kanta80
04-25 11:00 PM
Here is the link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/25/AR2006042501963.html
Sorry if someone else had already posted it.
Thanks.
Ed to add text in case link gets outdated:
Skilled Immigrants Turn to K Street
High-Tech Workers Awaiting Green Cards Hire Lobbyists, Hit the Hill
By S. Mitra Kalita
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 26, 2006; Page D01
On the December day when Congress killed a budget amendment that might have allowed him to become an American a little sooner, Aman Kapoor started a movement.
He did not march through streets, carry signs, wave a flag from here or there. He did not walk off the job or file out of school. The computer programmer simply went online to a message board tracked by thousands of people in his predicament: highly skilled foreigners waiting years for their green cards.
"I think we can do better and really create the impact with organized effort," he wrote. "To achieve this we need a group of individuals who have shown commitment and motivation in this forum."
The next night, a dozen people living across the United States shed their Internet handles -- Kapoor's was "WaldenPond," a nod to his hero, Henry David Thoreau -- and addressed one another by name on a conference call that lasted an hour. Today, just four months later, the organization they dubbed Immigration Voice boasts 3,000 members; a fundraising goal of $200,000; and, most notably, a partnership with a high-powered lobbying firm, Quinn Gillespie & Associates LLC.
The group's transformation from an insular circle to a politically active movement offers a window into an alternative immigrant campaign being waged as the Senate this week resumes its work on immigration laws.
Most members and all the core organizers of Immigration Voice hail from India, though Chinese membership numbers in the hundreds and is on the rise. Most arrived on an international student visa or a visa known as the H-1B, reserved for highly skilled workers who can stay for up to six years -- unless an employer sponsors their green cards, which grant immigrants permanent residence in the United States and the right to live and work here freely. Over the past decade, the largest numbers of H-1Bs have been awarded to high-technology workers from India and China.
Thus, while the passage of a strict border-security bill introduced by Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.) mobilized many other immigrants in December, members of this high-tech group had their eye on another: a budget reconciliation bill that, in the Senate version, would have allowed those waiting in line for a green card to proceed even if the quota had been exhausted. The provision was cut in conference committee, stirring many to action and leading to the founding of Immigration Voice.
While hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets to get Congress's attention, Immigration Voice took a decidedly different approach. Shortly after the group was established, Kapoor and other volunteers began interviewing lobbyists, relying mostly on Google searches and data from the Center for Public Integrity's Web site.
"If it was not going to be big, it would not be worth the effort," said Kapoor, who works for Florida State University and has traveled to Washington nine times in the past three months. "Most of us have reached that point, having waited for eight or nine years, where individual lives are on hold."
Neither Quinn Gillespie nor Immigration Voice would disclose the amount being paid for the firm's services. Kapoor said it is "less than five figures."
"This is a sympathetic story," said Nick Maduros, a lobbyist for Quinn Gillespie. "For this group, their issues are very technical and are frankly not that controversial, but they have been overshadowed ."
Immigration Voices also enlisted the help of Rick Swartz, who has his own firm and has long been a leading lobbyist for immigration groups. Swartz gathered members of the group at his home one January weekend for a crash course in American politics, teaching them to position themselves as the "new Cubans for the Republicans."
Although their numbers are far smaller -- fewer than 2 million Indians live in the United States, according to the 2000 Census -- the group is among the more affluent immigrant communities. And because their numbers are smaller than those of Hispanics, they are trying to focus on other ways they can exert power -- through their wealth, their positions of influence in the high-tech and business communities, and their alliances with more established advocacy groups such as one for Indian physicians and an Indian political action committee.
While the immigrant marchers' demands have covered a range of issues, including allowing immigrants to gain legal status and eventually citizenship, the members of this association are more narrowly focused: They want Congress to pass measures that would end the years-long wait for a green card. In fact, they warn that efforts to enable millions of illegal immigrants to remain here permanently would result in the same bureaucratic nightmare legal immigrants are now facing.
"If you're going to reform, reform across the board," said Bharati Mandapati, who oversees content for the group, which means she has learned how to word and pitch legislative amendments.
The group has refrained from taking a stand on the fate of the undocumented workers, though it monitors chatter on its Web site to ensure that frustrated high-tech workers don't disparage lower-skilled laborers such as landscapers and restaurant workers. It also has stayed mum on raising the cap on H-1Bs, the visas that made most of their passages possible.
Under a proposal introduced by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), the number of employment-based green cards being issued would increase from 140,000 to 290,000. Currently, no one country is supposed to take up more than 7 percent of the allotment, though unused green cards can be redistributed to countries that have already met their quota. That has made possible migrations in excess of 7 percent from nations such as India, China, Mexico and the Philippines. Under the proposal, the per-country cap would be increased to a hard and fast 10 percent. Proponents say this would prevent one country from dominating the category and would retain jobs for native-born Americans.
But Mandapati, a California-based economist, argues that the restriction would hurt the United States because the demand for skills changes. "It just so happens that computer technology and certain technical skills are in great demand here and all over the world. It just so happens that there are two countries that have invested a lot of resources in educating people in these fields . . . India and China."
About a half-million immigrants are caught in the green-card backlog, some as they wait for Labor Department approval or because quotas have been exceeded. In that time, they cannot be promoted or given substantial pay increases because that would mean a change in job description and salary. They turn to Web sites to compare their wait times with others, and their Internet handles, such as "stucklabor" and "waiting_labor," exude their frustration.
During meetings on Capitol Hill, Maduros and at least one Immigration Voice representative lay out the group's platform, weaving in the personal stories of members. Shilpa Ghodgaonkar, a Germantown housewife, has become a staple anecdote -- and a frequent visitor on the Hill.
For four years, she and her husband have been waiting for their green cards. Ghodgaonkar's husband arrived on an H-1B visa, and she followed as his dependent, unauthorized to work here. To pass the time, she learned to cook. Then she volunteered as a career counselor in Montgomery County. Last year, she earned her MBA from George Washington University. In December, around the time Kapoor sent out his e-mail plea for mass mobilization, Ghodgaonkar had run out of options.
"I just couldn't keep quiet anymore," Ghodgaonkar said. "I cannot be depressed anymore."
She keeps a spreadsheet that lays out appointment times and the senators' offices she has visited or still plans to: Specter, Frist, Schumer, Brownback, Bingaman, Feinstein, Feingold. Wednesdays bring a weekly call with Quinn Gillespie. And every few nights, there are conference calls among Immigration Voice's core team.
Now the group plans to closely watch the debate resuming in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Earlier this month, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) proposed amendments with all of the group's provisions. Other lawmakers confirm that they are still meeting with the group to hear their concerns.
Immigration Voice leaders say the past few months have focused and politicized Indian immigrants in a way that was not apparent in the past. "There is a very 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington' quality" about the current effort, Mandapati said. "It's been a journey, a loss of naivete and getting to know about American politics."
Sorry if someone else had already posted it.
Thanks.
Ed to add text in case link gets outdated:
Skilled Immigrants Turn to K Street
High-Tech Workers Awaiting Green Cards Hire Lobbyists, Hit the Hill
By S. Mitra Kalita
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, April 26, 2006; Page D01
On the December day when Congress killed a budget amendment that might have allowed him to become an American a little sooner, Aman Kapoor started a movement.
He did not march through streets, carry signs, wave a flag from here or there. He did not walk off the job or file out of school. The computer programmer simply went online to a message board tracked by thousands of people in his predicament: highly skilled foreigners waiting years for their green cards.
"I think we can do better and really create the impact with organized effort," he wrote. "To achieve this we need a group of individuals who have shown commitment and motivation in this forum."
The next night, a dozen people living across the United States shed their Internet handles -- Kapoor's was "WaldenPond," a nod to his hero, Henry David Thoreau -- and addressed one another by name on a conference call that lasted an hour. Today, just four months later, the organization they dubbed Immigration Voice boasts 3,000 members; a fundraising goal of $200,000; and, most notably, a partnership with a high-powered lobbying firm, Quinn Gillespie & Associates LLC.
The group's transformation from an insular circle to a politically active movement offers a window into an alternative immigrant campaign being waged as the Senate this week resumes its work on immigration laws.
Most members and all the core organizers of Immigration Voice hail from India, though Chinese membership numbers in the hundreds and is on the rise. Most arrived on an international student visa or a visa known as the H-1B, reserved for highly skilled workers who can stay for up to six years -- unless an employer sponsors their green cards, which grant immigrants permanent residence in the United States and the right to live and work here freely. Over the past decade, the largest numbers of H-1Bs have been awarded to high-technology workers from India and China.
Thus, while the passage of a strict border-security bill introduced by Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.) mobilized many other immigrants in December, members of this high-tech group had their eye on another: a budget reconciliation bill that, in the Senate version, would have allowed those waiting in line for a green card to proceed even if the quota had been exhausted. The provision was cut in conference committee, stirring many to action and leading to the founding of Immigration Voice.
While hundreds of thousands of protesters took to the streets to get Congress's attention, Immigration Voice took a decidedly different approach. Shortly after the group was established, Kapoor and other volunteers began interviewing lobbyists, relying mostly on Google searches and data from the Center for Public Integrity's Web site.
"If it was not going to be big, it would not be worth the effort," said Kapoor, who works for Florida State University and has traveled to Washington nine times in the past three months. "Most of us have reached that point, having waited for eight or nine years, where individual lives are on hold."
Neither Quinn Gillespie nor Immigration Voice would disclose the amount being paid for the firm's services. Kapoor said it is "less than five figures."
"This is a sympathetic story," said Nick Maduros, a lobbyist for Quinn Gillespie. "For this group, their issues are very technical and are frankly not that controversial, but they have been overshadowed ."
Immigration Voices also enlisted the help of Rick Swartz, who has his own firm and has long been a leading lobbyist for immigration groups. Swartz gathered members of the group at his home one January weekend for a crash course in American politics, teaching them to position themselves as the "new Cubans for the Republicans."
Although their numbers are far smaller -- fewer than 2 million Indians live in the United States, according to the 2000 Census -- the group is among the more affluent immigrant communities. And because their numbers are smaller than those of Hispanics, they are trying to focus on other ways they can exert power -- through their wealth, their positions of influence in the high-tech and business communities, and their alliances with more established advocacy groups such as one for Indian physicians and an Indian political action committee.
While the immigrant marchers' demands have covered a range of issues, including allowing immigrants to gain legal status and eventually citizenship, the members of this association are more narrowly focused: They want Congress to pass measures that would end the years-long wait for a green card. In fact, they warn that efforts to enable millions of illegal immigrants to remain here permanently would result in the same bureaucratic nightmare legal immigrants are now facing.
"If you're going to reform, reform across the board," said Bharati Mandapati, who oversees content for the group, which means she has learned how to word and pitch legislative amendments.
The group has refrained from taking a stand on the fate of the undocumented workers, though it monitors chatter on its Web site to ensure that frustrated high-tech workers don't disparage lower-skilled laborers such as landscapers and restaurant workers. It also has stayed mum on raising the cap on H-1Bs, the visas that made most of their passages possible.
Under a proposal introduced by Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.), the number of employment-based green cards being issued would increase from 140,000 to 290,000. Currently, no one country is supposed to take up more than 7 percent of the allotment, though unused green cards can be redistributed to countries that have already met their quota. That has made possible migrations in excess of 7 percent from nations such as India, China, Mexico and the Philippines. Under the proposal, the per-country cap would be increased to a hard and fast 10 percent. Proponents say this would prevent one country from dominating the category and would retain jobs for native-born Americans.
But Mandapati, a California-based economist, argues that the restriction would hurt the United States because the demand for skills changes. "It just so happens that computer technology and certain technical skills are in great demand here and all over the world. It just so happens that there are two countries that have invested a lot of resources in educating people in these fields . . . India and China."
About a half-million immigrants are caught in the green-card backlog, some as they wait for Labor Department approval or because quotas have been exceeded. In that time, they cannot be promoted or given substantial pay increases because that would mean a change in job description and salary. They turn to Web sites to compare their wait times with others, and their Internet handles, such as "stucklabor" and "waiting_labor," exude their frustration.
During meetings on Capitol Hill, Maduros and at least one Immigration Voice representative lay out the group's platform, weaving in the personal stories of members. Shilpa Ghodgaonkar, a Germantown housewife, has become a staple anecdote -- and a frequent visitor on the Hill.
For four years, she and her husband have been waiting for their green cards. Ghodgaonkar's husband arrived on an H-1B visa, and she followed as his dependent, unauthorized to work here. To pass the time, she learned to cook. Then she volunteered as a career counselor in Montgomery County. Last year, she earned her MBA from George Washington University. In December, around the time Kapoor sent out his e-mail plea for mass mobilization, Ghodgaonkar had run out of options.
"I just couldn't keep quiet anymore," Ghodgaonkar said. "I cannot be depressed anymore."
She keeps a spreadsheet that lays out appointment times and the senators' offices she has visited or still plans to: Specter, Frist, Schumer, Brownback, Bingaman, Feinstein, Feingold. Wednesdays bring a weekly call with Quinn Gillespie. And every few nights, there are conference calls among Immigration Voice's core team.
Now the group plans to closely watch the debate resuming in the Senate Judiciary Committee. Earlier this month, Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kan.) proposed amendments with all of the group's provisions. Other lawmakers confirm that they are still meeting with the group to hear their concerns.
Immigration Voice leaders say the past few months have focused and politicized Indian immigrants in a way that was not apparent in the past. "There is a very 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington' quality" about the current effort, Mandapati said. "It's been a journey, a loss of naivete and getting to know about American politics."
wallpaper Anubis Bastet Egyptian Tattoo
vin13
04-02 03:21 PM
Maybe we need to make up a set of cards with priority dates for each EB category and have a parrot pick it up.
I think we may be able to predict much better that way. :D
I think we may be able to predict much better that way. :D
sujith1
06-12 08:45 PM
absolutely something fishy- Even though his english is broken there is not even a single spelling mistake in any of the words he is using. Which means he knows his words and is double checking the posts to make sure his english sounds broken.
IF whatever he is saying is true I wish him luck - else - its his time and his problem
IF whatever he is saying is true I wish him luck - else - its his time and his problem
2011 egyptian-tattoo-designs-Anubis
mugwump
10-05 11:59 AM
The Republican Party is reffered as the GOP
more...
bayarea07
09-22 02:58 PM
Can you please put a poll on top which will let us know on how many people called
Techieforever
08-11 11:11 AM
Thanks NRK is that number same on our receipt? I am sorry but can you tell me how to get a live person...
more...
chanduv23
03-09 11:30 AM
Visa Bulletin For April 2011 (http://travel.state.gov/visa/bulletin/bulletin_5368.html)
EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES
First: Priority Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required for fourth and fifth preferences.
Second: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by first preference.
Third: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide level, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences, not more than 10,000 of which to "Other Workers".
Fourth: Certain Special Immigrants: 7.1% of the worldwide level.
Fifth: Employment Creation: 7.1% of the worldwide level, not less than 3,000 of which reserved for investors in a targeted rural or high-unemployment area, and 3,000 set aside for investors in regional centers by Sec. 610 of P.L. 102-395.
4. INA Section 203(e) provides that family-sponsored and employment-based preference visas be issued to eligible immigrants in the order in which a petition in behalf of each has been filed. Section 203(d) provides that spouses and children of preference immigrants are entitled to the same status, and the same order of consideration, if accompanying or following to join the principal. The visa prorating provisions of Section 202(e) apply to allocations for a foreign state or dependent area when visa demand exceeds the per-country limit. These provisions apply at present to the following oversubscribed chargeability areas: CHINA-mainland born, INDIA, MEXICO, and PHILIPPINES.
5. On the chart below, the listing of a date for any class indicates that the class is oversubscribed (see paragraph 1); "C" means current, i.e., numbers are available for all qualified applicants; and "U" means unavailable, i.e., no numbers are available. (NOTE: Numbers are available only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below.)
Family- Sponsored All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed CHINA-mainland born INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
F1 01MAY04 01MAY04 01MAY04 15FEB93 01APR95
F2A 01APR07 01APR07 01APR07 01JUL06 01APR07
F2B 15APR03 15APR03 15APR03 15JUL92 01DEC99
F3 15MAR01 15MAR01 15MAR01 08NOV92 01JAN92
F4 01FEB00 01JAN00 01FEB00 01FEB96 08MAR88
*NOTE: For April, F2A numbers EXEMPT from per-country limit are available to applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than 01JUL06. F2A numbers SUBJECT to per-country limit are available to applicants chargeable to all countries EXCEPT MEXICO with priority dates beginning 01JUL06 and earlier than 01APR07. (All F2A numbers provided for MEXICO are exempt from the per-country limit; there are no F2A numbers for MEXICO subject to per-country limit.)
Employment- Based
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed
CHINA- mainland born INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
1st C C C C C
2nd C 22JUL06 08MAY06 C C
3rd 22JUL05 01MAR04 08APR02 08MAY04 22JUL05
Other Workers 22JUL03 22APR03 08APR02 22JUL03 22JUL03
4th C C C C C
Certain Religious Workers C C C C C
5th C C C C C
Targeted Employment Areas/ Regional Centers C C C C C
5th Pilot Programs C C C C C
The Department of State has available a recorded message with visa availability information which can be heard at: (area code 202) 663-1541. This recording will be updated in the middle of each month with information on cut-off dates for the following month.
Employment Third Preference Other Workers Category: Section 203(e) of the NACARA, as amended by Section 1(e) of Pub. L. 105-139, provides that once the Employment Third Preference Other Worker (EW) cut-off date has reached the priority date of the latest EW petition approved prior to November 19, 1997, the 10,000 EW numbers available for a fiscal year are to be reduced by up to 5,000 annually beginning in the following fiscal year. This reduction is to be made for as long as necessary to offset adjustments under the NACARA program. Since the EW cut-off date reached November 19, 1997 during Fiscal Year 2001, the reduction in the EW annual limit to 5,000 began in Fiscal Year 2002.
B. DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY
Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides a maximum of up to 55,000 immigrant visas each fiscal year to permit immigration opportunities for persons from countries other than the principal sources of current immigration to the United States. The Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulates that beginning with DV-99, and for as long as necessary, up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually-allocated diversity visas will be made available for use under the NACARA program. This reduction has resulted in the DV-2011 annual limit being reduced to 50,000. DV visas are divided among six geographic regions. No one country can receive more than seven percent of the available diversity visas in any one year.
For April, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2011 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers BELOW the specified allocation cut-off number:
Region All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately
AFRICA 35,450 Except: Egypt 27,600
Ethiopia 22,150
Nigeria 14,100
ASIA 19,250 Except:Bangladesh 18,350
EUROPE 23,200
NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) 8
OCEANIA 1,000
SOUTH AMERICA, and the CARIBBEAN 1,075
Entitlement to immigrant status in the DV category lasts only through the end of the fiscal (visa) year for which the applicant is selected in the lottery. The year of entitlement for all applicants registered for the DV-2011 program ends as of September 30, 2011. DV visas may not be issued to DV-2011 applicants after that date. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2011 principals are only entitled to derivative DV status until September 30, 2011. DV visa availability through the very end of FY-2011 cannot be taken for granted. Numbers could be exhausted prior to September 30.
C. ADVANCE NOTIFICATION OF THE DIVERSITY (DV) IMMIGRANT CATEGORY RANK
CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN MAY
For May, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2011 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers BELOW the specified allocation cut-off number:
Region All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately
AFRICA 42,000
Except: Egypt 31,200
Ethiopia 26,200
Nigeria 15,450
ASIA 23,500
EUROPE 27,800
NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) 12
OCEANIA 1,175
SOUTH AMERICA, and the CARIBBEAN 1,150
D. RETROGRESSION OF FAMILY PREFERENCE CUT-OFF DATES
Continued heavy applicant demand for numbers in the Family First (F1) preference category has required the retrogression of the Worldwide, China-mainland born, and India cut-off date for the month of April.
Further retrogressions cannot be ruled out should demand continue at the current levels for some categories and countries.
Not much good news for EB2 and EB3 India. I hope folks realize and do the lobby day seriously.
EMPLOYMENT-BASED PREFERENCES
First: Priority Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required for fourth and fifth preferences.
Second: Members of the Professions Holding Advanced Degrees or Persons of Exceptional Ability: 28.6% of the worldwide employment-based preference level, plus any numbers not required by first preference.
Third: Skilled Workers, Professionals, and Other Workers: 28.6% of the worldwide level, plus any numbers not required by first and second preferences, not more than 10,000 of which to "Other Workers".
Fourth: Certain Special Immigrants: 7.1% of the worldwide level.
Fifth: Employment Creation: 7.1% of the worldwide level, not less than 3,000 of which reserved for investors in a targeted rural or high-unemployment area, and 3,000 set aside for investors in regional centers by Sec. 610 of P.L. 102-395.
4. INA Section 203(e) provides that family-sponsored and employment-based preference visas be issued to eligible immigrants in the order in which a petition in behalf of each has been filed. Section 203(d) provides that spouses and children of preference immigrants are entitled to the same status, and the same order of consideration, if accompanying or following to join the principal. The visa prorating provisions of Section 202(e) apply to allocations for a foreign state or dependent area when visa demand exceeds the per-country limit. These provisions apply at present to the following oversubscribed chargeability areas: CHINA-mainland born, INDIA, MEXICO, and PHILIPPINES.
5. On the chart below, the listing of a date for any class indicates that the class is oversubscribed (see paragraph 1); "C" means current, i.e., numbers are available for all qualified applicants; and "U" means unavailable, i.e., no numbers are available. (NOTE: Numbers are available only for applicants whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below.)
Family- Sponsored All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed CHINA-mainland born INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
F1 01MAY04 01MAY04 01MAY04 15FEB93 01APR95
F2A 01APR07 01APR07 01APR07 01JUL06 01APR07
F2B 15APR03 15APR03 15APR03 15JUL92 01DEC99
F3 15MAR01 15MAR01 15MAR01 08NOV92 01JAN92
F4 01FEB00 01JAN00 01FEB00 01FEB96 08MAR88
*NOTE: For April, F2A numbers EXEMPT from per-country limit are available to applicants from all countries with priority dates earlier than 01JUL06. F2A numbers SUBJECT to per-country limit are available to applicants chargeable to all countries EXCEPT MEXICO with priority dates beginning 01JUL06 and earlier than 01APR07. (All F2A numbers provided for MEXICO are exempt from the per-country limit; there are no F2A numbers for MEXICO subject to per-country limit.)
Employment- Based
All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed
CHINA- mainland born INDIA MEXICO PHILIPPINES
1st C C C C C
2nd C 22JUL06 08MAY06 C C
3rd 22JUL05 01MAR04 08APR02 08MAY04 22JUL05
Other Workers 22JUL03 22APR03 08APR02 22JUL03 22JUL03
4th C C C C C
Certain Religious Workers C C C C C
5th C C C C C
Targeted Employment Areas/ Regional Centers C C C C C
5th Pilot Programs C C C C C
The Department of State has available a recorded message with visa availability information which can be heard at: (area code 202) 663-1541. This recording will be updated in the middle of each month with information on cut-off dates for the following month.
Employment Third Preference Other Workers Category: Section 203(e) of the NACARA, as amended by Section 1(e) of Pub. L. 105-139, provides that once the Employment Third Preference Other Worker (EW) cut-off date has reached the priority date of the latest EW petition approved prior to November 19, 1997, the 10,000 EW numbers available for a fiscal year are to be reduced by up to 5,000 annually beginning in the following fiscal year. This reduction is to be made for as long as necessary to offset adjustments under the NACARA program. Since the EW cut-off date reached November 19, 1997 during Fiscal Year 2001, the reduction in the EW annual limit to 5,000 began in Fiscal Year 2002.
B. DIVERSITY IMMIGRANT (DV) CATEGORY
Section 203(c) of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides a maximum of up to 55,000 immigrant visas each fiscal year to permit immigration opportunities for persons from countries other than the principal sources of current immigration to the United States. The Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act (NACARA) passed by Congress in November 1997 stipulates that beginning with DV-99, and for as long as necessary, up to 5,000 of the 55,000 annually-allocated diversity visas will be made available for use under the NACARA program. This reduction has resulted in the DV-2011 annual limit being reduced to 50,000. DV visas are divided among six geographic regions. No one country can receive more than seven percent of the available diversity visas in any one year.
For April, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2011 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers BELOW the specified allocation cut-off number:
Region All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately
AFRICA 35,450 Except: Egypt 27,600
Ethiopia 22,150
Nigeria 14,100
ASIA 19,250 Except:Bangladesh 18,350
EUROPE 23,200
NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) 8
OCEANIA 1,000
SOUTH AMERICA, and the CARIBBEAN 1,075
Entitlement to immigrant status in the DV category lasts only through the end of the fiscal (visa) year for which the applicant is selected in the lottery. The year of entitlement for all applicants registered for the DV-2011 program ends as of September 30, 2011. DV visas may not be issued to DV-2011 applicants after that date. Similarly, spouses and children accompanying or following to join DV-2011 principals are only entitled to derivative DV status until September 30, 2011. DV visa availability through the very end of FY-2011 cannot be taken for granted. Numbers could be exhausted prior to September 30.
C. ADVANCE NOTIFICATION OF THE DIVERSITY (DV) IMMIGRANT CATEGORY RANK
CUT-OFFS WHICH WILL APPLY IN MAY
For May, immigrant numbers in the DV category are available to qualified DV-2011 applicants chargeable to all regions/eligible countries as follows. When an allocation cut-off number is shown, visas are available only for applicants with DV regional lottery rank numbers BELOW the specified allocation cut-off number:
Region All DV Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed Separately
AFRICA 42,000
Except: Egypt 31,200
Ethiopia 26,200
Nigeria 15,450
ASIA 23,500
EUROPE 27,800
NORTH AMERICA (BAHAMAS) 12
OCEANIA 1,175
SOUTH AMERICA, and the CARIBBEAN 1,150
D. RETROGRESSION OF FAMILY PREFERENCE CUT-OFF DATES
Continued heavy applicant demand for numbers in the Family First (F1) preference category has required the retrogression of the Worldwide, China-mainland born, and India cut-off date for the month of April.
Further retrogressions cannot be ruled out should demand continue at the current levels for some categories and countries.
Not much good news for EB2 and EB3 India. I hope folks realize and do the lobby day seriously.
2010 anubis tattoo. ink. anubis
gcisadawg
02-23 02:56 PM
And who is complaining about all of this?
It is gcisaDAWG :D
That is a good one! :D
But read my post right after that!
It is gcisaDAWG :D
That is a good one! :D
But read my post right after that!
more...
Macaca
08-13 10:33 PM
Good job Macaca. Just one thing though, it looks like 1M includes all pending AOS and not just EB. Please see http://www.dhs.gov/xlibrary/assets/cisomb_annualrpt07__June_11_2007_section3b_backlog s.pdf
According to Ombudsman's report,
Pending cases = EB + Family + Refugee + Asylum + ... = Backlogged cases + Unripe cases = 1,275,795 (page 11) + 1,316,740 (Figure 1, page 14) = 2,592,535 (as of March 2007)
I am approximating 1M to be EB based, 1.5M to be family based and 92,535 to be asylum + refugee (which is a lot).
According to Ombudsman's report,
Pending cases = EB + Family + Refugee + Asylum + ... = Backlogged cases + Unripe cases = 1,275,795 (page 11) + 1,316,740 (Figure 1, page 14) = 2,592,535 (as of March 2007)
I am approximating 1M to be EB based, 1.5M to be family based and 92,535 to be asylum + refugee (which is a lot).
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a1b2c3
01-13 01:55 PM
Slow and steady is good in contrast to arbitrary, jerky movements, suddenly forward and then suddenly backward into the ice age, which does only harm and no good to anyone. Like they did it in July 07 and then closed down the gates.
I'm hoping EB2-I marches right into 2005.
Hopefully, EB3-I will also see forward movements well into 2002. Let's keep all our fingers crossed.
I'm hoping EB2-I marches right into 2005.
Hopefully, EB3-I will also see forward movements well into 2002. Let's keep all our fingers crossed.
more...
prabasiodia
07-15 02:44 PM
1. Recapture unused visas identified by USCIS Ombudsman
2. Remove spouse and children from the numerical limit
3. Either remove country wise (diversity) quota or increase it to some respectable limits that adheres to true representation based on population and the country’s immigration quotient.
4. What about automatic GC, say after 8 or 9 or 10 years in H1/L1 status?
5. Last of all, all the recaptured numbers should go to the persons based on the very first Port Of Entry date with continuous status. It doesn’t matter whether you came on F1 went to H1 then H4. The very first POE date should rule and people that have been languishing for years should get a reprieve. It’ll only be fair that a person that came on 1999 on whatever category gets a visa first than a late comer in 2005. PD is illogical since many of us had to change jobs and do what not and start afresh and still saw no light at the end of the tunnel.
2. Remove spouse and children from the numerical limit
3. Either remove country wise (diversity) quota or increase it to some respectable limits that adheres to true representation based on population and the country’s immigration quotient.
4. What about automatic GC, say after 8 or 9 or 10 years in H1/L1 status?
5. Last of all, all the recaptured numbers should go to the persons based on the very first Port Of Entry date with continuous status. It doesn’t matter whether you came on F1 went to H1 then H4. The very first POE date should rule and people that have been languishing for years should get a reprieve. It’ll only be fair that a person that came on 1999 on whatever category gets a visa first than a late comer in 2005. PD is illogical since many of us had to change jobs and do what not and start afresh and still saw no light at the end of the tunnel.
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chanduv23
08-04 09:33 AM
I dont think USCIS is thinking that way. They are just picking a stack of application ( mix of all EB1 2 3 for all nationalities) and validating the applications to see if anything is missing or if there are potential reasons to deny it. If they can deny it they will do it promptly and that is one less case to be shown as pending. If they need additional info they will issue RFE and get updates. If they feel satisfied they can pre-adjudicate application and claim that count in their yearly review as acheivement.
Preadjudication is done to maximize visa utilization and avoid rapid movement of dates. DOS moved dates in July 2007 to maximize visa utilization keeping CP applicants in mind, but did not have a count of AOS applicants.
But the fact with EB is most applicants are AOS as compared to CP.
By preadjudicating they are able to have a count upfront to hit the CPO trigger.
Now when your dates become current, the officer may want to review your situation again or may not - this is pure speculation and is a possibility.
Preadjudication is done to maximize visa utilization and avoid rapid movement of dates. DOS moved dates in July 2007 to maximize visa utilization keeping CP applicants in mind, but did not have a count of AOS applicants.
But the fact with EB is most applicants are AOS as compared to CP.
By preadjudicating they are able to have a count upfront to hit the CPO trigger.
Now when your dates become current, the officer may want to review your situation again or may not - this is pure speculation and is a possibility.
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chanduv23
05-13 02:02 PM
chandu, would u mind sharing what the company u are working or worked for? so that we wont be facing hte same in the future
It was SPL Worldgroup (www.splwg.com) (now merged into Oracle Corp) . I guess Oracle may have better HR practices so u don't have to worry.
It was SPL Worldgroup (www.splwg.com) (now merged into Oracle Corp) . I guess Oracle may have better HR practices so u don't have to worry.
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himu73
07-06 11:45 AM
I believe any efforts to make USICIS accept all applications can be couter productive. You can have some people getting stuck for sure for many years before they get their green cards. also since new fees kick in on July 30th, you will have to pay for the EAD,AP.
The law-suit can benefit only a few of us, so why is IV behind this.
Can the core members comment on this.
I tihnk all these efforts do not define a common cause right now.
How do you define "All effected"?
The law-suit can benefit only a few of us, so why is IV behind this.
Can the core members comment on this.
I tihnk all these efforts do not define a common cause right now.
How do you define "All effected"?
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chiraj
07-17 05:10 PM
Why you did not quote? please quote here . common man knows you can not get whole life for $100/m for 1million even in 30s...
Can you tell me few web sites to get a quote for Whole Life insurance?
Which Insurance companies are best for Whole Life Insurance?
Thanks
Can you tell me few web sites to get a quote for Whole Life insurance?
Which Insurance companies are best for Whole Life Insurance?
Thanks
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schrodinger
08-10 11:13 PM
This is def not right...I checked out the 'News' section (see link below) on the website which published the bulletin...how come they have published only the Sept bulletin and NOT any other month's bulletin....
Pederson Immigration Law Group, P.C. - News (http://www.usvisainfo.com/content/category/1/1/31/)
Pederson Immigration Law Group, P.C. - News (http://www.usvisainfo.com/content/category/1/1/31/)
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de2002
04-07 05:28 PM
Now people start predicting the date of visa bulletin coming instead of visa bulletin dates.
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styrum
02-08 11:55 AM
Who said the position must be in zone V only to qualify for EB2?
For the position to be qualified for EB2 it must require MS. For position requirements to be considered "normal", they must fit into the respective zone in terms of SVP level. As I learned from my bitter experience, though offficially for a PERM to be approved the requirements don't have to be "normal" (if they are not, you just need to supply the "business neccessity" letter), it looks like the current PERM's software just doesn't have such possibility "in mind" and automatically denies the application if the total education plus experience requirements exceed the SVP level for the zone corresponding to the position. You will get a denial notice which will blatantly claim something like "By answering YES to question H-12 you have attested that the requirements are normal, but the total SVP level exceeds the normal level for this position..." even if you have answered NO to that damn question! Therefore I don't recommend to exceed "normal" SVP level for the corresponding position code.
However, if a suitable code falls under zone IV, nobody (except for emplyer himself maybe) can prevent the employer to require, say, MS plus 2 yrs of experience. And it is within "normal" SVP level for zone IV, and it does qualify for EB2 (because it requires MS).
For the position to be qualified for EB2 it must require MS. For position requirements to be considered "normal", they must fit into the respective zone in terms of SVP level. As I learned from my bitter experience, though offficially for a PERM to be approved the requirements don't have to be "normal" (if they are not, you just need to supply the "business neccessity" letter), it looks like the current PERM's software just doesn't have such possibility "in mind" and automatically denies the application if the total education plus experience requirements exceed the SVP level for the zone corresponding to the position. You will get a denial notice which will blatantly claim something like "By answering YES to question H-12 you have attested that the requirements are normal, but the total SVP level exceeds the normal level for this position..." even if you have answered NO to that damn question! Therefore I don't recommend to exceed "normal" SVP level for the corresponding position code.
However, if a suitable code falls under zone IV, nobody (except for emplyer himself maybe) can prevent the employer to require, say, MS plus 2 yrs of experience. And it is within "normal" SVP level for zone IV, and it does qualify for EB2 (because it requires MS).
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amitjoey
05-14 04:04 PM
This thread is still relevant even after today's VB and even for folks with PD<Jun2003 so just /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ up :)
We need the funds and the media attention now, more than ever before.
We need the funds and the media attention now, more than ever before.
Humhongekamyab
01-15 03:04 PM
whome do you want to kill buddy?
No one. Just want to exercise my right to bear arm under Constitution's Second Amendment :p.
No one. Just want to exercise my right to bear arm under Constitution's Second Amendment :p.
GC4US
06-28 05:57 PM
u have to presnt Exp letters for the term of experience mentioned in labor Cert...
if its BS+2 yrs..u shud be producing Exp letters for 2 years...
Thank you guys,
Even if it's EB3? Eb3 requires only Bachelor, without any experinece, am I wrong?
Only Eb2+ 5 years of progressive work experience requires all the employment letters throughtout the 5 years. Am I accurate?
Thank you again for your help.
if its BS+2 yrs..u shud be producing Exp letters for 2 years...
Thank you guys,
Even if it's EB3? Eb3 requires only Bachelor, without any experinece, am I wrong?
Only Eb2+ 5 years of progressive work experience requires all the employment letters throughtout the 5 years. Am I accurate?
Thank you again for your help.