katrina
01-04 03:34 PM
koppula09 please read the statement from below link.
http://www.lbl.gov/LBL-Work/HR/irss/FormI539.html
Contact your lawyer ask what they request when they fill the Form I539. If the request your wife h4 extension she should be OK but if they request to change your wife H4 status to H1b I don't think they made a good decision, you should find another lawyer :eek:
get a second opinion of what to do. My suggestion your wife should apply for her H1b ASAP (premium processing). I believe it possible for her company to apply her H1b but again find a good Lawyer ASAP.
remember not all lawyer is a good immigrant lawyer. Even a good immigrant lawyer could make a mistake too. It's your life you can't rely to anybody.
so act quickly to find out how to get out from this problem before too late.
Good luck. :o
http://www.lbl.gov/LBL-Work/HR/irss/FormI539.html
Contact your lawyer ask what they request when they fill the Form I539. If the request your wife h4 extension she should be OK but if they request to change your wife H4 status to H1b I don't think they made a good decision, you should find another lawyer :eek:
get a second opinion of what to do. My suggestion your wife should apply for her H1b ASAP (premium processing). I believe it possible for her company to apply her H1b but again find a good Lawyer ASAP.
remember not all lawyer is a good immigrant lawyer. Even a good immigrant lawyer could make a mistake too. It's your life you can't rely to anybody.
so act quickly to find out how to get out from this problem before too late.
Good luck. :o
wallpaper 2000 Berlina - Page 2 - Alfa
rajpatelemail
02-13 01:11 AM
H1B - LCA Related Issues - How can we save ourselves ???
HI
I guess everybody know by now that ICE arrested 11 H1 workers(Yes , it is 11 H1 employees) mainly due to mail fraud/wire fraud, and these frauds are resulted due to the fact that these H1 employees are not working at LCA mentioned location.
I am starting this thread to discuss what we can do to save ourselves from LCA related issues.
** LCA is very important and H1 b employees should work as per LCA - Period.
Location, job and every thing should be as per LCA. No questions.
I am afraid, most of the H1b guys do not even have LCAs with them.
** This is very concerned for all the DESI Consulting companies H1 employees, as we never work at LCA place. I am going to give ultimatum to my employer to change LCA and keep all the docs in place. Otherwise i am going to change to employer, where they are good wrt papers.
Please throw your suggestions to make our H1 system clean and save H1 employees.
HI
I guess everybody know by now that ICE arrested 11 H1 workers(Yes , it is 11 H1 employees) mainly due to mail fraud/wire fraud, and these frauds are resulted due to the fact that these H1 employees are not working at LCA mentioned location.
I am starting this thread to discuss what we can do to save ourselves from LCA related issues.
** LCA is very important and H1 b employees should work as per LCA - Period.
Location, job and every thing should be as per LCA. No questions.
I am afraid, most of the H1b guys do not even have LCAs with them.
** This is very concerned for all the DESI Consulting companies H1 employees, as we never work at LCA place. I am going to give ultimatum to my employer to change LCA and keep all the docs in place. Otherwise i am going to change to employer, where they are good wrt papers.
Please throw your suggestions to make our H1 system clean and save H1 employees.
Muj@ck0_it
03-11 03:20 AM
I'll cast my vote for paddy...:yes:
2011 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1.4
leo2606
08-04 08:47 PM
If I were you, I will pay additional $1,000 to USCIS for getting me out of GC mess.
I've applied for EAD/AP renewal for both myself and my wife. I spent $1,290 for this.
Say I got my GC approved and then I call USCIS and withdraw my pending EAD/AP application. Will I get a refund for pending EAD/AP application, if I get my GC approved before EAD/AP approval?
Thanks,
India EB2; PD - Nov 05
I-140 - Filed Mar '06; Approved Jun '06
I-485 - Reached NSC July 26'07;
I've applied for EAD/AP renewal for both myself and my wife. I spent $1,290 for this.
Say I got my GC approved and then I call USCIS and withdraw my pending EAD/AP application. Will I get a refund for pending EAD/AP application, if I get my GC approved before EAD/AP approval?
Thanks,
India EB2; PD - Nov 05
I-140 - Filed Mar '06; Approved Jun '06
I-485 - Reached NSC July 26'07;
more...
MatsP
January 30th, 2008, 03:12 PM
One piece of advice might be to go for something much less expensive first, to see if you actually like digital photography - the second hand prices are pretty abysmal for these things, so unless you think you are a really good salesman when it comes to selling your old stuff on E-bay or such, it would be less of a risk to you to get either a used P&S or a new, less expensive model.
There are many things that make a difference between a DSLR and a "Advanced P&S" (Pro-sumer P&S or whatever you like to call the category that the Sony ends up in). But in the end, there's only a few of those that actually show in the photos:
1. noise levels - the smaller sensor on the P&S (about half the size compared to the DSLR) means more noise in the picture, especially at high ISO [when you take pictures in rather dark circumstancs].
2. The flexibility in focal length - the P&S has a fixed optical system, you can't really change it [yes, you can buy extra lenses to screw on the front and such, but it's really not that great]. This shows up, usually, more at the wide-angle end than on the telephoto end. The Sony here has a 31-465mm equivalent lens. That's pretty good, but 31mm is on the "narrow end of wide-angle", and you don't really have much choice to fix that. 465mm is plenty for most people.
It's your money, so you spend it as you like :)
--
Mats
There are many things that make a difference between a DSLR and a "Advanced P&S" (Pro-sumer P&S or whatever you like to call the category that the Sony ends up in). But in the end, there's only a few of those that actually show in the photos:
1. noise levels - the smaller sensor on the P&S (about half the size compared to the DSLR) means more noise in the picture, especially at high ISO [when you take pictures in rather dark circumstancs].
2. The flexibility in focal length - the P&S has a fixed optical system, you can't really change it [yes, you can buy extra lenses to screw on the front and such, but it's really not that great]. This shows up, usually, more at the wide-angle end than on the telephoto end. The Sony here has a 31-465mm equivalent lens. That's pretty good, but 31mm is on the "narrow end of wide-angle", and you don't really have much choice to fix that. 465mm is plenty for most people.
It's your money, so you spend it as you like :)
--
Mats
jindhal
09-23 01:47 PM
tell them she is in legal status, like that of a H4. also, you might say that she is not going to study as a full time student and therefore does not need a student visa. how many courses she takes up after getting admission is totally different.
Having an EAD ensures you can receive scholarships, grants, and any other financial assistantship. If you have an H4 you cannot work on campus or off campus and cannot receive any money from the university. My suggestion to the OP would be to get in touch with the International Students sections at the university and talk to the head or someone higher up. If possible set up a meeting and explain your situation and visa category. Maybe they might change their minds.
Best of luck and please post what your final decision was, I am going to be in a similar situation a year from now.
Having an EAD ensures you can receive scholarships, grants, and any other financial assistantship. If you have an H4 you cannot work on campus or off campus and cannot receive any money from the university. My suggestion to the OP would be to get in touch with the International Students sections at the university and talk to the head or someone higher up. If possible set up a meeting and explain your situation and visa category. Maybe they might change their minds.
Best of luck and please post what your final decision was, I am going to be in a similar situation a year from now.
more...
gc007
08-04 01:36 PM
I think you are right. G-28 for I-140 shud be signed by layer and employer
And there shud be 3 separate G-28 's req for I-485/131/765 signed by layer and the actual applicant.
Mine was filled this way.
May be you shud get some information from others too who have done with one G28
Hope it helps
Hi,
My employer is filing my I-140 and I-485/131/765 concurrently. My lawyer/representative send a list which says G-28 signed by lawyer and my employer. I understand for I-140, G-28 is signed by lawyer and employer(petitioner). When filed concurrently is one G-28 is enough for whole forms?
I read we need to have G-28 form for each form and for 485/131/765 forms G-28 should be signed by the actual applicant and the lawyer instead of the petitioner(my employer). Right now in my case there is only G-28 form they were sending that was signed by my employer(petitioner) and the lawyer...is one G-28 is fine for whole application packet when filed concurrently...
USCIS website clearly says without G-28 form they will reject the application right away...but it didn't mentioned for each form though...but all my colleagues says they signed three G-28 forms one each 485/765/131...i am little confused and concerend..please suggest..
thanks in advance..
And there shud be 3 separate G-28 's req for I-485/131/765 signed by layer and the actual applicant.
Mine was filled this way.
May be you shud get some information from others too who have done with one G28
Hope it helps
Hi,
My employer is filing my I-140 and I-485/131/765 concurrently. My lawyer/representative send a list which says G-28 signed by lawyer and my employer. I understand for I-140, G-28 is signed by lawyer and employer(petitioner). When filed concurrently is one G-28 is enough for whole forms?
I read we need to have G-28 form for each form and for 485/131/765 forms G-28 should be signed by the actual applicant and the lawyer instead of the petitioner(my employer). Right now in my case there is only G-28 form they were sending that was signed by my employer(petitioner) and the lawyer...is one G-28 is fine for whole application packet when filed concurrently...
USCIS website clearly says without G-28 form they will reject the application right away...but it didn't mentioned for each form though...but all my colleagues says they signed three G-28 forms one each 485/765/131...i am little confused and concerend..please suggest..
thanks in advance..
2010 1972 Alfa Romeo Berlina
gc28262
07-29 11:04 PM
I don't think that dude knows what he is talking about. Anyway EB1 cases ARE separate from EB2/EB3 and ARE adjudicated separately than the rest. That's why it is current and I don't know what more that dude wanted...Just few months here and there in adjudication process of EB1 cases...so what? In this whole mess of years and years of waiting for others, what's the big deal?
This particular EB1 gc aspirant has been waiting for his gc even after 2-3 years of his PD becoming current. He don't want EB1 applications to be subjected to the processing times set for EB2/EB3 etc.
His point is, it does not make sense to wait 2-3 years for a GC once his date is current.
This particular EB1 gc aspirant has been waiting for his gc even after 2-3 years of his PD becoming current. He don't want EB1 applications to be subjected to the processing times set for EB2/EB3 etc.
His point is, it does not make sense to wait 2-3 years for a GC once his date is current.
more...
GCard_Dream
04-05 04:32 PM
Is that really true? I am not so sure about that. I thought you can get unlimited H1B extension as long as you have your I-140 approved. Do you really have to be retrogressed? Can someone confirm this please.
If what you are saying is right then let's say that I have filed my I-485 already because PD is current and my H1B expires but haven't received my EAD yet, what would my status be then until I recieve EAD?
I gather that you can get a 3 year h1b extension when you have an approved I-140 and are retrogressed.
Update: I double checked this and you are right. Can get H1B extension after 6 years only if I-140 is approved and PD retrogressed or 365 have days have elapsed since the filing of labor. I guess the question now is what is your status if H1 has expired, I-485 is filed but EAD hasn't been received yet.
If what you are saying is right then let's say that I have filed my I-485 already because PD is current and my H1B expires but haven't received my EAD yet, what would my status be then until I recieve EAD?
I gather that you can get a 3 year h1b extension when you have an approved I-140 and are retrogressed.
Update: I double checked this and you are right. Can get H1B extension after 6 years only if I-140 is approved and PD retrogressed or 365 have days have elapsed since the filing of labor. I guess the question now is what is your status if H1 has expired, I-485 is filed but EAD hasn't been received yet.
hair Auto - Alfa Romeo Berlina
arihant
02-15 05:32 PM
http://www.foreignlaborcert.doleta.gov/
I found this on the DOL's website above.
Foreign Labor Certification
Backlog will be eliminated 9/30/2007
There is a statement in bold below this which says "18 Months Remaining". I am unable to post this jpg in the forum.
I read through the text below it briefly and did not find any more interesting info.
Found this strange that they are advertising the fact that 18 months remain while they do not seem to have completed even data entry in over a year as evidenced by the fact that several of us are still waiting on the 45 day letters.
I found this on the DOL's website above.
Foreign Labor Certification
Backlog will be eliminated 9/30/2007
There is a statement in bold below this which says "18 Months Remaining". I am unable to post this jpg in the forum.
I read through the text below it briefly and did not find any more interesting info.
Found this strange that they are advertising the fact that 18 months remain while they do not seem to have completed even data entry in over a year as evidenced by the fact that several of us are still waiting on the 45 day letters.
more...
ilikekilo
05-27 12:22 PM
When did they say they have repealed AC21? Is this true?
Regarding (6) above, it is not 10K, more like 5K.
form immigrationlaw.com
Final Version of Sanders' Amendment of H-1B Supplemental Fee and American Student Scholarship Fund as Passed
The controversial Sanders' amendment initially was passed in the Senate last week which imposes $3,500 (or $1,750) for a supplemental fee for the American Student Scholarship Fund. The supplemental fee is added to the current fees that include $1,500 (or $750) ACWIA fee, $500 fraud prevention fee, and $190 H-1B petition (which will in itself increase substantially when the fee increase regulation is implemented). Go figure! The text of the final amendment is as follows:
SEC. 713. SUPPLEMENTAL FEES.
Section 214(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following:``(15)(A) In each instance where the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or the Secretary of State is required to impose a fee pursuant to paragraph (9) or (11), the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or the Secretary of State, as appropriate, shall impose a supplemental fee on the employer in addition to any other fee required by such paragraph or any other provision of law, in the amount determined under subparagraph (B).
``(B) The amount of the supplemental fee shall be $3,500, except that the fee shall be 1/2 that amount for any employer with not more than 25 full-time equivalent employees who are employed in the United States (determined by including any affiliate or subsidiary of such employer).
``(C) Fees collected under this paragraph shall be deposited in the Treasury in accordance with section 286(x).''
Initially it was proposed to charge $10,000!!!
Regarding (6) above, it is not 10K, more like 5K.
form immigrationlaw.com
Final Version of Sanders' Amendment of H-1B Supplemental Fee and American Student Scholarship Fund as Passed
The controversial Sanders' amendment initially was passed in the Senate last week which imposes $3,500 (or $1,750) for a supplemental fee for the American Student Scholarship Fund. The supplemental fee is added to the current fees that include $1,500 (or $750) ACWIA fee, $500 fraud prevention fee, and $190 H-1B petition (which will in itself increase substantially when the fee increase regulation is implemented). Go figure! The text of the final amendment is as follows:
SEC. 713. SUPPLEMENTAL FEES.
Section 214(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1184(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following:``(15)(A) In each instance where the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or the Secretary of State is required to impose a fee pursuant to paragraph (9) or (11), the Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or the Secretary of State, as appropriate, shall impose a supplemental fee on the employer in addition to any other fee required by such paragraph or any other provision of law, in the amount determined under subparagraph (B).
``(B) The amount of the supplemental fee shall be $3,500, except that the fee shall be 1/2 that amount for any employer with not more than 25 full-time equivalent employees who are employed in the United States (determined by including any affiliate or subsidiary of such employer).
``(C) Fees collected under this paragraph shall be deposited in the Treasury in accordance with section 286(x).''
Initially it was proposed to charge $10,000!!!
hot Auto - Alfa Romeo Berlina
pappu
08-22 08:06 PM
I don't think the core is even bothered to take up on issues like this where USCIS operations is concerned..
why wait for all these bills to get passed to recapture visas and stuff like that when the ideal solution would be to make USCIS more efficient...
Let's say Hr5882 passes in 2009... and recaptures all the lost visas ..but what will happen in 2012 ?? I assume another recapture bill would have to be passed to recapture the recaptured visas... this is all a joke....
Why cant USCIS be more efficient and transparent from the beginning but I guess the core doesn't think its important enough right now.
Wrong.
We have had meetings with USCIS, DOS in the past. In fact there was a meeting with USCIS director too in the recent past.
Wish the problems were very simple to solve. Please do not underestimate the effort of the core team just because we do not post everything we do on the public forum. You can get information from your state chapter if you have any doubts. We are also like you and are trying our best within limited resources and time. The least this community can do is not criticize the core team and take out their frustration on us. We really need everyone to support us and contribute so that we can invest more in lobbying efforts if we need to try and get some relief. Fixing a system is not easy. Our programmer friends on the forum know this how difficult it is to fix a program that is too slow and buggy!!
why wait for all these bills to get passed to recapture visas and stuff like that when the ideal solution would be to make USCIS more efficient...
Let's say Hr5882 passes in 2009... and recaptures all the lost visas ..but what will happen in 2012 ?? I assume another recapture bill would have to be passed to recapture the recaptured visas... this is all a joke....
Why cant USCIS be more efficient and transparent from the beginning but I guess the core doesn't think its important enough right now.
Wrong.
We have had meetings with USCIS, DOS in the past. In fact there was a meeting with USCIS director too in the recent past.
Wish the problems were very simple to solve. Please do not underestimate the effort of the core team just because we do not post everything we do on the public forum. You can get information from your state chapter if you have any doubts. We are also like you and are trying our best within limited resources and time. The least this community can do is not criticize the core team and take out their frustration on us. We really need everyone to support us and contribute so that we can invest more in lobbying efforts if we need to try and get some relief. Fixing a system is not easy. Our programmer friends on the forum know this how difficult it is to fix a program that is too slow and buggy!!
more...
house 1955 Alfa Romeo Giulietta
bskrishna
06-09 11:49 AM
Thanks a lot for the VISA issue....
Cant i travel via Germany to India with stolen visa issue ?
Your travel agent should know if he/she is experienced about transit visa. Amsterdam does not need a transit visa (even with an invalid US visa). Not sure about Frankfurt.
You will need one for sure if you travel via UK. I had some friends who had to go through a lot of difficulty for going back on a B1 visa to India via Heathrow
Cant i travel via Germany to India with stolen visa issue ?
Your travel agent should know if he/she is experienced about transit visa. Amsterdam does not need a transit visa (even with an invalid US visa). Not sure about Frankfurt.
You will need one for sure if you travel via UK. I had some friends who had to go through a lot of difficulty for going back on a B1 visa to India via Heathrow
tattoo Vintage car - Alfa Romeo
maheshf
07-31 12:10 PM
FYI: Last year, my wife (Dependent) got her EAD before mine was approved. Like i said, if u start looking for trends (and something that makes sense) the way USCIS works, u will most likely be disappointed.
They just work randomly---there are so many June/July EAD filers who got their EADs approved in 3-4 weeks time frame, and then there are May filers (like me) who've just started seeing some approvals and some are still waiting with applications pending over 90 days.
You are right...It's random..just received �Card Production� notification for my wife as well..
They just work randomly---there are so many June/July EAD filers who got their EADs approved in 3-4 weeks time frame, and then there are May filers (like me) who've just started seeing some approvals and some are still waiting with applications pending over 90 days.
You are right...It's random..just received �Card Production� notification for my wife as well..
more...
pictures Alfa Romeo meeting Giulia
reverendflash
10-21 01:53 AM
they weren't my designs... I made their designs work... :P :P
I'm still learning on the digital design front. All of my composition training comes from photography... :P
Rev:elderly:
I'm still learning on the digital design front. All of my composition training comes from photography... :P
Rev:elderly:
dresses 1955 Alfa Romeo Giulietta
bekugc
04-08 06:07 PM
EB3, PD = Apr 2003
by the way on - http://immigrationvoice.org/index.php?option=com_tracker&Itemid=63
sort by PD is sorting on alphabet of the month rather than year...so to get all the EB3 in 03 you may have to look in all the pages.
by the way on - http://immigrationvoice.org/index.php?option=com_tracker&Itemid=63
sort by PD is sorting on alphabet of the month rather than year...so to get all the EB3 in 03 you may have to look in all the pages.
more...
makeup 1972 Alfa Romeo Berlina
JunRN
12-27 08:12 AM
Just an advise: Check what's on your I-797 and that's your official receipt date. Count 180 days plus 1 after that and you're good to change employer with same/similar occupation.
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gcformeornot
08-30 01:21 PM
he is a dummy. Just wasting our time.
hairstyles Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider
vwu3
06-17 11:54 AM
I am an international student on an F1 student visa. Am I allowed to sell iPhone apps on the Apple app store (the US one)?
Thanks.
Thanks.
aj_jadeja
02-07 06:32 PM
waht is ur origination airport ?
and AMD means Ahmedabad ? or amsterdam ?
and AMD means Ahmedabad ? or amsterdam ?
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.
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