wandmaker
12-18 11:27 PM
Also I heard that the time limit of 6 months to apply the I-140 after the labor is approved is only applies to people who substuting the approved labor. I am not sure how far that is true, any clarifications would be great.
One must apply for 140 with in 180 days the labor approval. Labor substitution has been discontinued.
One must apply for 140 with in 180 days the labor approval. Labor substitution has been discontinued.
wallpaper hot Disney Pixar Cars - Mater
spicy_guy
07-30 02:27 PM
Can someone translate (if you have patience)?
LongJourny
01-22 04:38 PM
I just checked my transfered h1b petition. It says reciepient date as aug, 23rd and work permit starting august 28. My previous company (A) fired me on 23rd. So, this is my case.
I also would like to remind you that after shifting to Company B I got my H1b visa stamped. This is the second time I am going for stamping for visa renewal.
Given that my h1 transfer recipient date is aug 23rd (same day I got laid off),am I still safe?
Please also let me know if I could use adv. parole if some worst happens and get my h1 renewal visa gets rejected. Please respond me as soon as possible. Thanks.
I also would like to remind you that after shifting to Company B I got my H1b visa stamped. This is the second time I am going for stamping for visa renewal.
Given that my h1 transfer recipient date is aug 23rd (same day I got laid off),am I still safe?
Please also let me know if I could use adv. parole if some worst happens and get my h1 renewal visa gets rejected. Please respond me as soon as possible. Thanks.
2011 Disney / Pixar CARS Movie
marlon2006
09-14 12:30 PM
Growth could high, but economy is so small that would not necessarily make a lot of absolute difference. That said, sorry to tell you I heard that type of stories years ago when I landed in Canada in 1998. That's my personal opinion.
Good luck though.
http://www.cbc.ca/story/money/national/2006/09/14/imf-useconomy.html
Canadian economic growth to be best in G7 in 2007: IMF
Last Updated Thu, 14 Sep 2006 07:59:50 EDT
CBC News
Canada's economy is poised to grow by 3.0 per cent next year, giving it the fastest growth among the G7 countries, the International Monetary Fund said Thursday in its semi-annual World Economic Outlook.
Canada's status as a major net exporter of energy will likely be enough to insulate it from the slowdowns that the IMF is forecasting for the U.S. and Europe.
The biggest risks to the Canadian growth story next year include a "substantial" further rise in the Canadian dollar or a "sharper-than-expected" slowing of the U.S. economy, as more than 80 per cent of Canada's exports are to the U.S.
"The Canadian economy continues to perform robustly, benefiting from its strong macroeconomic policy framework and the boom in global commodity prices,'' the IMF said.
A cooling housing market is likely to trigger the slowdown in the U.S. economy next year and could weigh on the global economy as well, it said.
Growth in the United States, which was particularly strong in the first half of this year, is expected to slow from 3.4 per cent this year to 2.9 per cent in 2007, the IMF said. In April, it had projected U.S. growth next year would reach 3.3 per cent.
"The concern remains that a sharp adjustment in the housing sector would generate strong headwinds for the U.S. economy," it said.
IMF pegs China's economic growth at 10%
Citing strong growth in China, the IMF raised its global growth forecast a quarter of a percentage point to 5.1 per cent this year and 4.9 per cent in 2007. But it warned that inflationary pressures, high oil prices and a possible abrupt slowdown in the U.S. could undermine global growth.
"The balance of risks to the global outlook is slanted to the downside," said the report, released in Singapore, where the IMF and World Bank will be holding their annual meetings next week.
The Washington-based fund also suggested that further U.S. interest rate hikes might be necessary.
The U.S. Federal Reserve "faces a difficult situation of rising inflation in a slowing economy, but given the importance of keeping inflation expectations in check, some further policy tightening may still be needed," it said.
In August, the Fed decided to keep its key short-term lending rate at 5.25 per cent after 17 straight hikes back to June 2004.
The IMF said "there will be a premium on the Federal Reserve clearly communicating its policy intentions" and suggested that it state more explicitly its medium-term inflation targets.
It also said the U.S. could help reduce global imbalances by setting a more ambitious deficit reduction path and put the budget in a stronger position to respond to future economic downturns.
Japan, the world's second-largest economy, will likely grow 2.7 per cent this year on the back of solid domestic demand, but should ease next year to 2.1 per cent, the IMF said.
It also said Japan should be careful to raise interest rates gradually to avoid a "costly" re-emergence of deflation, or falling prices.
In the euro area, stronger corporate balance sheets have helped bring about increased investment, rising employment and a more balanced expansion to the 12 countries that use the common currency, the report said.
Growth would rise to 2.4 per cent in 2006 before moderating to two per cent in 2007 largely due to scheduled tax increases in Germany, the report said.
China's sizzling economy will probably steam ahead with 10 per cent growth this year and next, propelled by surging exports, but the region could be hurt if China's investment boom sours, it warned.
The IMF also urged Beijing to raise the value of its currency, the yuan, saying that would help to cut its huge global trade gap � on pace this year to surpass last year's $102 billion US � and bolster households' purchasing power.
Growth in India, emerging as Asia's other major engine, would moderate to a still robust 8.3 per cent this year and 7.3 per cent next year.
Latin American economies would continue to lag behind other emerging economies, although growth prospects have increased in the region, with expansion expected at 4.75 per cent this year and 4.25 per cent in 2007.
Inflation in advanced economies was likely to increase modestly to 2.6 per cent in 2006 but start to decline next year as the upward impetus from oil price increases eases. Emerging markets would probably also be able to contain inflation pressures, it said.
The IMF was established in 1945 to help promote the health of the world economy. It works to foster economic and financial stability, prevent crises and can aid countries in trouble.
With files from the Associated Press
Good luck though.
http://www.cbc.ca/story/money/national/2006/09/14/imf-useconomy.html
Canadian economic growth to be best in G7 in 2007: IMF
Last Updated Thu, 14 Sep 2006 07:59:50 EDT
CBC News
Canada's economy is poised to grow by 3.0 per cent next year, giving it the fastest growth among the G7 countries, the International Monetary Fund said Thursday in its semi-annual World Economic Outlook.
Canada's status as a major net exporter of energy will likely be enough to insulate it from the slowdowns that the IMF is forecasting for the U.S. and Europe.
The biggest risks to the Canadian growth story next year include a "substantial" further rise in the Canadian dollar or a "sharper-than-expected" slowing of the U.S. economy, as more than 80 per cent of Canada's exports are to the U.S.
"The Canadian economy continues to perform robustly, benefiting from its strong macroeconomic policy framework and the boom in global commodity prices,'' the IMF said.
A cooling housing market is likely to trigger the slowdown in the U.S. economy next year and could weigh on the global economy as well, it said.
Growth in the United States, which was particularly strong in the first half of this year, is expected to slow from 3.4 per cent this year to 2.9 per cent in 2007, the IMF said. In April, it had projected U.S. growth next year would reach 3.3 per cent.
"The concern remains that a sharp adjustment in the housing sector would generate strong headwinds for the U.S. economy," it said.
IMF pegs China's economic growth at 10%
Citing strong growth in China, the IMF raised its global growth forecast a quarter of a percentage point to 5.1 per cent this year and 4.9 per cent in 2007. But it warned that inflationary pressures, high oil prices and a possible abrupt slowdown in the U.S. could undermine global growth.
"The balance of risks to the global outlook is slanted to the downside," said the report, released in Singapore, where the IMF and World Bank will be holding their annual meetings next week.
The Washington-based fund also suggested that further U.S. interest rate hikes might be necessary.
The U.S. Federal Reserve "faces a difficult situation of rising inflation in a slowing economy, but given the importance of keeping inflation expectations in check, some further policy tightening may still be needed," it said.
In August, the Fed decided to keep its key short-term lending rate at 5.25 per cent after 17 straight hikes back to June 2004.
The IMF said "there will be a premium on the Federal Reserve clearly communicating its policy intentions" and suggested that it state more explicitly its medium-term inflation targets.
It also said the U.S. could help reduce global imbalances by setting a more ambitious deficit reduction path and put the budget in a stronger position to respond to future economic downturns.
Japan, the world's second-largest economy, will likely grow 2.7 per cent this year on the back of solid domestic demand, but should ease next year to 2.1 per cent, the IMF said.
It also said Japan should be careful to raise interest rates gradually to avoid a "costly" re-emergence of deflation, or falling prices.
In the euro area, stronger corporate balance sheets have helped bring about increased investment, rising employment and a more balanced expansion to the 12 countries that use the common currency, the report said.
Growth would rise to 2.4 per cent in 2006 before moderating to two per cent in 2007 largely due to scheduled tax increases in Germany, the report said.
China's sizzling economy will probably steam ahead with 10 per cent growth this year and next, propelled by surging exports, but the region could be hurt if China's investment boom sours, it warned.
The IMF also urged Beijing to raise the value of its currency, the yuan, saying that would help to cut its huge global trade gap � on pace this year to surpass last year's $102 billion US � and bolster households' purchasing power.
Growth in India, emerging as Asia's other major engine, would moderate to a still robust 8.3 per cent this year and 7.3 per cent next year.
Latin American economies would continue to lag behind other emerging economies, although growth prospects have increased in the region, with expansion expected at 4.75 per cent this year and 4.25 per cent in 2007.
Inflation in advanced economies was likely to increase modestly to 2.6 per cent in 2006 but start to decline next year as the upward impetus from oil price increases eases. Emerging markets would probably also be able to contain inflation pressures, it said.
The IMF was established in 1945 to help promote the health of the world economy. It works to foster economic and financial stability, prevent crises and can aid countries in trouble.
With files from the Associated Press
more...
abracadabra102
09-06 10:56 AM
USCIS receives around 7.5 million applications a year and mistakes happen. Cut them some slack here. Bad luck to OP. Contact USCIS and see what happens and please post here after your issue is resolved. Others will benefit from your experience.
mariner5555
02-08 01:14 PM
Thanks for the info. but is it 180 days or 120 --there was a thread that said it has become 120 days before expiry or else it is getting denied ??
more...
NKR
10-28 02:27 PM
This is the first time I came across.
Yep, when I asked God for GC, he gave me USCIS...
Yep, when I asked God for GC, he gave me USCIS...
2010 Disney Pixar CARS 2: Sequel
kk_kk
04-23 01:27 PM
I have chnaged my address twice in last 2 months with USCIS. One change is from zip code xxxxx to yyyyy and other with in the same zip code. Both the time, there was an soft LUD on my I-485. knock on wood, no RFE's as of yet.
more...
fromnaija
07-21 03:45 AM
If by Phoenix you mean Phoenix, Arizona, You are welcome! I live in Phoenix. I hope you are prepared for the HEAT!
You could use your current address to file and change your address later using form AR-11. However, after submitting the form you have to call USCIS customer service to effect the change of address on your outstanding cases. Alternatively if you change your address online through USCIS web site, you don't need to call customer service. But I'll advise that you call them anyway. Good luck.
I am moving July 25th,07 from New York to Phoenix.
Which address I should to give attorney to File AOS.
She plan to file before July 31st,07.
But so far we didn't found Apartment in Phoenix.
Thanks in Advance.
You could use your current address to file and change your address later using form AR-11. However, after submitting the form you have to call USCIS customer service to effect the change of address on your outstanding cases. Alternatively if you change your address online through USCIS web site, you don't need to call customer service. But I'll advise that you call them anyway. Good luck.
I am moving July 25th,07 from New York to Phoenix.
Which address I should to give attorney to File AOS.
She plan to file before July 31st,07.
But so far we didn't found Apartment in Phoenix.
Thanks in Advance.
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trueguy
08-08 05:53 PM
Guys,
We have to come up with some numbers so we can plan our life ahead. Please vote only if your Application is pending. This is not for EB3-I who are already approved.
Thanks.
We have to come up with some numbers so we can plan our life ahead. Please vote only if your Application is pending. This is not for EB3-I who are already approved.
Thanks.
more...
whitetiger0811
01-12 10:34 AM
AB1275, an update on your case? How did the MTR go??? Please provide more details and update.
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somegchuh
10-26 01:11 PM
I hope they mail it back because that's something I definitely need. I didn't know they will look at my I797. I wish I had known this before my wife went for visa stamping. There's alway a new kink, isn't it :-)
My wife had her visa stamped in Bombay consulate - and during the interview they asked to see the I797 - but i had instructed her to ask for it back and she specifically asked the officer if she could have it back because I needed it - and he promptly gave it.
maybe Delhi Consulate works differently. Hopefully they will mail you back the 797 notice with the passport.
My wife had her visa stamped in Bombay consulate - and during the interview they asked to see the I797 - but i had instructed her to ask for it back and she specifically asked the officer if she could have it back because I needed it - and he promptly gave it.
maybe Delhi Consulate works differently. Hopefully they will mail you back the 797 notice with the passport.
more...
house Cars
jvordar
04-17 08:18 PM
guys have a question for u..
i'm invoking Ac21 and joining new employer.. but new employer is telling me that they dont want me to take any steps untill the H1 transfer is approved and in hand, and I have to give 2 weeks notice to my current employer after the approval..
now the question is that, after the approval will I be eligible to work for my older company for those 2 weeks since the H1 is already approved/transfered to the new employer?? has anyone faced such situation??...
i'm invoking Ac21 and joining new employer.. but new employer is telling me that they dont want me to take any steps untill the H1 transfer is approved and in hand, and I have to give 2 weeks notice to my current employer after the approval..
now the question is that, after the approval will I be eligible to work for my older company for those 2 weeks since the H1 is already approved/transfered to the new employer?? has anyone faced such situation??...
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smartboy75
11-02 02:25 AM
next time make sure only news pertaining to smartboy is posted...all else can wait...hail smartboy
cjain...
Everybody has a right to express their opinions...immuser has the freedom to share information..I have the freedom to express my opinion....Hope you learn something from posts from alterego..He shared a different view which was very informative....I admit I had'nt thought about it that way...showed me a different perspective...
I guess it's time you grow up....by making sarcastic comments you help no one....If you have nothing to say....there is no rule in the forumn that you have to.....Ever tried keeping your mouth Shut...
Its better to keep your mouth Shut and let others think you are a fool, rather than opening your mouth and confirming all doubts ...
cjain...
Everybody has a right to express their opinions...immuser has the freedom to share information..I have the freedom to express my opinion....Hope you learn something from posts from alterego..He shared a different view which was very informative....I admit I had'nt thought about it that way...showed me a different perspective...
I guess it's time you grow up....by making sarcastic comments you help no one....If you have nothing to say....there is no rule in the forumn that you have to.....Ever tried keeping your mouth Shut...
Its better to keep your mouth Shut and let others think you are a fool, rather than opening your mouth and confirming all doubts ...
more...
pictures Pixar#39;s Cars: The Movie
roseball
03-29 04:15 PM
How long the process took before filing? How much time for PWD alone?
It took almost 6 months.....But typically it only requires around 3-4 months (considering PWD response in 1-2 weeks)....My PWD was filed in the first week of Jan and it took about 3 weeks to get a response back it seems, though I am not aware of the exact dates as I was not involved in this whole process. I only came to know about it due to my frequent emails to my manager and attorney asking for status..:-)......Mine is a large corporation (400k+ employees) so things move really slow process wise....I felt from start to filing of PERM, it should take about 4 months max...But it really depends on the number of resumes received and the time taken to screen them....If candidates are found who have to be interviewed, it could take a little more time....
It took almost 6 months.....But typically it only requires around 3-4 months (considering PWD response in 1-2 weeks)....My PWD was filed in the first week of Jan and it took about 3 weeks to get a response back it seems, though I am not aware of the exact dates as I was not involved in this whole process. I only came to know about it due to my frequent emails to my manager and attorney asking for status..:-)......Mine is a large corporation (400k+ employees) so things move really slow process wise....I felt from start to filing of PERM, it should take about 4 months max...But it really depends on the number of resumes received and the time taken to screen them....If candidates are found who have to be interviewed, it could take a little more time....
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Sage_of_Fire
01-23 08:00 PM
Please add "Click to place the black hole." to mine.
more...
makeup Pixar CARS: More new models
msyedy
01-12 06:57 PM
I understand this topic has been discussed ad nauseam, so I'm not raising this issue per se. I do not know where we stand on the likelihood of this provision getting passed by Feb 15th, but I do know that the Core group must be trying their best to get some provisions along these lines.
But just in case the "AOS without current PD" is seen as too big a change by the law makers or its sponsors in the undustry, I think it might be worthwhile to consider some of its watered-down alternatives. The law makers themselves may have a perception of this provision "creating a log jam at the AOS stage", not unlike the (mis)perception of some of IV members themselves!
Some alternatives are:
(a) Ability to file I-485 if the I-140 has been approved for X years, or if the I-140 has been pending for Y years (this is similar the provision of the ability to file H1 extensions beyond 6 years if a labor is pending). The advantage of this provision is that this will sound familiar with an already existing law; and will let the floodgates to AOS slowly and in a more controlled manner.
(b) Ability to file I-485 if the PD is within N years of the published PD in the Visa Bulletin. For example, assuming N = 2 years, India EB3 with PD 5/11/03 and India EB2 01/08/05 can file. Again this has the advantage of a more controlled entry via the Visa Bulletin, but at least it'll start clearing the queue and people can get their EAD, FBI name check, while waiting for the visa numbers to be available.
(c) If an Labor has been approved for X years
(d) If the alien has been on H1 for Y years
or a combination of any of the above
Please understand that I whole heartedly support the "AOS without current PD" provision; it's just that it would be wise to be ready with some alternatives should the need arise.
Why are you making it more complicated. People here want to get things done faster and relief for everyone.
According to your statement .(New formulas). people with I-140 approved for x years can file I-485 and so on......
If we are fighting for something nice, why not fight and say that we need everyone to be able to file I-485 like it was earlier. Reducing jam in USCIS is not a simple issue.By decreasing the number of I-485 filing the amount of time cannot be accuratly estimated that would take it to clear a case. USCIS can increase filling fees which they are thinking of doing to handle the current log jam they have, so I think we stick to and follow IV core.
But just in case the "AOS without current PD" is seen as too big a change by the law makers or its sponsors in the undustry, I think it might be worthwhile to consider some of its watered-down alternatives. The law makers themselves may have a perception of this provision "creating a log jam at the AOS stage", not unlike the (mis)perception of some of IV members themselves!
Some alternatives are:
(a) Ability to file I-485 if the I-140 has been approved for X years, or if the I-140 has been pending for Y years (this is similar the provision of the ability to file H1 extensions beyond 6 years if a labor is pending). The advantage of this provision is that this will sound familiar with an already existing law; and will let the floodgates to AOS slowly and in a more controlled manner.
(b) Ability to file I-485 if the PD is within N years of the published PD in the Visa Bulletin. For example, assuming N = 2 years, India EB3 with PD 5/11/03 and India EB2 01/08/05 can file. Again this has the advantage of a more controlled entry via the Visa Bulletin, but at least it'll start clearing the queue and people can get their EAD, FBI name check, while waiting for the visa numbers to be available.
(c) If an Labor has been approved for X years
(d) If the alien has been on H1 for Y years
or a combination of any of the above
Please understand that I whole heartedly support the "AOS without current PD" provision; it's just that it would be wise to be ready with some alternatives should the need arise.
Why are you making it more complicated. People here want to get things done faster and relief for everyone.
According to your statement .(New formulas). people with I-140 approved for x years can file I-485 and so on......
If we are fighting for something nice, why not fight and say that we need everyone to be able to file I-485 like it was earlier. Reducing jam in USCIS is not a simple issue.By decreasing the number of I-485 filing the amount of time cannot be accuratly estimated that would take it to clear a case. USCIS can increase filling fees which they are thinking of doing to handle the current log jam they have, so I think we stick to and follow IV core.
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new_horizon
05-26 08:45 PM
I had an error message in the past few days. But when I tried it today, and I was able to schedule an appointment. There are dates available from June 1-12 (week days).
hairstyles Disney Pixar CARS:
Kevin Sadler
August 8th, 2005, 10:58 AM
michael, that's a great technique! i would think anyplace where there is a steady motion with fixed objects would work. some things that come to mind are places with pedestrians or cars. a busy downtown sidewalk, a bridge, a scenic freeway, etc. can't wait to see more of these. kevin
diptam
11-13 03:37 PM
Jokes apart - I-485 is the actual step of converting someone to a real Permanent Resident.
You don't have to worry about your Skill sets , loads of paperwork - you can do everything that an American can do apart from Voting. Its not a administrative processing step like I-140.
If on a higher level the politicians feel that economy is bad , umeployment is rocketing up they would do nothing to speed up 485 , rather slow it down... They don't want an extra immigrant to stand in the line for Food stamp or unemployment benefits.
Makes sense ?
Is tehre is any way for PREMIUM PROCESSING for I485 pending case ?
In my case PD is current since years the I140 is approved. Backbround check etc is over. Confirmed by various sources that my case JUST needs to be picked up by IO.
I have somebusiness trips coming up. My employer want me to find out the way to get the GC faster that way there wont be any hassle for every year renewal od AP and also EADs. and then appplying VISAs which will expire along with teh AP last date.
Along with me my employer is also fed up now:p.
Our lawyer being stupid; the employer wants me to find out the way to expedite I485. Since it is in last stages I think theer could be quicker way.
I know there is the way WOM but is there any other way?:rolleyes:
You don't have to worry about your Skill sets , loads of paperwork - you can do everything that an American can do apart from Voting. Its not a administrative processing step like I-140.
If on a higher level the politicians feel that economy is bad , umeployment is rocketing up they would do nothing to speed up 485 , rather slow it down... They don't want an extra immigrant to stand in the line for Food stamp or unemployment benefits.
Makes sense ?
Is tehre is any way for PREMIUM PROCESSING for I485 pending case ?
In my case PD is current since years the I140 is approved. Backbround check etc is over. Confirmed by various sources that my case JUST needs to be picked up by IO.
I have somebusiness trips coming up. My employer want me to find out the way to get the GC faster that way there wont be any hassle for every year renewal od AP and also EADs. and then appplying VISAs which will expire along with teh AP last date.
Along with me my employer is also fed up now:p.
Our lawyer being stupid; the employer wants me to find out the way to expedite I485. Since it is in last stages I think theer could be quicker way.
I know there is the way WOM but is there any other way?:rolleyes:
pellucid
04-05 03:31 PM
America embraces foreign-born ballplayers, but not engineers, much to the
dismay of big business, says Fortune's Marc Gunther.
By Marc Gunther, Fortune senior writer
NEW YORK (Fortune) -- Imagine if the baseball season had begun this week
without such foreign-born stars as Albert Pujols, David Ortiz, Justin
Morneau and the latest Japanese import, pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka and his
mysterious "gyroball."
It wouldn't be as much fun, would it? Fans want to see the most skilled
players compete - immigrants and Americans.
So why is it that people don't want skilled immigrants to compete for jobs
in the multibillion-dollar technology industry?
They view these immigrants as a threat. CNN anchor Lou Dobbs argues
permitting more educated, foreign-born engineers, scientists and teachers
into the country would force many qualified American workers out of the job
market.
That may be true in baseball, where the number of jobs on big league rosters
is fixed. That's not necessarily so in technology, where people with skills
and ambition help expand job opportunities. Immigrants helped start Sun
Microsystems, Intel (Charts), Yahoo! (Charts), eBay (Charts) and Google (
Charts). Would America be better off if they'd stayed home?
"This is not about filling jobs that would go to Americans," says Robert
Hoffman, an Oracle (Charts) vice president and co-chair of a business
coalition called Compete America, which favors allowing more skilled workers
into the United States. "This is important to create jobs. It's not a zero
sum game."
This week, as it happens, is not just opening week of the baseball season.
It's the week when employers rush to apply for the limited number of visas,
called H-1B visas, that became available on April 1 to allow them to
temporarily hire educated, foreign-born workers. This year, Congress has
allowed 65,000 of these H-1B visas, plus another 20,000 for foreign-born
students who earn advanced degrees from U.S. universities. After obtaining
guest-worker visas, employees can then seek green cards that allow them to
stay in the United States
FedEx and UPS did a brisk business last weekend because the visas are
awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The first 65,000 are already
gone. The 20,000 earmarked for graduates of U.S. universities will be
distributed in a month or two, experts say.
This makes it very hard for companies to hire foreign-born graduates of the
U.S.'s top schools. More than half the graduate students in science and
engineering at U.S. universities were born overseas.
"It's sending a signal to the best international students that they may not
want to make their career in the United States," says Stuart Anderson,
executive director of the National Foundation for American Policy, a
research group. (Anderson, an immigration specialist, also wrote a study of
baseball and immigration that's available here as a PDF file.)
Expanding H1-B visas is a top priority for U.S. tech firms. Bill Gates,
Microsoft's (Charts) chairman, told Congress last month: "I cannot overstate
the importance of overhauling our high-skilled immigration system....
Unfortunately, our immigration policies are driving away the world's best
and brightest precisely when we need them most."
CNN's Lou Dobbs was unimpressed. "The Gates plan would force many qualified
American workers right out of the job market," he fretted on the air after
Gates testified. "There's something wrong when a man as smart as Bill Gates
advances an elitist agenda, without regard to the impact that he's having on
working men and women in this country."
It's not just Dobbs. Internet bulletin boards and blogs are filled with
complaints about foreign-born engineers. The U.S. branch of the Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the leading society of engineers,
brought about 60 engineers to Washington last month to ask for reforms to
the H-1B program. IEEE-USA supports a bill proposed by Senators Dick Durbin,
an Illinois Democrat, and Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, that is
designed to crack down on companies that use the guest worker program to
displace Americans from jobs.
As it happens, most of the largest users of the H1-B program are not
American companies but foreign firms that want to move jobs out of the
United States. Seven of the 10 firms that requested the most H1-B visas in
2006 were outsourcing firms based in India, which use the visas to train
workers in the United States before they are rotated home, according to Ron
Hira, an engineer who teaches public policy at the Rochester Institute of
Technology. Indian outsourcing firms Wipro and Infosys were the two top
requestors of H1-B visas.
In a paper for the Economic Policy Institute, Hira says that expanding H-1B
visas without improving controls will "lead to more offshore outsourcing of
jobs, displacement of American technology workers (and) decreased wages and
job opportunities" for Americans. He told me: "Bill Gates talks about how
you are shutting out $100,000-a-year software engineers. But if you look at
the median wage for new H1-B workers, it's closer to $50,000."
Asked about that, Jack Krumholtz, who runs Microsoft's Washington office,
said the average salary for Microsoft's H1-B workers is more than $109,000,
and that the company spends another $10,000 to $15,000 per worker applying
for the visas and helping workers apply for green cards. "We only hire
people who we want to have on our team for the long run," he said.
It seems clear that Microsoft - along with Oracle, Intel, Hewlett Packard
and other members of the Compete America coalition - do not use the guest
worker program to hire cheap labor. They just want to hire the best
engineers, many of whom are foreign born.
So what to do? Everyone seems to agree that the H1-B program needs fixing. (
Even Hira, the critic, says the United States should absorb more high-
skilled immigrants.) Whether Congress can fix it is questionable. The guest-
worker program is tied up in the debate over broader immigration reforms.
But guess what? Just last year, Congress passed the Compete Act of 2006,
which stands (sort of) for "Creating Opportunities for Minor League
Professions, Entertainers and Teams through Legal Entry." Yes, that law made
it easier for baseball teams to get visas for foreign-born minor league
players.
If the government can fix the problem for baseball, surely it can do so for
technology, too.
dismay of big business, says Fortune's Marc Gunther.
By Marc Gunther, Fortune senior writer
NEW YORK (Fortune) -- Imagine if the baseball season had begun this week
without such foreign-born stars as Albert Pujols, David Ortiz, Justin
Morneau and the latest Japanese import, pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka and his
mysterious "gyroball."
It wouldn't be as much fun, would it? Fans want to see the most skilled
players compete - immigrants and Americans.
So why is it that people don't want skilled immigrants to compete for jobs
in the multibillion-dollar technology industry?
They view these immigrants as a threat. CNN anchor Lou Dobbs argues
permitting more educated, foreign-born engineers, scientists and teachers
into the country would force many qualified American workers out of the job
market.
That may be true in baseball, where the number of jobs on big league rosters
is fixed. That's not necessarily so in technology, where people with skills
and ambition help expand job opportunities. Immigrants helped start Sun
Microsystems, Intel (Charts), Yahoo! (Charts), eBay (Charts) and Google (
Charts). Would America be better off if they'd stayed home?
"This is not about filling jobs that would go to Americans," says Robert
Hoffman, an Oracle (Charts) vice president and co-chair of a business
coalition called Compete America, which favors allowing more skilled workers
into the United States. "This is important to create jobs. It's not a zero
sum game."
This week, as it happens, is not just opening week of the baseball season.
It's the week when employers rush to apply for the limited number of visas,
called H-1B visas, that became available on April 1 to allow them to
temporarily hire educated, foreign-born workers. This year, Congress has
allowed 65,000 of these H-1B visas, plus another 20,000 for foreign-born
students who earn advanced degrees from U.S. universities. After obtaining
guest-worker visas, employees can then seek green cards that allow them to
stay in the United States
FedEx and UPS did a brisk business last weekend because the visas are
awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. The first 65,000 are already
gone. The 20,000 earmarked for graduates of U.S. universities will be
distributed in a month or two, experts say.
This makes it very hard for companies to hire foreign-born graduates of the
U.S.'s top schools. More than half the graduate students in science and
engineering at U.S. universities were born overseas.
"It's sending a signal to the best international students that they may not
want to make their career in the United States," says Stuart Anderson,
executive director of the National Foundation for American Policy, a
research group. (Anderson, an immigration specialist, also wrote a study of
baseball and immigration that's available here as a PDF file.)
Expanding H1-B visas is a top priority for U.S. tech firms. Bill Gates,
Microsoft's (Charts) chairman, told Congress last month: "I cannot overstate
the importance of overhauling our high-skilled immigration system....
Unfortunately, our immigration policies are driving away the world's best
and brightest precisely when we need them most."
CNN's Lou Dobbs was unimpressed. "The Gates plan would force many qualified
American workers right out of the job market," he fretted on the air after
Gates testified. "There's something wrong when a man as smart as Bill Gates
advances an elitist agenda, without regard to the impact that he's having on
working men and women in this country."
It's not just Dobbs. Internet bulletin boards and blogs are filled with
complaints about foreign-born engineers. The U.S. branch of the Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers, the leading society of engineers,
brought about 60 engineers to Washington last month to ask for reforms to
the H-1B program. IEEE-USA supports a bill proposed by Senators Dick Durbin,
an Illinois Democrat, and Chuck Grassley, an Iowa Republican, that is
designed to crack down on companies that use the guest worker program to
displace Americans from jobs.
As it happens, most of the largest users of the H1-B program are not
American companies but foreign firms that want to move jobs out of the
United States. Seven of the 10 firms that requested the most H1-B visas in
2006 were outsourcing firms based in India, which use the visas to train
workers in the United States before they are rotated home, according to Ron
Hira, an engineer who teaches public policy at the Rochester Institute of
Technology. Indian outsourcing firms Wipro and Infosys were the two top
requestors of H1-B visas.
In a paper for the Economic Policy Institute, Hira says that expanding H-1B
visas without improving controls will "lead to more offshore outsourcing of
jobs, displacement of American technology workers (and) decreased wages and
job opportunities" for Americans. He told me: "Bill Gates talks about how
you are shutting out $100,000-a-year software engineers. But if you look at
the median wage for new H1-B workers, it's closer to $50,000."
Asked about that, Jack Krumholtz, who runs Microsoft's Washington office,
said the average salary for Microsoft's H1-B workers is more than $109,000,
and that the company spends another $10,000 to $15,000 per worker applying
for the visas and helping workers apply for green cards. "We only hire
people who we want to have on our team for the long run," he said.
It seems clear that Microsoft - along with Oracle, Intel, Hewlett Packard
and other members of the Compete America coalition - do not use the guest
worker program to hire cheap labor. They just want to hire the best
engineers, many of whom are foreign born.
So what to do? Everyone seems to agree that the H1-B program needs fixing. (
Even Hira, the critic, says the United States should absorb more high-
skilled immigrants.) Whether Congress can fix it is questionable. The guest-
worker program is tied up in the debate over broader immigration reforms.
But guess what? Just last year, Congress passed the Compete Act of 2006,
which stands (sort of) for "Creating Opportunities for Minor League
Professions, Entertainers and Teams through Legal Entry." Yes, that law made
it easier for baseball teams to get visas for foreign-born minor league
players.
If the government can fix the problem for baseball, surely it can do so for
technology, too.
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