go guys its time to fill up those emails and fax machines .....
Please try to understand who is a senator and who is a representative. While that might not make any difference to us, it is of great importance if some one happens to get on our forums. Rep Zoe Lofgren. Not Senator Lofgren
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unitednations
02-13 01:10 AM
I thought the alien must be present on a dual intent non-immigrant visa to be eligible for AOS (I-485). I don't think people on F1/F4, B1/B2 are eligible to file for AOS while in the US. Consular Processing may be a different story.The H,L and O NIVs are the only ones that I know have dual intent.
to file a 485 a person has to be in non immigrant status.
The dual intent doctrine applies if a person is on a non dual intent visa and they file a 140 or a 485 and they then try to extend their non immigrant visa. At this point it will get denied. However, as long as they dont' have to renew it (because they have a 485 filed), then they are good to go for the greencard.
it is only an issue in trying to renew a non dual intent visa once you have showed immigrant intent. This would be a person who can't file the 485 but instead has a 140 or 130 filed for them. At this point dos/uscis would not allow them to extend the status or allow them back into the country.
to file a 485 a person has to be in non immigrant status.
The dual intent doctrine applies if a person is on a non dual intent visa and they file a 140 or a 485 and they then try to extend their non immigrant visa. At this point it will get denied. However, as long as they dont' have to renew it (because they have a 485 filed), then they are good to go for the greencard.
it is only an issue in trying to renew a non dual intent visa once you have showed immigrant intent. This would be a person who can't file the 485 but instead has a 140 or 130 filed for them. At this point dos/uscis would not allow them to extend the status or allow them back into the country.
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dummgelauft
06-24 01:39 PM
This is what I received from a immigration lawyer ......
LATEST GRIM VISA BULLETIN PROJECTIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED GREEN CARDS ILLUSTRATE NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM
There are few things that clearly demonstrate the overarching need for immigration reform than the most recent information provided by the U.S. Department of State's (DOS) Visa Bulletin. The Visa Bulletin provides information on the availability of immigrant visa numbers, which dictates when foreign nationals may apply for green cards under various preference categories. The July installment of the Visa Bulletin shows complete unavailability for the vast majority of employment-based cases. Moreover, DOS projections show that demand for higher-preference green card categories could reach record levels, which would lead to backlogs in these categories where green card numbers were traditionally available in the past.
The Visa Bulletin establishes "cut-off" dates based on the demand for green cards versus the amount actually available under immigration law to each specific employment-based (and family-based) category per country for each fiscal year. As it assesses green card demand in relation to availability, the DOS may move these cut-off dates forward or back, or not at all. When the DOS believes that all immigrant visa numbers in a particular category will be exhausted (or allocated) by the end of a particular fiscal year (i.e., September 30th), it will indicate an "unavailability" of numbers (marked as "U") in the Visa Bulletin. The law prevents any single country from overuse of immigrant visa numbers during a particular fiscal year. As a result, foreign nationals born in countries from which there is significant immigration to the U.S. will typically have a separate "cut-off" date (and longer waiting times for an available green card number) in the Visa Bulletin.
An individual's priority date or "place in line" for a visa number under the employment-based categories is the date on which his or her employer files a labor certification or immigrant visa petition with the government. Individuals assigned priority dates that are earlier than the relevant preference category cut-off date noted in the Visa Bulletin are eligible to move to the last step in the employment-based green card process - either processing of an adjustment of status application with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), or processing of an immigrant visa at a U.S. consulate abroad. When the category is "unavailable," individuals cannot file for adjustment of status or receive an immigrant visa.
In the most recent Visa Bulletin, immigrant visa numbers continue to be unavailable for all third preference (EB-3) employment-based cases. Third preference cases comprise the majority of pending employment-based green card cases, as they include positions requiring at minimum either a bachelor's degree or two years of work experience.
The July Visa Bulletin indicates that the first, second and fourth and fifth preference employment categories remain current for July. However, since demand in the second. preference category for individuals from China and India exceeds the per-country limitations, these two countries have second-preference cut-off dates of January 2000.
Overall, the July Visa Bulletin continues a substantial decrease in green card availability over the government's 2009 fiscal year. Admittedly, the retrogression, or backward movement of the cut-off dates, has been more common for employment-based green card numbers in recent years. Yet the complete exhaustion of EB-3 numbers and the sharp decline in India and China's EB-2 numbers are staggering reversals given the slow yet steady improvement in these cut-off dates during the present fiscal year.
DOS has projected that, as a result of significant filings in the EB-4 and EB-5 categories, there will be fewer numbers to supplement the EB-1 and EB-2 categories. In previous years, thousands of unused EB-4 and EB-5 numbers "spilled over" into other preference categories. However, greater-than-anticipated EB-4 and EB-5 usage, as well as greater demand in the EB-1 category itself, will create an even greater dearth of available "spill over" immigrant visa numbers in the EB-2 category.
In addition, the DOS has indicated that the EB-1 category for individuals born in India or China may backlog or retrogress later this summer, and may do so again in the coming fiscal year. Predictably, prognostications for the EB-2 category for India and China are also quite grim - in the next month or two, the EB-2 category could become unavailable. In particular, USCIS has indicated that it has about 25,000 EB-2 India cases and "significant numbers" of cases for Chinese nationals that have been reviewed and are simply awaiting visa number availability. This category has a typical fiscal-year limit of 2,800, plus any remaining numbers from the EB-1, EB-4 and EB-5 categories.
With respect to the EB-3 category, the DOS has stated that the worldwide, China and Mexico quotas for the EB-3 category will become available again with the start of the new fiscal year in October 2009, with a projected cut-off date of March 1, 2003 for each. However, the EB-3 India quota may have a November 1, 2001 cut-off date.
The federal quotas limiting employment-based green card numbers have remained unchanged since 1990, nearly two decades ago. Since that time, the United States has undergone unprecedented expansion, technological development, and cultural diversification, in large part through immigration. During this progress, skilled immigrants have continued one of our country's oldest and proudest traditions - the search for better lives for their families, and the desire to contribute to and to participate in our free society. Still, these quotas remain stagnant, potentially stifling the future of our nation's ability in the 21st century to prosper as an economic competitor in our world, to build a broad-based infrastructure in our localities, and to live together as families in our homes.
A quarter-century prior to 1990, major revisions to the immigration quotas sparked a historic influx of individuals to our nation of immigrants. In 1965, this broad-based increase in immigration levels across all preference categories allowed some of the world's most talented individuals to come to our shores and share their knowledge as academics, increase our economic fortunes as innovators and entrepreneurs, build vibrant communities as leaders and organizers, and inspire with their tales of strife and triumph as refugees. For many ethnicities and nationalities, the "post-65" generation was the real beginning of their stories in America.
Faced with a major financial downturn and an increasingly competitive global economy, our country cannot choose the path of closed borders and restricted immigration. At this very moment, historically restrictive nations are expanding their immigration policies and attracting valuable immigrants otherwise bound for our shores.
Absent relief provided by potential legislation, there will be substantial backlogs for nationals of India and China in all categories for many years. Careful and strategic planning for employers and foreign nationals entering into or engaged in the immigrant visa process will be necessary while we continue to advocate zealously for reform to address these antiquated quotas.
These green card backlogs illustrate the need for comprehensive immigration reform. In particular, a long-overdue increase in employment-based green card availability would play a major role in making future generations of individuals feel welcome to come to our nation of immigrants and in spurring sorely needed innovation and prosperity.
..I am waiting for the punch line. What's the point of this? We all know it...
LATEST GRIM VISA BULLETIN PROJECTIONS FOR EMPLOYMENT-BASED GREEN CARDS ILLUSTRATE NEED FOR COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM
There are few things that clearly demonstrate the overarching need for immigration reform than the most recent information provided by the U.S. Department of State's (DOS) Visa Bulletin. The Visa Bulletin provides information on the availability of immigrant visa numbers, which dictates when foreign nationals may apply for green cards under various preference categories. The July installment of the Visa Bulletin shows complete unavailability for the vast majority of employment-based cases. Moreover, DOS projections show that demand for higher-preference green card categories could reach record levels, which would lead to backlogs in these categories where green card numbers were traditionally available in the past.
The Visa Bulletin establishes "cut-off" dates based on the demand for green cards versus the amount actually available under immigration law to each specific employment-based (and family-based) category per country for each fiscal year. As it assesses green card demand in relation to availability, the DOS may move these cut-off dates forward or back, or not at all. When the DOS believes that all immigrant visa numbers in a particular category will be exhausted (or allocated) by the end of a particular fiscal year (i.e., September 30th), it will indicate an "unavailability" of numbers (marked as "U") in the Visa Bulletin. The law prevents any single country from overuse of immigrant visa numbers during a particular fiscal year. As a result, foreign nationals born in countries from which there is significant immigration to the U.S. will typically have a separate "cut-off" date (and longer waiting times for an available green card number) in the Visa Bulletin.
An individual's priority date or "place in line" for a visa number under the employment-based categories is the date on which his or her employer files a labor certification or immigrant visa petition with the government. Individuals assigned priority dates that are earlier than the relevant preference category cut-off date noted in the Visa Bulletin are eligible to move to the last step in the employment-based green card process - either processing of an adjustment of status application with United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), or processing of an immigrant visa at a U.S. consulate abroad. When the category is "unavailable," individuals cannot file for adjustment of status or receive an immigrant visa.
In the most recent Visa Bulletin, immigrant visa numbers continue to be unavailable for all third preference (EB-3) employment-based cases. Third preference cases comprise the majority of pending employment-based green card cases, as they include positions requiring at minimum either a bachelor's degree or two years of work experience.
The July Visa Bulletin indicates that the first, second and fourth and fifth preference employment categories remain current for July. However, since demand in the second. preference category for individuals from China and India exceeds the per-country limitations, these two countries have second-preference cut-off dates of January 2000.
Overall, the July Visa Bulletin continues a substantial decrease in green card availability over the government's 2009 fiscal year. Admittedly, the retrogression, or backward movement of the cut-off dates, has been more common for employment-based green card numbers in recent years. Yet the complete exhaustion of EB-3 numbers and the sharp decline in India and China's EB-2 numbers are staggering reversals given the slow yet steady improvement in these cut-off dates during the present fiscal year.
DOS has projected that, as a result of significant filings in the EB-4 and EB-5 categories, there will be fewer numbers to supplement the EB-1 and EB-2 categories. In previous years, thousands of unused EB-4 and EB-5 numbers "spilled over" into other preference categories. However, greater-than-anticipated EB-4 and EB-5 usage, as well as greater demand in the EB-1 category itself, will create an even greater dearth of available "spill over" immigrant visa numbers in the EB-2 category.
In addition, the DOS has indicated that the EB-1 category for individuals born in India or China may backlog or retrogress later this summer, and may do so again in the coming fiscal year. Predictably, prognostications for the EB-2 category for India and China are also quite grim - in the next month or two, the EB-2 category could become unavailable. In particular, USCIS has indicated that it has about 25,000 EB-2 India cases and "significant numbers" of cases for Chinese nationals that have been reviewed and are simply awaiting visa number availability. This category has a typical fiscal-year limit of 2,800, plus any remaining numbers from the EB-1, EB-4 and EB-5 categories.
With respect to the EB-3 category, the DOS has stated that the worldwide, China and Mexico quotas for the EB-3 category will become available again with the start of the new fiscal year in October 2009, with a projected cut-off date of March 1, 2003 for each. However, the EB-3 India quota may have a November 1, 2001 cut-off date.
The federal quotas limiting employment-based green card numbers have remained unchanged since 1990, nearly two decades ago. Since that time, the United States has undergone unprecedented expansion, technological development, and cultural diversification, in large part through immigration. During this progress, skilled immigrants have continued one of our country's oldest and proudest traditions - the search for better lives for their families, and the desire to contribute to and to participate in our free society. Still, these quotas remain stagnant, potentially stifling the future of our nation's ability in the 21st century to prosper as an economic competitor in our world, to build a broad-based infrastructure in our localities, and to live together as families in our homes.
A quarter-century prior to 1990, major revisions to the immigration quotas sparked a historic influx of individuals to our nation of immigrants. In 1965, this broad-based increase in immigration levels across all preference categories allowed some of the world's most talented individuals to come to our shores and share their knowledge as academics, increase our economic fortunes as innovators and entrepreneurs, build vibrant communities as leaders and organizers, and inspire with their tales of strife and triumph as refugees. For many ethnicities and nationalities, the "post-65" generation was the real beginning of their stories in America.
Faced with a major financial downturn and an increasingly competitive global economy, our country cannot choose the path of closed borders and restricted immigration. At this very moment, historically restrictive nations are expanding their immigration policies and attracting valuable immigrants otherwise bound for our shores.
Absent relief provided by potential legislation, there will be substantial backlogs for nationals of India and China in all categories for many years. Careful and strategic planning for employers and foreign nationals entering into or engaged in the immigrant visa process will be necessary while we continue to advocate zealously for reform to address these antiquated quotas.
These green card backlogs illustrate the need for comprehensive immigration reform. In particular, a long-overdue increase in employment-based green card availability would play a major role in making future generations of individuals feel welcome to come to our nation of immigrants and in spurring sorely needed innovation and prosperity.
..I am waiting for the punch line. What's the point of this? We all know it...
santb1975
02-12 10:46 PM
???
patfanboston
05-12 09:25 PM
@venetian:
I was not responding to the Sri Lankan issue - please don't read it as such. As I said, my comment was tangential to the discussion thread. I was just writing about my observation of the behavior and attitude of Tamils in general in India.
@jerrome:
Your point about MGR/Jayalalitha/Rajanikanth just proves my point. These people migrated to Tamil Nadu, made it their home and 'assimilated' by learning Tamil and considering themselves Tamil and showing their love for Tamil - they did not become famous in TN by propagating Telugu/Malayalam/Kannada. Now, if only you could provide some examples of the other way around - Tamils who migrated elsewhere and who made the host cultures proud. Can you?
There definitely are Telugu/Malayalam/Kannada natives in TN - but without exception, they have 'Tamilized' themselves to a great extent to live a normal life. Is the converse true?
I was not responding to the Sri Lankan issue - please don't read it as such. As I said, my comment was tangential to the discussion thread. I was just writing about my observation of the behavior and attitude of Tamils in general in India.
@jerrome:
Your point about MGR/Jayalalitha/Rajanikanth just proves my point. These people migrated to Tamil Nadu, made it their home and 'assimilated' by learning Tamil and considering themselves Tamil and showing their love for Tamil - they did not become famous in TN by propagating Telugu/Malayalam/Kannada. Now, if only you could provide some examples of the other way around - Tamils who migrated elsewhere and who made the host cultures proud. Can you?
There definitely are Telugu/Malayalam/Kannada natives in TN - but without exception, they have 'Tamilized' themselves to a great extent to live a normal life. Is the converse true?
