The U.S. consulate in London has posted a new comprehensive set of procedures for applying for E-1 and E-2 visas on its web site. The UK produced the largest number of E2 investors in the past several years and we can see the results with huge backlog at the Embassy…
H1B season is coming up, I am already feeling the pressure. Clients, employers and employees are calling and are anxious to start the process. USCIS in anticipation of the filing madness issue some tips for you to follow: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), anticipating that April 1, 2008 will…
The H1B season is certainly here, USCIS announced that effective January 30, 2008, certain cap exempt H-1B petitions should be filed with the California Service Center, where they will be processed by a dedicated unit. It seems that the government is getting ready for the massive filing attack due on…
I read an interesting article on Informationweek.com regarding the Tech Skill shortage in the US. The fact is that we do have a shortage of qualified skilled tech workers whether you like it or not. How do I know that for a fact? Well maybe due to the fact that…
We just received breaking news from USCIS that the H2B CAP for the second half of 2008 has been reached. USCIS is hereby notifying the public that January 2, 2008 is the “final receipt date” for new H-2B worker petitions requesting employment start dates prior to October 1, 2008. The…
To stress the problems that high–tech workers face getting green cards and work visas like the H1B visa, all members of Congress now have “blue cards.” The Compete America coalition has been distributing the cards to lawmakers during meetings, one of several industry lobbying efforts on competitiveness issues in the…
The California Service Center has informed AILA-CSC Liaison that it has changed its policy with respect to certain forms of concurrent H-1B employment. In the past, the CSC would approve an H-1B petition for concurrent employment that is cap-subject if the alien was the beneficiary of an approved H-1B petition…
California farmers wait for comprehensive immigration reform and prepare for work in the fields. The Associated Press reported that some Oregon farmers contend the U.S. government’s decision to place National Guard troops along the Mexican border is contributing to a shortage of workers to pick their ripe fruit. The stepped…
Recently the Department of Labor announced that the permanent foreign labor certification program’s backlog has been eliminated, with nearly 95 percent of cases completed and the rest awaiting responses from employers. The BECs have begun a transition and shutdown phase that will continue through December. I can say that this…
Every year I hear the same complaints from our farmer clients, there are just not enough workers in this country to keep with the demand. What choice do they have but to hire illegal workers. According to the Department of Labor’s National Agricultural Workers Survey, 53 percent of the hired…