DSLStart
03-11 11:50 AM
I have no issues with SBI, transferred last month.....always the best for me in terms of every thing......
tyr logging into your account and see if you get that message now.
tyr logging into your account and see if you get that message now.
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srarao
07-23 12:22 PM
Fedex receipt.
kum31
10-04 12:10 PM
Thanks for your response ...
contract is between prime vendor and middle vendor and my employer ... middle vendor made a contract with prime saying that i am on his W2 which is not right. prime vendor has a clause in their agreement that he can work with my employer directly if i am not a w2 of middle vendor.
so now middle vendor is saying that he will sue me along with my emplyer , prime vendor bcoz we surpassed him and created a new contract between my employer and prime vendor. I know it sounds ridiculous that middle vendor is trying to sue me but i want to make sure if there is any way he can stop me ? or sue me ?
Hope it is clear for you ....
contract is between prime vendor and middle vendor and my employer ... middle vendor made a contract with prime saying that i am on his W2 which is not right. prime vendor has a clause in their agreement that he can work with my employer directly if i am not a w2 of middle vendor.
so now middle vendor is saying that he will sue me along with my emplyer , prime vendor bcoz we surpassed him and created a new contract between my employer and prime vendor. I know it sounds ridiculous that middle vendor is trying to sue me but i want to make sure if there is any way he can stop me ? or sue me ?
Hope it is clear for you ....
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logiclife
03-22 04:34 PM
Loss of country soft cap quota is intended and not an error. The hard cap ensures that the newly created EB 5 applicants get all the usused visas and to keep EB 5 well-supplied, the numbers are being drained from EB 1, 2 and 3.
All our employers have to know this. The kind of employers who pushed for more greencards for EB1, 2 and 3 during S 1932 have to know this. Please circulate this to your employer, other recruitors/employers who want to have more access to foriegn born employees in high-skills area.
Hard cap has flown below the radar and its our job to spread awareness. Send the PDF file(on homepage) to all the people you know.
The worst case scenario is that with the hard cap, if the good things are elimination in the conference committ.(Very likely) then we will be worse off than we were last year. we will all get greencard on or around the graduation day our our children's high school and we will be driving hydrogen fuel-cell cars by that time.
All our employers have to know this. The kind of employers who pushed for more greencards for EB1, 2 and 3 during S 1932 have to know this. Please circulate this to your employer, other recruitors/employers who want to have more access to foriegn born employees in high-skills area.
Hard cap has flown below the radar and its our job to spread awareness. Send the PDF file(on homepage) to all the people you know.
The worst case scenario is that with the hard cap, if the good things are elimination in the conference committ.(Very likely) then we will be worse off than we were last year. we will all get greencard on or around the graduation day our our children's high school and we will be driving hydrogen fuel-cell cars by that time.
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ssa
08-03 01:40 PM
Done :)
SL%%
06-30 08:06 AM
Just wondering, this is my case below and it has been this way since 07, does it have the same meaning as above or pretty much nothing?
================================================== ========
Receipt Number: LINXXXXXXXX
Application Type: I485, APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS
Current Status: Case received and pending.
On MONTH DATE, YEAR, we received this I485 APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS, and mailed you a notice describing how we will process your case. Please follow any instructions on this notice. We will notify you by mail when we make a decision or if we need something from you. If you move while this case is pending, call customer service. We process cases in the order we receive them. You can use our processing dates to estimate when yours will be done. This case is at our NEBRASKA SERVICE CENTER location. Follow the link below to check processing dates. You can also receive automatic e-mail updates as we process your case. Just follow the link below to register.
================================================== ========
================================================== ========
Receipt Number: LINXXXXXXXX
Application Type: I485, APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS
Current Status: Case received and pending.
On MONTH DATE, YEAR, we received this I485 APPLICATION TO REGISTER PERMANENT RESIDENCE OR TO ADJUST STATUS, and mailed you a notice describing how we will process your case. Please follow any instructions on this notice. We will notify you by mail when we make a decision or if we need something from you. If you move while this case is pending, call customer service. We process cases in the order we receive them. You can use our processing dates to estimate when yours will be done. This case is at our NEBRASKA SERVICE CENTER location. Follow the link below to check processing dates. You can also receive automatic e-mail updates as we process your case. Just follow the link below to register.
================================================== ========
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loveiv
06-06 12:24 PM
Lot of people just say if u want to complaint about your employer who is exploiting go to DOL. There is no specific guidance to it. If anyone knows about it or done in the past please post the links here. How to know the blacklisted company and how to add a company as blacklisted.
Following are the most common criteria I heard
1) Employer did not ran the pay check even though he/she worked for that employer
2) Employer Deducts money for H1B filing, bench period etc.,etc.,
3) Employer Deducts money for GC lawyer and application expenses but did not provide information about lawyer or any progress of GC or partially information of GC.. (I heard from my friends company they filed around 80 people on July 2007 and collected money for lawyer expense but they did not had any lawyer)
4) Deducting money for Bench period in advance...
Good job.
Following are the most common criteria I heard
1) Employer did not ran the pay check even though he/she worked for that employer
2) Employer Deducts money for H1B filing, bench period etc.,etc.,
3) Employer Deducts money for GC lawyer and application expenses but did not provide information about lawyer or any progress of GC or partially information of GC.. (I heard from my friends company they filed around 80 people on July 2007 and collected money for lawyer expense but they did not had any lawyer)
4) Deducting money for Bench period in advance...
Good job.
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vin13
03-09 05:18 PM
Hi,
Me and My friend developed a product, which is ready to launch. The product is very good and two fortune 500companies are willing to implement the product and back us up.
Now my problem is I am on H1B working fulltime with a company and also have an EAD. At this moment I cannot leave my fulltime job. My question is , if I can be a partner with my friend in the new company we are forming( My friend is a US citizen), also will I be able to get paid ( as the developement of the product drained my pocket, this was the hope and I think we are close to reap the hardwork) . Also my wife is also on EAD , can she be the partner? Will there be any issue if I can do that.
Please help!!
As a H1-B employee, if you are a partner to the company, you can take profits. but you cannot take salary as a employee. For example, you could be a 50% partner for profits. But your friend(US Citizen) can be the working partner who actually signs all the checks and contracts etc.
Best would be to make your wife who is on EAD to be the partner. She can be an employee and a partner. More flexibility. I do not see any issue.
Me and My friend developed a product, which is ready to launch. The product is very good and two fortune 500companies are willing to implement the product and back us up.
Now my problem is I am on H1B working fulltime with a company and also have an EAD. At this moment I cannot leave my fulltime job. My question is , if I can be a partner with my friend in the new company we are forming( My friend is a US citizen), also will I be able to get paid ( as the developement of the product drained my pocket, this was the hope and I think we are close to reap the hardwork) . Also my wife is also on EAD , can she be the partner? Will there be any issue if I can do that.
Please help!!
As a H1-B employee, if you are a partner to the company, you can take profits. but you cannot take salary as a employee. For example, you could be a 50% partner for profits. But your friend(US Citizen) can be the working partner who actually signs all the checks and contracts etc.
Best would be to make your wife who is on EAD to be the partner. She can be an employee and a partner. More flexibility. I do not see any issue.
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SeanDell
06-01 02:33 PM
Search for "six-month rule", in "trave.state.gov"
If you tell me which country passport you hold, I could tell whether you are exempt from this 6-month-rule or not.
And yes, I mean official requirement for "entry".
How you think H1B documentation will act as a proof of "permanent residence" intention?
Hi Morchu,
I searched travel.state.gov with 'six-month rule', but couldn't come up with anything specific to this. Can you please post me the link? And I have an Indian Passport.
Ok, so how can one prove his intention at the POE for GC?
....would appreciate your reply.
If you tell me which country passport you hold, I could tell whether you are exempt from this 6-month-rule or not.
And yes, I mean official requirement for "entry".
How you think H1B documentation will act as a proof of "permanent residence" intention?
Hi Morchu,
I searched travel.state.gov with 'six-month rule', but couldn't come up with anything specific to this. Can you please post me the link? And I have an Indian Passport.
Ok, so how can one prove his intention at the POE for GC?
....would appreciate your reply.
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STAmisha
08-13 08:58 PM
Can people convert LC pending in BEC to PERM? If So, how safe it is and how much time it takes totally.
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canmt
11-15 01:48 PM
If any established school can prove to USCIS that they have a open position for which the candidate is a great fit and that they are unable to find a qualified teacher in the US (Citizen or Resident) for the same position. Then they can apply for a H1B.
I hope this helps and good luck on your H1B.
I hope this helps and good luck on your H1B.
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reedandbamboo
09-14 10:37 AM
Till now EB2 India has much to cover till 2006 and then it will move fast. Also it seems very few People actually filed for EB2 after 2006 knowing the wait. Though we have aroun 24000 Perm for India (EB2/EB3) combined for 2007. Needless to say that USCIS data is very much required for Predicting Priority dates accurately
OR,
it could be because 2007 & 2008 folks, not having waited as long as the pre-2007 folks, haven't had as much cause to seek reprieve..
OR,
it could be because 2007 & 2008 folks, not having waited as long as the pre-2007 folks, haven't had as much cause to seek reprieve..
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venky08
06-22 03:01 PM
there is no rule that says your spouse must have your last name. it is just your personal preference. (i am talking from the prespective of immigration application)
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nc14
10-05 01:16 PM
Way to go Pappu and IV.
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masti_Gai
01-05 08:02 AM
No one can make a decision for ya... based on the historical data, both EB2 & EB3 are doing bad especially in regards to your PD. So just flip a coin or think of your favorite God and make a decision. You have no other choice.
If we make your choice and if thingz didn't work out you'll surely blame us.. won't ya???:)
If we make your choice and if thingz didn't work out you'll surely blame us.. won't ya???:)
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uffyegc
10-16 02:51 PM
Hi,
My friend is in a unique situation and needs help. Please guide him with his queries.
**************************************************
I'm in USA on H1B since Apr-17-2004 with out any break. I'll complete my 6 year stay in USA H1B by Apr-16-2010.
My current H1B & I-94 extension was applied on Jun-06-2008 (applied in a group) and approved till May-01-2011.
My GC labor was applied on May-29-2008 and approved on Oct-11-2008. But..
We didn't specify about GC labor on H1B/I-94 extension petition.
My GC I-140 was appilied on Nov-12-2008 and approved on Apr-20-2009.
Can you please suggest when should I apply for my next H1B & I-94 extensions (based on 'Apr-16-2010' OR 'May-01-2011') ?
************************************************** *********
My friend is in a unique situation and needs help. Please guide him with his queries.
**************************************************
I'm in USA on H1B since Apr-17-2004 with out any break. I'll complete my 6 year stay in USA H1B by Apr-16-2010.
My current H1B & I-94 extension was applied on Jun-06-2008 (applied in a group) and approved till May-01-2011.
My GC labor was applied on May-29-2008 and approved on Oct-11-2008. But..
We didn't specify about GC labor on H1B/I-94 extension petition.
My GC I-140 was appilied on Nov-12-2008 and approved on Apr-20-2009.
Can you please suggest when should I apply for my next H1B & I-94 extensions (based on 'Apr-16-2010' OR 'May-01-2011') ?
************************************************** *********
more...
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drirshad
03-13 04:31 PM
03/13/2009: Senate Bill, S. 577 to Punish Immigration Sharks Defrauding and Victimizing Immigrants and Related Parties
Senate Dianne Feinstine from California, cosponsored by Senator Ted Kennedy, introduced this bill in the Senate yesterday. The full text of the bill is as follows:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Immigration Fraud Prevention Act of 2009''.
SEC. 2. SCHEMES TO DEFRAUD ALIENS.
(a) Amendments to Title 18.--
(1) IN GENERAL.--Chapter 47 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:``�1041. Schemes to defraud aliens
``(a) In General.--Any person who willfully and knowingly executes a scheme or artifice, in connection with any matter that is authorized by or arises under Federal immigration laws or any matter the offender willfully and knowingly claims or represents is authorized by or arises under Federal immigration laws, to--
``(1) defraud any person; or
``(2) obtain or receive money or anything else of value from any person by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, promises, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
Here is the background for this bill: The Immigration Fraud Prevention Act would prevent and punish fraud and misrepresentation in the context of immigration proceedings. The act would create a new Federal crime to penalize those who engage in schemes to defraud aliens in connection with Federal immigration laws. Specifically, the act would make it a Federal crime to wilfully and knowingly defraud or obtain or receive money or anything else of value from any person by false or fraudulent pretences, representations, or promises; and to wilfully, knowingly, and falsely represent that an individual is an attorney or accredited representative in any matter arising under Federal immigration law. Violations of these crimes would result in a fine, imprisonment of not more than 5 years, or both. The bill would also authorize the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to use task forces currently in existence to detect and investigate individuals who are in violation of the immigration fraud crimes as created by the bill. The act would also work to prevent immigration fraud by requiring that Immigration Judges issue warnings about unauthorized practice of immigration law to immigrants in removal proceedings, similar to the current law that requires notification of pro bono legal services to these immigrants; requiring the Attorney General to provide outreach to the immigrant community to help prevent fraud; providing that any materials used to carry out notification on immigration law fraud is done in the appropriate language for that community; and requiring the distribution of the disciplinary list of individuals not authorized to appear before the immigration courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals, BIA, currently maintained by the Executive Office of Immigration Review, EOIR. Unfortunately, the need for Federal action to prevent and prosecute immigration fraud has escalated in recent years as citizens and non-citizens attempt to navigate the immigration legal system. Thus far, only States have sought to regulate the unauthorized practice of immigration law. Since immigration law is a federal matter, I believe the solution to such misrepresentation and fraud should be addressed by Congress. By enacting this bill, Congress would help prevent more victims like Vincent Smith, a Mexican national who has resided in California since 1975. His wife is an American citizen, and they live with their 6 U.S. citizen children in Palmdale, CA. Mr. Smith would likely have received a green card at least two different times during his stay in California. However, in attempting to get legal counsel, Mr. Smith hired someone whom he thought was an attorney, but was not. As a result, Mr. Smith was charged more than $10,000 for processing his immigration paperwork, which was never filed. Mr. Smith now has no legal status and faces removal proceedings. Another victim of immigration fraud is Raul, a Mexican national, who came to the United States in 2000. He also married a U.S. citizen, Loraina, making him eligible to apply for a green card. Raul and his wife went to Jose for legal help. Jose's business card said he had a ``law office'' and that he was an ``immigration specialist.'' But Jose was not a specialist and charged Raul $4,000 to file a frivolous asylum petition. While Raul thought he was going to receive a green card, he was instead placed into removal proceedings. From California to New York, there are hundreds of stories like these. Many immigrants are preyed on because of their fears--others on their hope of realizing the American dream. They are charged exorbitant fees for the filing of frivolous paperwork that clog our immigration courts and keep families and businesses waiting in limbo for years. Law enforcement officials say that many fraudulent ``immigration specialists'' close their businesses or move on to another part of the state or country before they can be held accountable. They can make $100,000 to $200,000 a year and the few who have been caught rarely serve more than a few months in jail. Often victims of such crimes are deported, sending them back to their home countries without accountability for the perpetrator of the fraud. Most recently, hundreds of immigrants were exploited by Victor M. Espinal, who was arrested for allegedly posing as an immigration attorney. Nearly 125 of Mr. Espinal's clients attended the New York City Bar Association's free clinic to address their legal and immigration options. According to prosecutors, Mr. Espinal falsely claimed on his business cards that he was licensed and admitted to the California bar as well as the bar in the Dominican Republic. Organizations such as the Los Angeles Country Bar Association, National Immigration Forum, American Immigration Lawyers Association, and American Bar Association have been documenting this exploitation for many years.
Senate Dianne Feinstine from California, cosponsored by Senator Ted Kennedy, introduced this bill in the Senate yesterday. The full text of the bill is as follows:
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Immigration Fraud Prevention Act of 2009''.
SEC. 2. SCHEMES TO DEFRAUD ALIENS.
(a) Amendments to Title 18.--
(1) IN GENERAL.--Chapter 47 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new section:``�1041. Schemes to defraud aliens
``(a) In General.--Any person who willfully and knowingly executes a scheme or artifice, in connection with any matter that is authorized by or arises under Federal immigration laws or any matter the offender willfully and knowingly claims or represents is authorized by or arises under Federal immigration laws, to--
``(1) defraud any person; or
``(2) obtain or receive money or anything else of value from any person by means of false or fraudulent pretenses, representations, promises, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.
Here is the background for this bill: The Immigration Fraud Prevention Act would prevent and punish fraud and misrepresentation in the context of immigration proceedings. The act would create a new Federal crime to penalize those who engage in schemes to defraud aliens in connection with Federal immigration laws. Specifically, the act would make it a Federal crime to wilfully and knowingly defraud or obtain or receive money or anything else of value from any person by false or fraudulent pretences, representations, or promises; and to wilfully, knowingly, and falsely represent that an individual is an attorney or accredited representative in any matter arising under Federal immigration law. Violations of these crimes would result in a fine, imprisonment of not more than 5 years, or both. The bill would also authorize the Attorney General and the Secretary of Homeland Security to use task forces currently in existence to detect and investigate individuals who are in violation of the immigration fraud crimes as created by the bill. The act would also work to prevent immigration fraud by requiring that Immigration Judges issue warnings about unauthorized practice of immigration law to immigrants in removal proceedings, similar to the current law that requires notification of pro bono legal services to these immigrants; requiring the Attorney General to provide outreach to the immigrant community to help prevent fraud; providing that any materials used to carry out notification on immigration law fraud is done in the appropriate language for that community; and requiring the distribution of the disciplinary list of individuals not authorized to appear before the immigration courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals, BIA, currently maintained by the Executive Office of Immigration Review, EOIR. Unfortunately, the need for Federal action to prevent and prosecute immigration fraud has escalated in recent years as citizens and non-citizens attempt to navigate the immigration legal system. Thus far, only States have sought to regulate the unauthorized practice of immigration law. Since immigration law is a federal matter, I believe the solution to such misrepresentation and fraud should be addressed by Congress. By enacting this bill, Congress would help prevent more victims like Vincent Smith, a Mexican national who has resided in California since 1975. His wife is an American citizen, and they live with their 6 U.S. citizen children in Palmdale, CA. Mr. Smith would likely have received a green card at least two different times during his stay in California. However, in attempting to get legal counsel, Mr. Smith hired someone whom he thought was an attorney, but was not. As a result, Mr. Smith was charged more than $10,000 for processing his immigration paperwork, which was never filed. Mr. Smith now has no legal status and faces removal proceedings. Another victim of immigration fraud is Raul, a Mexican national, who came to the United States in 2000. He also married a U.S. citizen, Loraina, making him eligible to apply for a green card. Raul and his wife went to Jose for legal help. Jose's business card said he had a ``law office'' and that he was an ``immigration specialist.'' But Jose was not a specialist and charged Raul $4,000 to file a frivolous asylum petition. While Raul thought he was going to receive a green card, he was instead placed into removal proceedings. From California to New York, there are hundreds of stories like these. Many immigrants are preyed on because of their fears--others on their hope of realizing the American dream. They are charged exorbitant fees for the filing of frivolous paperwork that clog our immigration courts and keep families and businesses waiting in limbo for years. Law enforcement officials say that many fraudulent ``immigration specialists'' close their businesses or move on to another part of the state or country before they can be held accountable. They can make $100,000 to $200,000 a year and the few who have been caught rarely serve more than a few months in jail. Often victims of such crimes are deported, sending them back to their home countries without accountability for the perpetrator of the fraud. Most recently, hundreds of immigrants were exploited by Victor M. Espinal, who was arrested for allegedly posing as an immigration attorney. Nearly 125 of Mr. Espinal's clients attended the New York City Bar Association's free clinic to address their legal and immigration options. According to prosecutors, Mr. Espinal falsely claimed on his business cards that he was licensed and admitted to the California bar as well as the bar in the Dominican Republic. Organizations such as the Los Angeles Country Bar Association, National Immigration Forum, American Immigration Lawyers Association, and American Bar Association have been documenting this exploitation for many years.
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senk1s
10-26 09:41 AM
if you have time (like vacation, travel out of US ...) available "recapture" them
You probably would have started work in Oct
And you cannot extended H1 beyond 6 yrs because your labor PD is less than a year
You probably would have started work in Oct
And you cannot extended H1 beyond 6 yrs because your labor PD is less than a year
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kshitijnt
05-28 03:05 PM
Despite increase in visa fees the service is getting poorer and poorer. The US consulate in India has from long time set a arbitrary exchange rate of 54 USD. Despite this and even after having approved petitions, etc, people are getting PIMS verifications, 221(g) etc for no reason. Not to mention the consulate appearance is mandatory and many travel to the location of the consulate.
Despite charging boat loads of money, service is being denied or unreasonably delayed to most genuine cases as well. No body is questioning them on customer satisfaction etc.
I filed my 485 under new fees filing structure. Although it looked like expensive upfront cost, I don't pay a dime for my EAD/AP renewals and I am thinking of giving up my H1 when it expires later this year. Why pay them more when you dont have to? and put ourselves through, travel to consulates, additional questions, & 221(g) & PIMS crap?
This year Mumbai consulate took 3 months to process my wife's case , putting it under 221(g) and by the time they had finished processing , we were back in US on AP. Good riddance to the consulate.
Despite charging boat loads of money, service is being denied or unreasonably delayed to most genuine cases as well. No body is questioning them on customer satisfaction etc.
I filed my 485 under new fees filing structure. Although it looked like expensive upfront cost, I don't pay a dime for my EAD/AP renewals and I am thinking of giving up my H1 when it expires later this year. Why pay them more when you dont have to? and put ourselves through, travel to consulates, additional questions, & 221(g) & PIMS crap?
This year Mumbai consulate took 3 months to process my wife's case , putting it under 221(g) and by the time they had finished processing , we were back in US on AP. Good riddance to the consulate.
flex
10-02 02:43 PM
Oh. What game project?
jags_e
08-30 02:58 PM
There is a main article on the reverse brain drain in EE Times and it mentions the IV's September 18 rally too.
The link is http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=314X3PTACJUWMQSNDLOSK HSCJUNN2JVN;?articleID=201802703
EE Times: Latest News
Green-card red tape sends valuable engineers packing
Disenchanted with life in immigration limbo, San Antonio resident Praveen Arumbakkam is abandoning his American dream and returning to his native India.
A senior programmer at a fast-growing IT company, Arumbakkam volunteered for the Red Cross in Texas after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. He worked on disaster recovery management software to locate displaced persons, track donations and organize aid distribution.
He had hoped to start a nonprofit disaster recovery management solutions company in the United States, but now he's decided he doesn't want to wait any longer for his green card.
When professionals such as Arumbakkam give up on the States, it creates serious economic consequences, said Vivek Wadhwa, lead author of a study on the subject released last week.
"We've set the stage here for a massive reverse brain drain," said Wadhwa, Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Law School's Labor and Worklife Program.
By the end of fiscal 2006, half a million foreign nationals living in the U.S. were waiting for employment-based green cards, according to the study, released by the nonprofit Kauffman Foundation. Titled "Intellectual Property, the Immigration Backlog, and a Reverse Brain-Drain," the study was based on research by Duke, Harvard and New York University. If spouses and children are included, the number exceeds 1 million.
The study looked at the three main types of employment-based green cards, which cover skill-based immigrants and their immediate families. Including pros- pective immigrants awaiting U.S. legal permanent resident status but living abroad, the numbers hit almost 600,000 in the first group and almost 1.2 million in the second.
The number of available green cards in the three categories totals approximately 120,000. "If there are over a million persons in line for 120,000 visas a year, then we have already mortgaged almost nine years' worth of employment visas," said study author Guillermina Jasso, an NYU sociology professor.
The report also notes that foreign nationals were listed as inventors or co-inventors on 25.6 percent of the international-patent app-lications filed from the United States in 2006, up from 7.6 percent in 1998.
U.S. companies bring in many highly skilled foreigners on temporary visas and train them in U.S. business practices, noted Wadhwa, an executive in residence at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering. Those workers are then forced to leave, and "they become our competitors. That's as stupid as it gets," he said. "How can this country be so dumb as to bring people in on temporary visas, train them in our way of doing business and then send them back to compete with us?"
Many in the engineering profession argue that American tech employers take advantage of the work visa system for their own benefit. They state that though there is plenty of American engineering talent available, employers use the programs to hire cheaper foreign labor.
And others counter the concern that large numbers of foreign residents will depart America. Most immigrants who have waited years for green cards will remain firm in their resolve, given the time and effort they have already invested, believes Norm Matloff, a computer science professor at the University of California at Davis. "People are here because they want to be here," he said. "They place a high value on immigrating."
But while Arumbakkam wants to be here, he has had enough of waiting. And his story is typical of those foreign-born tech professionals who return home.
In July 2001, the then 27-year-old Arumbakkam arrived on a student visa to get his master's in information technology at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York. He has a bachelor's degree from the highly ranked University of Madras in southern India.
Arumbakkam said he "pretty much loved the society and the infrastructure for advanced education" in the States. In the post-Sept. 11 climate toward foreigners, however, he found it difficult to get work. After sending out countless resumes, he took an internship in Baltimore, followed by a job in Michigan.
That post didn't bring him any closer to his goal of permanent residency, however. He next took a job in San Antonio and insisted his employer secure him a green card. About that time, the government established an "application backlog elimination" center. "My application went straight into this chasm. I don't know what happened after that," he said. "That was pretty much a blow."
In 2005, he landed his current job, where he's happy with the work environment and the salary. His employer applied for a green card when the government rolled out an online system that was supposed to streamline the process.
But since then, with two applications in the works, Arumbakkam has been waiting-and waiting. In the meantime, his work status can't change, meaning no pay raises or promotions.
Page 2 of 2
Arumbakkam knows plenty of others in the same boat. In early 2006, he ran across Immigration Voice, a nonprofit national group that supports changes in immigration law affecting highly skilled workers. The 22,000-member organization includes professionals in a wide range of fields, from engineers and doctors to architects. Many have families, and all are stuck in the legal process.
"I heard horror stories," said Arumbakkam. One is the tale of a quality assurance engineer employed by a midsized consulting firm in Oklahoma working with Fortune 50 companies. The Indian engineer was hired at a salary that was 30 percent lower than he expected. This was in exchange for the promise that his employer would file a green card application. He was told the money would go to attorneys' fees.
For four years, the engineer asked about his application and was repeatedly told it was coming along. The employer blamed the slow progress on the law firm. In fact, the employer had never filed the application. Finally, the engineer found other work and restarted his efforts to obtain permanent residence.
In another case, a senior strategic projects manager who has an engineering background and is working for a Fortune 100 company has been waiting 13 years for his green card, Arumbakkam said.
That manager, also Indian, applied for permanent residency in Canada at the same time he applied for it in the States. After 18 months, Canada offered it to him and his family. His wife and children moved to Vancouver, B.C., where he visits regularly while waiting for a change in his U.S. residency status.
Indians in the United States often have too much trust in their employers and lack knowledge of resources that could help them understand their immigration options, Arumbakkam said. He plans to attend an Immigration Voice rally in Washington on Sept. 18 to urge congressional action on immigration.
But he isn't optimistic. "I just feel that I'm getting pushed further down as far as my career is concerned," he said.
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The link is http://www.eetimes.com/news/latest/showArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=314X3PTACJUWMQSNDLOSK HSCJUNN2JVN;?articleID=201802703
EE Times: Latest News
Green-card red tape sends valuable engineers packing
Disenchanted with life in immigration limbo, San Antonio resident Praveen Arumbakkam is abandoning his American dream and returning to his native India.
A senior programmer at a fast-growing IT company, Arumbakkam volunteered for the Red Cross in Texas after Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. He worked on disaster recovery management software to locate displaced persons, track donations and organize aid distribution.
He had hoped to start a nonprofit disaster recovery management solutions company in the United States, but now he's decided he doesn't want to wait any longer for his green card.
When professionals such as Arumbakkam give up on the States, it creates serious economic consequences, said Vivek Wadhwa, lead author of a study on the subject released last week.
"We've set the stage here for a massive reverse brain drain," said Wadhwa, Wertheim Fellow at Harvard Law School's Labor and Worklife Program.
By the end of fiscal 2006, half a million foreign nationals living in the U.S. were waiting for employment-based green cards, according to the study, released by the nonprofit Kauffman Foundation. Titled "Intellectual Property, the Immigration Backlog, and a Reverse Brain-Drain," the study was based on research by Duke, Harvard and New York University. If spouses and children are included, the number exceeds 1 million.
The study looked at the three main types of employment-based green cards, which cover skill-based immigrants and their immediate families. Including pros- pective immigrants awaiting U.S. legal permanent resident status but living abroad, the numbers hit almost 600,000 in the first group and almost 1.2 million in the second.
The number of available green cards in the three categories totals approximately 120,000. "If there are over a million persons in line for 120,000 visas a year, then we have already mortgaged almost nine years' worth of employment visas," said study author Guillermina Jasso, an NYU sociology professor.
The report also notes that foreign nationals were listed as inventors or co-inventors on 25.6 percent of the international-patent app-lications filed from the United States in 2006, up from 7.6 percent in 1998.
U.S. companies bring in many highly skilled foreigners on temporary visas and train them in U.S. business practices, noted Wadhwa, an executive in residence at Duke University's Pratt School of Engineering. Those workers are then forced to leave, and "they become our competitors. That's as stupid as it gets," he said. "How can this country be so dumb as to bring people in on temporary visas, train them in our way of doing business and then send them back to compete with us?"
Many in the engineering profession argue that American tech employers take advantage of the work visa system for their own benefit. They state that though there is plenty of American engineering talent available, employers use the programs to hire cheaper foreign labor.
And others counter the concern that large numbers of foreign residents will depart America. Most immigrants who have waited years for green cards will remain firm in their resolve, given the time and effort they have already invested, believes Norm Matloff, a computer science professor at the University of California at Davis. "People are here because they want to be here," he said. "They place a high value on immigrating."
But while Arumbakkam wants to be here, he has had enough of waiting. And his story is typical of those foreign-born tech professionals who return home.
In July 2001, the then 27-year-old Arumbakkam arrived on a student visa to get his master's in information technology at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York. He has a bachelor's degree from the highly ranked University of Madras in southern India.
Arumbakkam said he "pretty much loved the society and the infrastructure for advanced education" in the States. In the post-Sept. 11 climate toward foreigners, however, he found it difficult to get work. After sending out countless resumes, he took an internship in Baltimore, followed by a job in Michigan.
That post didn't bring him any closer to his goal of permanent residency, however. He next took a job in San Antonio and insisted his employer secure him a green card. About that time, the government established an "application backlog elimination" center. "My application went straight into this chasm. I don't know what happened after that," he said. "That was pretty much a blow."
In 2005, he landed his current job, where he's happy with the work environment and the salary. His employer applied for a green card when the government rolled out an online system that was supposed to streamline the process.
But since then, with two applications in the works, Arumbakkam has been waiting-and waiting. In the meantime, his work status can't change, meaning no pay raises or promotions.
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Arumbakkam knows plenty of others in the same boat. In early 2006, he ran across Immigration Voice, a nonprofit national group that supports changes in immigration law affecting highly skilled workers. The 22,000-member organization includes professionals in a wide range of fields, from engineers and doctors to architects. Many have families, and all are stuck in the legal process.
"I heard horror stories," said Arumbakkam. One is the tale of a quality assurance engineer employed by a midsized consulting firm in Oklahoma working with Fortune 50 companies. The Indian engineer was hired at a salary that was 30 percent lower than he expected. This was in exchange for the promise that his employer would file a green card application. He was told the money would go to attorneys' fees.
For four years, the engineer asked about his application and was repeatedly told it was coming along. The employer blamed the slow progress on the law firm. In fact, the employer had never filed the application. Finally, the engineer found other work and restarted his efforts to obtain permanent residence.
In another case, a senior strategic projects manager who has an engineering background and is working for a Fortune 100 company has been waiting 13 years for his green card, Arumbakkam said.
That manager, also Indian, applied for permanent residency in Canada at the same time he applied for it in the States. After 18 months, Canada offered it to him and his family. His wife and children moved to Vancouver, B.C., where he visits regularly while waiting for a change in his U.S. residency status.
Indians in the United States often have too much trust in their employers and lack knowledge of resources that could help them understand their immigration options, Arumbakkam said. He plans to attend an Immigration Voice rally in Washington on Sept. 18 to urge congressional action on immigration.
But he isn't optimistic. "I just feel that I'm getting pushed further down as far as my career is concerned," he said.
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