chicago60607
09-17 11:19 AM
Members are slowly but steadily getting seated .... my guess is that in about 15 minutes it should start
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gsc999
07-14 02:49 AM
It is good to see so many members sign up for tomorrow. I am expecting a huge turn out.
If you are still a maybe, you just might be missing out on being part of this unprecedented rally by legal immigrants in San Jose.
Volunteers: Please try to come to the venue at 10:30 a.m. for briefing on assignments.
Lets make this a success!
If you are still a maybe, you just might be missing out on being part of this unprecedented rally by legal immigrants in San Jose.
Volunteers: Please try to come to the venue at 10:30 a.m. for briefing on assignments.
Lets make this a success!
ajay
12-07 12:08 PM
I also used points provided by altergo to send my story. Let us see if all of this will make some help in getting some real help.
Thanks to altergo for initiating this.
Thanks to altergo for initiating this.
2011 Princess Diana#39;s death,
addsf345
08-20 01:11 PM
With different employer, you can get 3 years as well, if the new employer has filed for a new PERM and you have received an approved I-140.
that is logical, but I am asking if I transfer now, which will be a simple H1B transfer - would I get only 6 months.
I actually received 3 years extension 2 weeks back with same employer, but considering another offer.
From what you said, it looks like the new employer can not get 3 years extension.:(
that is logical, but I am asking if I transfer now, which will be a simple H1B transfer - would I get only 6 months.
I actually received 3 years extension 2 weeks back with same employer, but considering another offer.
From what you said, it looks like the new employer can not get 3 years extension.:(
more...
guyfromsg
07-18 11:41 PM
LOL, I know. I really regret that I wasn't on these forums years ago, I wouldn't have done so many mistakes. I was thinking "what all these dudes on these forums know? I got a big lawyer with tie and bunch of certificates as best of the best of the best." The life taught me totally opposite.
Except IV all the other forums are in lawyer's websites. So without lawyers we won't get lot of useful info either. But I do see lot of activites in IV forums related to green card than others which is good we are growing on our own :D
Except IV all the other forums are in lawyer's websites. So without lawyers we won't get lot of useful info either. But I do see lot of activites in IV forums related to green card than others which is good we are growing on our own :D
roseball
04-18 04:03 PM
Dear Friends,
Got Green cards and Welcome notices for me and my wife .
Surprisingly no uscis e-mail and online status is still "initial review"
Our journey in short :
How long in US : 10+ years
First Labor in 2002 . Changed job in three years before approval of labor
Second Labor in 2004 . Approved in 2007
Filed I140 and 485 - in July 2007
Since then I was enjoying EAD / AP with no complain .
I donate to IV now and then , but for some reason only once (for few days) got access to IV-Donor Forum . But always had a faith that IV is doing good work .
From non-donor IV forums and other forums I noticed that USCIS are transferring leftover Visas to other EB categories . I waited to see some thing coming to EB3 but ......nothing came .
My Lawyer told me that I can port to EB2 and it is a normal a process.
1. New Perm
Filed in Feb and approved in 10 days ( Prep work takes 3 to 4 months before filing )
2. EB2 I140 (TSC)
a. Filed in March - Premium Processing
b. My Lawyer sent interfiling letter along with I140 filing
c. Approved in 7 days (A# and Priority Date retained)
d. Same week got Green Cards and Welcome Notices:) - Super-fast Approval
e. No email and no updates on USCIS website
Not sure about the USCIS and Lawyer fees . My company paid for every thing.
Hope every one get the desired freedom asap and don't have to wait like me for 10+ years
Wish you all the best ......to everyone who is waiting for GC.
Thanks,
Jimytomy
Congrats!!!. Mine was approved in similar fashion as well last September without any interfiling letter (EB-2 I-140 and 485 approved concurrently at TSC, New employer EB-2). Enjoy the freedom.
Got Green cards and Welcome notices for me and my wife .
Surprisingly no uscis e-mail and online status is still "initial review"
Our journey in short :
How long in US : 10+ years
First Labor in 2002 . Changed job in three years before approval of labor
Second Labor in 2004 . Approved in 2007
Filed I140 and 485 - in July 2007
Since then I was enjoying EAD / AP with no complain .
I donate to IV now and then , but for some reason only once (for few days) got access to IV-Donor Forum . But always had a faith that IV is doing good work .
From non-donor IV forums and other forums I noticed that USCIS are transferring leftover Visas to other EB categories . I waited to see some thing coming to EB3 but ......nothing came .
My Lawyer told me that I can port to EB2 and it is a normal a process.
1. New Perm
Filed in Feb and approved in 10 days ( Prep work takes 3 to 4 months before filing )
2. EB2 I140 (TSC)
a. Filed in March - Premium Processing
b. My Lawyer sent interfiling letter along with I140 filing
c. Approved in 7 days (A# and Priority Date retained)
d. Same week got Green Cards and Welcome Notices:) - Super-fast Approval
e. No email and no updates on USCIS website
Not sure about the USCIS and Lawyer fees . My company paid for every thing.
Hope every one get the desired freedom asap and don't have to wait like me for 10+ years
Wish you all the best ......to everyone who is waiting for GC.
Thanks,
Jimytomy
Congrats!!!. Mine was approved in similar fashion as well last September without any interfiling letter (EB-2 I-140 and 485 approved concurrently at TSC, New employer EB-2). Enjoy the freedom.
more...
gene77
10-16 04:37 PM
How do we know we're stuck in the namecheck process?
Does the on-line status state that the application is in the namecheck 'phase' or something to that effect?
Thanks,
Does the on-line status state that the application is in the namecheck 'phase' or something to that effect?
Thanks,
2010 girlfriend chi princess diana
gc_mania_03
07-19 07:12 AM
And what about the time Aman and the core team has put into this whole effort....it can never be earned back...and hence NOT at all quantifiable...and I wouldn't even attempt at adding that up...
Thanks Aman and the whole team.....you guys are making a difference in the lives of so many people...
Now, everyone else roll up your sleeves and contribute...money, time, whatever you can for the cause..and Thank the team in your own style.
Thanks Aman and the whole team.....you guys are making a difference in the lives of so many people...
Now, everyone else roll up your sleeves and contribute...money, time, whatever you can for the cause..and Thank the team in your own style.
more...
tb2904
08-11 02:11 PM
Done.
hair princess diana death images.
FraudGultee
04-17 09:03 AM
I dont see any issues here. he is applicable, he has required skill and education. he should be file for EB2
more...
njboy
01-30 09:55 AM
so those with substituted labor better hope it clears before april 2007, and they get to file i140 otherwise..they'll have to file a new labor..just hope DOL does not let them keep the old priority date..Im not being vindictive..just feel that its unfair that people buy labors for 20K and get green card using a shell company in 6 months.
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Wendyzhu77
07-12 10:01 AM
exactly. whatever they do, it will not be fair, so it is really a huge mess created by the stupid C in the original bulletin.
If applications are not accepted, its unfair. (by people of with recent PD)
If they are accepted now, its unfair. (by people whose apps were sent back)
If they were accepted from July 1st, its unfair.(by backlog applicants)
I dont understand how to solve the mess. Of course I created this mess.
I resign.
USCIS.:)
If applications are not accepted, its unfair. (by people of with recent PD)
If they are accepted now, its unfair. (by people whose apps were sent back)
If they were accepted from July 1st, its unfair.(by backlog applicants)
I dont understand how to solve the mess. Of course I created this mess.
I resign.
USCIS.:)
more...
house princess diana death photos
kubmilegaGC
09-15 11:14 PM
It seems like its just me and kubmilegaGC left from June 2004. Anybody else from June 04?
We are going to GET THERE @cali - really anyone else with June 04 or prior?
We are going to GET THERE @cali - really anyone else with June 04 or prior?
tattoo Princess Diana: Death Car For
mjdup
07-15 09:55 PM
good job !
more...
pictures Diana#39;s death, Princess
PHANI_TAVVALA
05-07 03:43 PM
First of all Congratulations desi#### and thanks for continuing to support IV.
Interesting discussion going on. Yes, I agree that most of us here are waiting for our GC and some of them go on to become US Citizens.
I believe that becoming a citizen of any country is a person's choice, so let us not give desi### a hard time here.:o
But I certainly do not think it is an 'achievement' to get a US citizenship, just because it implies indirectly it is an 'achievement' to let go off Indian citizenship. Nothing meant to offend you desi#### but it hurts when one reads such a statement somewhere deep inside the mind. But hey, as I said earlier, to each his own and noone should be judging others in their decisions.
And it is not only Indians becoming US citizens every year. There are others too.
Personally, even with all the advantages as stated above of being a US citizen, I will never let go of my Indian passport. Even if the authorities give it to me tomorrow in a lottery;) Never.
Why? Because my identity, my rich heritage, my family roots, my parents, my culture everything is Indian and am proud of it. There are lot of sentimental and emotional attachments. I was going through the OCI articles today after reading this discussion.
It is not exactly a dual citizenship. Some clauses are no voting rights! No Indian Passport!
Getting a GC is another thing, but when I decide to go back after a couple of years, I would definitely want to retain my voting rights. ! I rest my case.
I totally understand the emotional point of someone being want to be a Indian Citizen but I have to stress there is no other country in the world like U.S.A. This is the country where every human being is treated with utmost respect (don't try to show me exceptions - U.S. is a country where most of things are close to being perfect imaginatively), have freedom to say anything they want without getting intimidated and U.S is a country I believe will be the last bastion for humanity when terrosists/fundamentalists spread their tentancles and take over the world by force or other means (if not now probabbly in the next 100-150 years). Hypocrisy is relatively less. We Indians live in a dream world nurtured by the Indian politicians, who try to inject doses of patriotic non-sense into the masses while they themselves stove away million of dollars in Swiss banks. 70% of Indian population lives below poverty line and the educated masses of India think that their country will become a super power by 2020. Politicians like Mayawati play caste politics and dream of taking the top most post while our liberal media, without a wee-bit of shame, extends its highest support for them. Corruption is part of our daily life and we are part of the everyday corruption but we still find no fault in our society. Our population growth is beyond control while not a single politician is concerned about the stress it is going to create on our natural resources in the future. Our education system is in shambles but our great politicians fight for increasing the reservation system to different castes just for the sake of garnering more votes. And the list goes on. Alas���God help India.
FYI: I am a Indian and haven't even started my greencard process, for the same emotional reasons you mentioned, intending to R2I soon. Given a choice and circumstances, I would have opted for U.S.C as "I have no hope for this world neither do I wish for it" - quoting Bhagawan Krishna from Bhagavad Gita.
Interesting discussion going on. Yes, I agree that most of us here are waiting for our GC and some of them go on to become US Citizens.
I believe that becoming a citizen of any country is a person's choice, so let us not give desi### a hard time here.:o
But I certainly do not think it is an 'achievement' to get a US citizenship, just because it implies indirectly it is an 'achievement' to let go off Indian citizenship. Nothing meant to offend you desi#### but it hurts when one reads such a statement somewhere deep inside the mind. But hey, as I said earlier, to each his own and noone should be judging others in their decisions.
And it is not only Indians becoming US citizens every year. There are others too.
Personally, even with all the advantages as stated above of being a US citizen, I will never let go of my Indian passport. Even if the authorities give it to me tomorrow in a lottery;) Never.
Why? Because my identity, my rich heritage, my family roots, my parents, my culture everything is Indian and am proud of it. There are lot of sentimental and emotional attachments. I was going through the OCI articles today after reading this discussion.
It is not exactly a dual citizenship. Some clauses are no voting rights! No Indian Passport!
Getting a GC is another thing, but when I decide to go back after a couple of years, I would definitely want to retain my voting rights. ! I rest my case.
I totally understand the emotional point of someone being want to be a Indian Citizen but I have to stress there is no other country in the world like U.S.A. This is the country where every human being is treated with utmost respect (don't try to show me exceptions - U.S. is a country where most of things are close to being perfect imaginatively), have freedom to say anything they want without getting intimidated and U.S is a country I believe will be the last bastion for humanity when terrosists/fundamentalists spread their tentancles and take over the world by force or other means (if not now probabbly in the next 100-150 years). Hypocrisy is relatively less. We Indians live in a dream world nurtured by the Indian politicians, who try to inject doses of patriotic non-sense into the masses while they themselves stove away million of dollars in Swiss banks. 70% of Indian population lives below poverty line and the educated masses of India think that their country will become a super power by 2020. Politicians like Mayawati play caste politics and dream of taking the top most post while our liberal media, without a wee-bit of shame, extends its highest support for them. Corruption is part of our daily life and we are part of the everyday corruption but we still find no fault in our society. Our population growth is beyond control while not a single politician is concerned about the stress it is going to create on our natural resources in the future. Our education system is in shambles but our great politicians fight for increasing the reservation system to different castes just for the sake of garnering more votes. And the list goes on. Alas���God help India.
FYI: I am a Indian and haven't even started my greencard process, for the same emotional reasons you mentioned, intending to R2I soon. Given a choice and circumstances, I would have opted for U.S.C as "I have no hope for this world neither do I wish for it" - quoting Bhagawan Krishna from Bhagavad Gita.
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kumarpositive@gmail.com
11-16 01:09 AM
For me 24 days passed I've not received any letter from USCIS.
I have received an email yesterday saying my previous approved H-1B has been reopened on 11/15/2007, and they sent out a notification letter in post, I am very eager to know the status of others who has already met the 30 day period. Please provide some feedback on your case status.
I have received an email yesterday saying my previous approved H-1B has been reopened on 11/15/2007, and they sent out a notification letter in post, I am very eager to know the status of others who has already met the 30 day period. Please provide some feedback on your case status.
more...
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belmontboy
05-23 03:20 PM
When you call the law makers and tell them you support XYZ bill.. my question is what do you get out of it!
When the lawmaker realizes that he is getting 10000 calls from LEGAL aliens,
>who are not from his constituency,
>who can�t vote and
>who can�t contribute to his election campaign�
what is the motivation for the law maker to support the bill�
So to avoid sounding stupid and foolish and desperate when you call� a more logical approach would be to :
a) Generate a public petition form on IV website and have all the members� login and sign the forms digitally�
b) Then have IV reps.. fax them and send them to lobby groups �.
c) Lawmakers will listen to one talking head�and not worry abt 1000 calls that borders on ..�saar �support the bill saar�..
How many of you have actually talked to the lawmakers? Its always the assistant!
But instead .. someone says we have a signed petition of 25000 members effected by immigration mess �. And it�s a hi tech workers lobby group ..every lawmaker will talk to you and not the assistant!
Conclusion: calling the lawmakers haphazardly is actually hurting IV cause..to a certain extent!
:cool:
if you don't call and speakup, how will the lawmakers know?
your suggestion sounds great. I am sure we can accomodate that too.
Its better to have attack on many fronts than stick with one.
We need to rise and speakup, thats all matters in the end.
When the lawmaker realizes that he is getting 10000 calls from LEGAL aliens,
>who are not from his constituency,
>who can�t vote and
>who can�t contribute to his election campaign�
what is the motivation for the law maker to support the bill�
So to avoid sounding stupid and foolish and desperate when you call� a more logical approach would be to :
a) Generate a public petition form on IV website and have all the members� login and sign the forms digitally�
b) Then have IV reps.. fax them and send them to lobby groups �.
c) Lawmakers will listen to one talking head�and not worry abt 1000 calls that borders on ..�saar �support the bill saar�..
How many of you have actually talked to the lawmakers? Its always the assistant!
But instead .. someone says we have a signed petition of 25000 members effected by immigration mess �. And it�s a hi tech workers lobby group ..every lawmaker will talk to you and not the assistant!
Conclusion: calling the lawmakers haphazardly is actually hurting IV cause..to a certain extent!
:cool:
if you don't call and speakup, how will the lawmakers know?
your suggestion sounds great. I am sure we can accomodate that too.
Its better to have attack on many fronts than stick with one.
We need to rise and speakup, thats all matters in the end.
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danu2007
07-14 10:40 PM
I guess its closed or moved..
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masouds
09-17 02:31 PM
Why did Ms. Lofgren ask for a roll call of Nays? Wouldn't that be more wasteful of the time?
(nm. It was close)
(nm. It was close)
RandyK
11-06 11:50 AM
Senator Grassley sponsored H-1B Supplemental Fee legislation which the Senate passed but collapsed at the conference a few days ago. Yesterday, in the "unrelated" "Farm" Bill session, the Senator requested a ten-minute time and made the following statement on the Senate floor. Abstract of the statement -"It Ain't Over T'll It is Over."
Mr. President, earlier this year, the Senate tried to solve the very complex and emotional issue of immigration reform. The immigration bill we considered included border security, interior enforcement, and amnesty. It also included many needed reforms to our legal immigration process. I said throughout the debate that Congress needs a long-term solution to the immigration issue. We cannot pass a bandaid approach that includes a path to citizenship for law breakers; rather, Congress needs to improve our legal immigration channels. I firmly believe companies want to hire legal workers, and people want to enter the United States legally. If we fix our visa policies, we can restore integrity to our immigration system, and all parties can benefit. But if we cannot pass a comprehensive bill--and I think as time goes on it is going to look more difficult as we go into an election year--if we cannot pass such a comprehensive bill, I think that we should consider passing legislation we can agree on. I am taking the floor at this time to talk about the H-1B visa provisions that were included in the immigration bill and ask my colleagues to take a second look at these needed reforms. Many companies use H-1B programs. It has served a valuable purpose. But we need to reevaluate how this program operates and work to make it more effective. The H-1B program was officially created in 1990, although we have brought foreign workers legally into our country for over 30 years. It was brought into existence to serve American employers that needed high-tech workers. It was created to file a void in the U.S. labor force. The visa holders were intended to file jobs for a temporary amount of time, while the country invested in American workers to pick up the skills our economy needed. We attached fees to the visas that now bring in millions of dollars. These fees and the dollars that come with it are invested in training grants to educate our own workforce. We use the funds to put kids through school for science, technology, engineering, and math skills. We provide students with scholarships with the hope that they will replace imported foreign workers. Unfortunately, the H-1B program is so popular, it is now replacing the U.S. labor force rather than supplementing it. The high-tech and business community is begging Congress to raise or eliminate the annual cap that currently stands at 85,000 visas each year. These numbers do not include and account for those who are exempt from the cap. For instance, we don't count employees at institutions of higher education or nonprofit research organizations. We don't count those who change jobs or renew their H-1B visa. My point is, we have many more than 85,000 H-1B visas distributed each year. I am here to tell my colleagues that increasing the visa supply is not the only solution to the so-called shortage of high-tech workers. Since March of this year, the Senator from Illinois, Mr. Durbin, and I have taken a good look at the H-1B visa program. We have raised issues with the Citizenship and Immigration Service as well as the Department of Labor. We have asked questions of companies that use the H-1B visa, and I have raised issues with attorneys who advise their clients on how to get around the permanent employment regulations. I would like to share what I have learned. I want to give some fraud and abuse examples. Unfortunately, there are some bad apples in the H-1B visa program. In 2005, a man was charged with fraud and misuse of visas, money laundering, and mail fraud for his participation in a multistate scam to smuggle Indian and Pakistani nationals into the United States with fraudulently obtained H-1B visas. The man created fictitious companies, often renting only a cubicle simply to have a mailing address. He fabricated tax returns and submitted over 1,000 false visa petitions. Another man pled guilty last August to charges of fraud and conspiracy. This man and an attorney charged foreign nationals thousands of dollars to fraudulently obtain H-1B visas. He provided false documents to substantiate their H-1B petitions. The Programmer's Guild, a group representing U.S. worker interests, filed over 300 discrimination complaints in the first half of 2006 against companies that posted ``H-1B visa holder only'' ads on job boards. Anyone can go on the Internet and find jobs that target H-1B visa holders. There are more than just national anecdotes, however. Everyday Americans are affected. Since looking into the H-1B visa program, some of my constituents have come to me and spoken out against abuses they see. One of my constituents has shared copies of e-mails showing how he is often bombarded with requests by companies that want to lease their H-1B workers to that Iowan. There are companies with H-1B workers who are so-called ``on the bench,'' meaning they are ready to be deployed to a project. Hundreds of foreign workers are standing by waiting for work. Some call these H-1B ``factory firms.'' This Iowan even said one company went so far as to require him to sign a memorandum of understanding that helps the H-1B factory firm justify to the Federal Government that they have adequate business opportunity that requires additional visa holders. It is a complete falsification of the market justification for additional H-1B workers. These firms are making a commodity out of H-1B workers. They have visa holders but are looking for work. It is supposed to be the other way around. There should be a shortage or a need, first and foremost. Then and only then do we allow foreign workers to fill these jobs temporarily. Another constituent sent me a letter saying that he saw firsthand how foreign workers were brought in while Iowans with similar qualifications were let go. He tells me he is a computer professional with over 20 years experience. He was laid off and has yet to find a job. He states: I believe [my employer] has a history of hiring H-1B computer personnel at the expense of qualified American citizens. Another Iowan from Cedar Falls wrote in support of our review of the H-1B program. He is a computer programmer with a master's degree and over 20 years of work experience in that field. He says: Despite all of my qualifications, in the last four years I have applied to over 3,700 positions and have received no job offers. He believes he is in constant competition with H-1B visa holders. I received a letter from a man in Arizona who works for a company that employs dozens of H-1B workers. When he asked his supervisor why so many foreign nationals were being hired, the head of human resources said: If the company has an American and a person from India, both with the same skill set, the company will hire the person from India because they can pay them less. These are firsthand stories from U.S. workers. I ask those begging for an increase in foreign workers to explain these cases to me. Why are Americans struggling to get jobs as software developers, data processors, and program analysts? Senator Durbin and I inquired with several foreign-based companies that use the H-1B program. Rather than sending a letter to all companies that use the program, which would be over 200 companies, we decided to start our investigation with foreign-based entities. Our intention was to learn how foreign companies are using our visas. We learned that the top nine foreign-based companies used 20,000 visas in 2006. Think of what a high percentage that is of the 85,000, just nine foreign-based companies, 20,000 visas in the year 2006. I say that twice for emphasis. It just so happens that Indian companies are using one-third of the available visas we allocate each year, but there is more to learn. We are not done asking questions. We, meaning Senator Durbin and I, continue to talk to U.S.-based companies and companies in our own States that use the program. The Citizenship and Immigration Service also has concerns. Our review has prompted discussion among the executive branch, businesses, labor unions, and workers, and workers are the ones we are concerned about. So we are not the only ones asking questions. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service is also worried about fraud in the program. This agency's investigative arm, that subdivision called the Fraud Detection and National Security unit, is doing a fraud assessment of the H-1B and L visa programs. I asked the unit to brief my staff on their work, and they reported they are not finished with analyzing the data. Senator Collins of Maine and I put the agency on notice that we are anxiously awaiting this report so we may continue our quest to reform the program appropriately. In the meantime, the bill Senator Durbin and I introduced includes measures to rein in the abuse. It goes a long ways to close some loopholes to protect American workers. It is our hope that these measures will bring the program back to its original mission; that is, to help U.S.-based companies find highly skilled workers to fill the shortage for a temporary period of time. That is what the H-1B visa program is all about. Under current law, companies can bring in foreign workers on an H-1B visa without first attempting to hire an American.
Mr. President, earlier this year, the Senate tried to solve the very complex and emotional issue of immigration reform. The immigration bill we considered included border security, interior enforcement, and amnesty. It also included many needed reforms to our legal immigration process. I said throughout the debate that Congress needs a long-term solution to the immigration issue. We cannot pass a bandaid approach that includes a path to citizenship for law breakers; rather, Congress needs to improve our legal immigration channels. I firmly believe companies want to hire legal workers, and people want to enter the United States legally. If we fix our visa policies, we can restore integrity to our immigration system, and all parties can benefit. But if we cannot pass a comprehensive bill--and I think as time goes on it is going to look more difficult as we go into an election year--if we cannot pass such a comprehensive bill, I think that we should consider passing legislation we can agree on. I am taking the floor at this time to talk about the H-1B visa provisions that were included in the immigration bill and ask my colleagues to take a second look at these needed reforms. Many companies use H-1B programs. It has served a valuable purpose. But we need to reevaluate how this program operates and work to make it more effective. The H-1B program was officially created in 1990, although we have brought foreign workers legally into our country for over 30 years. It was brought into existence to serve American employers that needed high-tech workers. It was created to file a void in the U.S. labor force. The visa holders were intended to file jobs for a temporary amount of time, while the country invested in American workers to pick up the skills our economy needed. We attached fees to the visas that now bring in millions of dollars. These fees and the dollars that come with it are invested in training grants to educate our own workforce. We use the funds to put kids through school for science, technology, engineering, and math skills. We provide students with scholarships with the hope that they will replace imported foreign workers. Unfortunately, the H-1B program is so popular, it is now replacing the U.S. labor force rather than supplementing it. The high-tech and business community is begging Congress to raise or eliminate the annual cap that currently stands at 85,000 visas each year. These numbers do not include and account for those who are exempt from the cap. For instance, we don't count employees at institutions of higher education or nonprofit research organizations. We don't count those who change jobs or renew their H-1B visa. My point is, we have many more than 85,000 H-1B visas distributed each year. I am here to tell my colleagues that increasing the visa supply is not the only solution to the so-called shortage of high-tech workers. Since March of this year, the Senator from Illinois, Mr. Durbin, and I have taken a good look at the H-1B visa program. We have raised issues with the Citizenship and Immigration Service as well as the Department of Labor. We have asked questions of companies that use the H-1B visa, and I have raised issues with attorneys who advise their clients on how to get around the permanent employment regulations. I would like to share what I have learned. I want to give some fraud and abuse examples. Unfortunately, there are some bad apples in the H-1B visa program. In 2005, a man was charged with fraud and misuse of visas, money laundering, and mail fraud for his participation in a multistate scam to smuggle Indian and Pakistani nationals into the United States with fraudulently obtained H-1B visas. The man created fictitious companies, often renting only a cubicle simply to have a mailing address. He fabricated tax returns and submitted over 1,000 false visa petitions. Another man pled guilty last August to charges of fraud and conspiracy. This man and an attorney charged foreign nationals thousands of dollars to fraudulently obtain H-1B visas. He provided false documents to substantiate their H-1B petitions. The Programmer's Guild, a group representing U.S. worker interests, filed over 300 discrimination complaints in the first half of 2006 against companies that posted ``H-1B visa holder only'' ads on job boards. Anyone can go on the Internet and find jobs that target H-1B visa holders. There are more than just national anecdotes, however. Everyday Americans are affected. Since looking into the H-1B visa program, some of my constituents have come to me and spoken out against abuses they see. One of my constituents has shared copies of e-mails showing how he is often bombarded with requests by companies that want to lease their H-1B workers to that Iowan. There are companies with H-1B workers who are so-called ``on the bench,'' meaning they are ready to be deployed to a project. Hundreds of foreign workers are standing by waiting for work. Some call these H-1B ``factory firms.'' This Iowan even said one company went so far as to require him to sign a memorandum of understanding that helps the H-1B factory firm justify to the Federal Government that they have adequate business opportunity that requires additional visa holders. It is a complete falsification of the market justification for additional H-1B workers. These firms are making a commodity out of H-1B workers. They have visa holders but are looking for work. It is supposed to be the other way around. There should be a shortage or a need, first and foremost. Then and only then do we allow foreign workers to fill these jobs temporarily. Another constituent sent me a letter saying that he saw firsthand how foreign workers were brought in while Iowans with similar qualifications were let go. He tells me he is a computer professional with over 20 years experience. He was laid off and has yet to find a job. He states: I believe [my employer] has a history of hiring H-1B computer personnel at the expense of qualified American citizens. Another Iowan from Cedar Falls wrote in support of our review of the H-1B program. He is a computer programmer with a master's degree and over 20 years of work experience in that field. He says: Despite all of my qualifications, in the last four years I have applied to over 3,700 positions and have received no job offers. He believes he is in constant competition with H-1B visa holders. I received a letter from a man in Arizona who works for a company that employs dozens of H-1B workers. When he asked his supervisor why so many foreign nationals were being hired, the head of human resources said: If the company has an American and a person from India, both with the same skill set, the company will hire the person from India because they can pay them less. These are firsthand stories from U.S. workers. I ask those begging for an increase in foreign workers to explain these cases to me. Why are Americans struggling to get jobs as software developers, data processors, and program analysts? Senator Durbin and I inquired with several foreign-based companies that use the H-1B program. Rather than sending a letter to all companies that use the program, which would be over 200 companies, we decided to start our investigation with foreign-based entities. Our intention was to learn how foreign companies are using our visas. We learned that the top nine foreign-based companies used 20,000 visas in 2006. Think of what a high percentage that is of the 85,000, just nine foreign-based companies, 20,000 visas in the year 2006. I say that twice for emphasis. It just so happens that Indian companies are using one-third of the available visas we allocate each year, but there is more to learn. We are not done asking questions. We, meaning Senator Durbin and I, continue to talk to U.S.-based companies and companies in our own States that use the program. The Citizenship and Immigration Service also has concerns. Our review has prompted discussion among the executive branch, businesses, labor unions, and workers, and workers are the ones we are concerned about. So we are not the only ones asking questions. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service is also worried about fraud in the program. This agency's investigative arm, that subdivision called the Fraud Detection and National Security unit, is doing a fraud assessment of the H-1B and L visa programs. I asked the unit to brief my staff on their work, and they reported they are not finished with analyzing the data. Senator Collins of Maine and I put the agency on notice that we are anxiously awaiting this report so we may continue our quest to reform the program appropriately. In the meantime, the bill Senator Durbin and I introduced includes measures to rein in the abuse. It goes a long ways to close some loopholes to protect American workers. It is our hope that these measures will bring the program back to its original mission; that is, to help U.S.-based companies find highly skilled workers to fill the shortage for a temporary period of time. That is what the H-1B visa program is all about. Under current law, companies can bring in foreign workers on an H-1B visa without first attempting to hire an American.
chicago60607
09-17 11:33 AM
Lofgren is offering managers amendment (which includes a comprise with Mr.King and minorities). THIS IS for HR6020 NOT for HR5882. We are NEXT.
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