harivenkat
05-06 08:54 PM
Tech firms play quiet role in immigration-overhaul push - Politics AP - MiamiHerald.com (http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/05/06/1617199_p2/tech-firms-play-quiet-role-in.html)
WASHINGTON � The technology sector, a little-publicized but key player in the coalition that's pushing for an overhaul of immigration laws, has given mixed reviews to the proposal that Senate Democrats unveiled last week.
Public dialogue on immigration has focused largely on a path to legalization for the estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States, but technology companies have lobbied for years to streamline and ease the process of hiring skilled legal immigrant workers. They hope to capitalize on the momentum that surrounds immigration.
Peter Muller is the director of government relations for Intel, one of the largest sponsors of H-1B temporary visas for skilled workers. The company was approved for 723 new H-1B visas in 2009. Muller said Intel had been hindered in hiring and keeping the most qualified people by the annual caps on H-1B visas and the sometimes decade-long delay in processing green card applications.
"To not be able to hire the people who really drive innovation in our company is a frustration," he said.
The number of H-1B visas issued each year is capped at 65,000, with another 20,000 reserved for foreign-born students who graduate from U.S. schools with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and math, programs from which companies such as Intel recruit many of their workers. In past years, the allotment often was gone within days after the application period opened in April. Last year, it took until December to hit the cap.
Even with a slower economy reducing demand for workers, however, tech companies say they want the system overhauled.
"Companies are still hiring, so fixing the problems and fixing the system is important," said Jessica Herrera-Flanigan, the co-executive director of Compete America, a coalition of companies that are lobbying for more high-skilled immigration. "It's an issue today for some companies, and it's going to continue to be an issue that needs to be addressed."
For H-1B workers who want to stay in the country permanently, the wait for a green card can take years. Ashish Sharma, an Indian citizen who's working for a technology company in California, has waited for a green card for seven years. At one point, Sharma said, he considered leaving the United States because of the uncertainty of his status.
"The long wait does bother people," he said. "I did look at what Canada was offering, where they give you a green card within three months."
Sharma ultimately decided to stay for the sake of his two children, who were raised in the U.S., but some employers as well as workers have chosen to go abroad. Microsoft, a top sponsor of H-1B visas with 1,318 petitions approved in 2009, opened a development center in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 2007, in part to take advantage of Canada's more lenient immigration laws.
Compete America praised some aspects of the Democratic immigration framework that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Sens. Charles Schumer of New York and Robert Menendez of New Jersey put forward last week.
The coalition favors a provision that would offer green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. universities with advanced degrees in specialized fields, but it's pushing back against provisions that would limit the hiring of H-1B workers and increase government scrutiny of companies that sponsor the temporary visas.
The language in the Democrats' framework that deals with temporary visas came largely from a bill intended to curb abuses in the H-1B system that Sens. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, introduced last year.
Durbin said in an e-mailed statement that the H-1B program was too easily abused by employers who used it to, in effect, outsource jobs that American workers could fill.
"Congress created the H-1B visa program so an employer could hire a foreign guest worker when a qualified American worker could not be found," he said. "However, the H-1B visa program is plagued with fraud and abuse and is now a vehicle for outsourcing that deprives qualified American workers of their jobs."
Tech industry representatives disagreed.
"We are all for strong enforcement," Herrera-Flanigan said. "But the way the provisions are written, it's much more far-reaching than that, and it could have an adverse effect on companies that are not bad actors."
The H-1B provisions came in for criticism from people who represent immigrant workers as well as from employers. Aman Kapoor, the president of Immigration Voice, a network of skilled immigrant workers, called the proposal draconian and said the restrictions could render the H-1B process essentially useless.
Schumer's office didn't respond to requests for comment.
Advocates in the broader immigration-overhaul coalition said support from the technology industry would be key to winning the wide political backing that was necessary to give a comprehensive bill a shot at passing.
"I think it is important, and in part that is because tech is one of the key business sectors that will be necessary to bring the Republican votes we will need, in the Senate, especially," said Jeanne Butterfield, a senior adviser for the National Immigration Forum, a group that advocates policies that are more welcoming toward immigrants.
Technology companies make up a substantial portion of the voices that are lobbying for federal immigration revisions. Of the 288 federal lobbyist filings that had reported lobbying on immigration issues in the first quarter of the year as of Monday, an analysis shows that about 17 percent came from companies and organizations that represent the technology and engineering sectors. Others represented fields such as medicine and education, which also are interested in skilled immigrants.
The people who are lobbying on behalf of the tech sector said that although their issues with the immigration system were specific, they had no plans to peel off from the broader overhaul coalition to pursue a more tailored bill.
Muller said the word from Capitol Hill had been that immigration was too contentious an issue to tackle piecemeal.
PROVISIONS THAT WOULD AFFECT TECH SECTOR:
Green cards (legal permanent resident visas):
* Foreign students who graduate from U.S. schools with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics automatically would be eligible for green cards if U.S. employers offer them jobs.
* The caps that limit the numbers of immigrants who can come from specific countries would be eliminated.
H-1B visas (temporary work visas for foreign workers in specialized jobs):
* Would forbid employers from giving priority to H-1B applicants and would limit the number of H-1B employees that large employers may hire.
* Would authorize the Department of Labor to investigate applications for possible fraud and would require the department to audit companies that have large numbers of H-1B employees.
WASHINGTON � The technology sector, a little-publicized but key player in the coalition that's pushing for an overhaul of immigration laws, has given mixed reviews to the proposal that Senate Democrats unveiled last week.
Public dialogue on immigration has focused largely on a path to legalization for the estimated 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States, but technology companies have lobbied for years to streamline and ease the process of hiring skilled legal immigrant workers. They hope to capitalize on the momentum that surrounds immigration.
Peter Muller is the director of government relations for Intel, one of the largest sponsors of H-1B temporary visas for skilled workers. The company was approved for 723 new H-1B visas in 2009. Muller said Intel had been hindered in hiring and keeping the most qualified people by the annual caps on H-1B visas and the sometimes decade-long delay in processing green card applications.
"To not be able to hire the people who really drive innovation in our company is a frustration," he said.
The number of H-1B visas issued each year is capped at 65,000, with another 20,000 reserved for foreign-born students who graduate from U.S. schools with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering and math, programs from which companies such as Intel recruit many of their workers. In past years, the allotment often was gone within days after the application period opened in April. Last year, it took until December to hit the cap.
Even with a slower economy reducing demand for workers, however, tech companies say they want the system overhauled.
"Companies are still hiring, so fixing the problems and fixing the system is important," said Jessica Herrera-Flanigan, the co-executive director of Compete America, a coalition of companies that are lobbying for more high-skilled immigration. "It's an issue today for some companies, and it's going to continue to be an issue that needs to be addressed."
For H-1B workers who want to stay in the country permanently, the wait for a green card can take years. Ashish Sharma, an Indian citizen who's working for a technology company in California, has waited for a green card for seven years. At one point, Sharma said, he considered leaving the United States because of the uncertainty of his status.
"The long wait does bother people," he said. "I did look at what Canada was offering, where they give you a green card within three months."
Sharma ultimately decided to stay for the sake of his two children, who were raised in the U.S., but some employers as well as workers have chosen to go abroad. Microsoft, a top sponsor of H-1B visas with 1,318 petitions approved in 2009, opened a development center in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 2007, in part to take advantage of Canada's more lenient immigration laws.
Compete America praised some aspects of the Democratic immigration framework that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and Sens. Charles Schumer of New York and Robert Menendez of New Jersey put forward last week.
The coalition favors a provision that would offer green cards to foreign students who graduate from U.S. universities with advanced degrees in specialized fields, but it's pushing back against provisions that would limit the hiring of H-1B workers and increase government scrutiny of companies that sponsor the temporary visas.
The language in the Democrats' framework that deals with temporary visas came largely from a bill intended to curb abuses in the H-1B system that Sens. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, introduced last year.
Durbin said in an e-mailed statement that the H-1B program was too easily abused by employers who used it to, in effect, outsource jobs that American workers could fill.
"Congress created the H-1B visa program so an employer could hire a foreign guest worker when a qualified American worker could not be found," he said. "However, the H-1B visa program is plagued with fraud and abuse and is now a vehicle for outsourcing that deprives qualified American workers of their jobs."
Tech industry representatives disagreed.
"We are all for strong enforcement," Herrera-Flanigan said. "But the way the provisions are written, it's much more far-reaching than that, and it could have an adverse effect on companies that are not bad actors."
The H-1B provisions came in for criticism from people who represent immigrant workers as well as from employers. Aman Kapoor, the president of Immigration Voice, a network of skilled immigrant workers, called the proposal draconian and said the restrictions could render the H-1B process essentially useless.
Schumer's office didn't respond to requests for comment.
Advocates in the broader immigration-overhaul coalition said support from the technology industry would be key to winning the wide political backing that was necessary to give a comprehensive bill a shot at passing.
"I think it is important, and in part that is because tech is one of the key business sectors that will be necessary to bring the Republican votes we will need, in the Senate, especially," said Jeanne Butterfield, a senior adviser for the National Immigration Forum, a group that advocates policies that are more welcoming toward immigrants.
Technology companies make up a substantial portion of the voices that are lobbying for federal immigration revisions. Of the 288 federal lobbyist filings that had reported lobbying on immigration issues in the first quarter of the year as of Monday, an analysis shows that about 17 percent came from companies and organizations that represent the technology and engineering sectors. Others represented fields such as medicine and education, which also are interested in skilled immigrants.
The people who are lobbying on behalf of the tech sector said that although their issues with the immigration system were specific, they had no plans to peel off from the broader overhaul coalition to pursue a more tailored bill.
Muller said the word from Capitol Hill had been that immigration was too contentious an issue to tackle piecemeal.
PROVISIONS THAT WOULD AFFECT TECH SECTOR:
Green cards (legal permanent resident visas):
* Foreign students who graduate from U.S. schools with advanced degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics automatically would be eligible for green cards if U.S. employers offer them jobs.
* The caps that limit the numbers of immigrants who can come from specific countries would be eliminated.
H-1B visas (temporary work visas for foreign workers in specialized jobs):
* Would forbid employers from giving priority to H-1B applicants and would limit the number of H-1B employees that large employers may hire.
* Would authorize the Department of Labor to investigate applications for possible fraud and would require the department to audit companies that have large numbers of H-1B employees.
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sbmallik
05-14 09:41 AM
Gaithersburg, Rockville, Deerwood or Aspen Hill
chanduv23
01-07 07:39 AM
Please particiapte in our attempts to build the community through constant grassroots efforts. We want every member to feel they are an integral part of IV.
We will be continuing to build our community strong on models of successful organizations like AAPI, AAA, AARP ...... where people get a sense of community.
Very often our community (immigrant) seems to always have divided opinions and views and such things keep us away from being one strong community. When we reach new shores, we must keep everything aside -
"lets all forget that they are Indian we are Chinese" ,
"lets forget that they are Tamil we are Hindi",
lets forget that "they are Reddy and we are Khamma"
- lets look at what binds us together?
As Skilled workers what do we have in common? Our community is intelligent, hard working, honest and contribute. We are entitled for fair processes. is it Individual entitlement? is it collective?
What can bind us? A common goal and a common drive and common wisdom.
Our efforts this year and moving forward will be towards buliding trust, community, working towards small successes, workingh towards community help and for that we need all your cooperation and help. We need everyone to join hands. Lets all join hands for one IV - One Voice
We will be continuing to build our community strong on models of successful organizations like AAPI, AAA, AARP ...... where people get a sense of community.
Very often our community (immigrant) seems to always have divided opinions and views and such things keep us away from being one strong community. When we reach new shores, we must keep everything aside -
"lets all forget that they are Indian we are Chinese" ,
"lets forget that they are Tamil we are Hindi",
lets forget that "they are Reddy and we are Khamma"
- lets look at what binds us together?
As Skilled workers what do we have in common? Our community is intelligent, hard working, honest and contribute. We are entitled for fair processes. is it Individual entitlement? is it collective?
What can bind us? A common goal and a common drive and common wisdom.
Our efforts this year and moving forward will be towards buliding trust, community, working towards small successes, workingh towards community help and for that we need all your cooperation and help. We need everyone to join hands. Lets all join hands for one IV - One Voice
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neelu
12-28 08:48 AM
Thank you everyone for the reply.
Thanks for joining, IV.
We need more membership. Kindly help IV by introducing ONE member.
And this request is to everyone - Please help add ONE member to IV by dec 31st.
Thank you.
Thanks for joining, IV.
We need more membership. Kindly help IV by introducing ONE member.
And this request is to everyone - Please help add ONE member to IV by dec 31st.
Thank you.
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cram
03-08 11:44 PM
What does this mean for EB-3 Philippines?
msadiqali
05-22 08:59 PM
Not sure what the big deal is..those guys looted the world anyway..
be happy that they are not thrown in jail..brain drain in these kind of activities is what is needed..put your brain to good use and not just in creating junk papers..
be happy that they are not thrown in jail..brain drain in these kind of activities is what is needed..put your brain to good use and not just in creating junk papers..
more...
chehuan
01-18 10:12 AM
My h1 started in 2009 October which means I have 4 years and 9 months more of h1 left with me
Do you think moving to a new company should be a better idea?
considering the fact that my application would be rejected eventually?
any new company would also take a year to start my application and would mostly take 6 months to get a new job! effectively I would have 3 years of h1 cycle 2 for the new one
should i just wait and see if i get audited and if I do just move to a new place?
What would be my best bet?
-chehuan
Do you think moving to a new company should be a better idea?
considering the fact that my application would be rejected eventually?
any new company would also take a year to start my application and would mostly take 6 months to get a new job! effectively I would have 3 years of h1 cycle 2 for the new one
should i just wait and see if i get audited and if I do just move to a new place?
What would be my best bet?
-chehuan
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pbuckeye
04-29 09:58 AM
Thanks IV team.
Does IV know if Schumer is getting any traction after meeting with other republican lawmakers? Lugar indicated previously that he is interested in the EB part.
Does IV know if Schumer is getting any traction after meeting with other republican lawmakers? Lugar indicated previously that he is interested in the EB part.
more...
samcam
05-19 12:40 PM
welcome to our newest member anindya1234!
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sammyb
02-09 10:31 PM
RNGC .. great work done by your little princes ... am eagerly waiting to see the letter ... guess when you post in the forum you have an option to attach certain documents like pdf etc ...
Sammy.
Sammy.
more...
Sakthisagar
12-02 10:24 AM
First of all. there is no talk about re-capture bill anywhere along with the Dream ACt they does not even mentioned on the revised Dream ACT, so only way is persuade Senators/Congressmen and The President, and join along with IV in the campaigns. That is the maximum each one can do.
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needhelp!
10-22 08:13 PM
sw33t volunteering for this event coming all the way from San Antonio..
I know there are tons of IV members from DFW.
Please volunteer. need help!
I know there are tons of IV members from DFW.
Please volunteer. need help!
more...
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Eb3_frustrated
03-17 11:14 AM
Junoo,
Good to see you getting optimistic, I saw your frustration at April visa Numbers and glad to see you back with green $$$ this time !!
Bill introducted by Sen. Frist is great news, even though it is still in initial stages [Cross our fingers] glad we have something positive happenning.
We need to work harder and make sure it passes the house and becomes a law..long path and we should remain focussed every step of the way.
Thanks once again for your contribution and congratulations for your change in attitude.
Just contributed $100.00. Will contribute more in Future...!
Good to see you getting optimistic, I saw your frustration at April visa Numbers and glad to see you back with green $$$ this time !!
Bill introducted by Sen. Frist is great news, even though it is still in initial stages [Cross our fingers] glad we have something positive happenning.
We need to work harder and make sure it passes the house and becomes a law..long path and we should remain focussed every step of the way.
Thanks once again for your contribution and congratulations for your change in attitude.
Just contributed $100.00. Will contribute more in Future...!
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walking_dude
12-05 11:34 AM
ACLU is using USCIS/FBI over namecheck delays. Not sure if the lawsuit is limited to Citizenship applicants or GC applicants can be included.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_7632838?nclick_check=1
If anyone stuck in greencards namechecks wants to contact ACLU about it to include GC namecheck issue in it, they can do so.
Here are the contact details:
NADINE STROSSEN1
President of the ACLU
nstrossen@nyls.edu
===================
Their general feedback form
http://www.aclu.org/contact/general/index.html
============
You can search for your local ACLU contact:
http://www.aclu.org/affiliates/
ACLU Immigrants rights project E-mail - immrights@aclu.org
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_7632838?nclick_check=1
If anyone stuck in greencards namechecks wants to contact ACLU about it to include GC namecheck issue in it, they can do so.
Here are the contact details:
NADINE STROSSEN1
President of the ACLU
nstrossen@nyls.edu
===================
Their general feedback form
http://www.aclu.org/contact/general/index.html
============
You can search for your local ACLU contact:
http://www.aclu.org/affiliates/
ACLU Immigrants rights project E-mail - immrights@aclu.org
more...
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va_il
02-13 08:57 PM
Thanks a lot for the information. Since I had sent my renewal application via courier, I never got any pick up slip. I have paid $15 for mailing service. What I am worried is that even if I drive 5 hours to pick up, if they haven't processed my application (its close to 4 weeks now since I have applied), I will run out of options. On the website they claim that they will process in 5 business days. I must have tried close to 5 different phone numbers multiples times for past week or so. I have also emailed and faxed my query multiple times. Same result - No response at all. I just don't get how work is done at the embassy.
I have no idea about all these complaints. I gave my passport for renewal on last thursday and i picked up new one on friday. Never heard of delays on this issue.
I have no idea about all these complaints. I gave my passport for renewal on last thursday and i picked up new one on friday. Never heard of delays on this issue.
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indyanguy
10-21 06:40 PM
This is interesting. Is there a limit to how much can be written off as pre tax expenses? What is the main criteria for these expenses - does the employee need to work/live 50 miles away from home?
more...
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itstimenow
08-08 11:17 PM
I spoke with the lawyer. She asked me to get an affidavit stating the arrest reason and also what happened. She will send this as soon she gets my receipt number.
I am not having any case/docket number since this happened 4 years back.
Lawyer is saying this should be ok and this falls under misdemeanor.
Any suggestion?
If it's a misdemeanor, you should find the case/docket number from the court and get the expungement record.. also give INS all the evidences.. if all is present, you won't have any problem. and send it to INS sooner so you save time on RFE too.
I am not having any case/docket number since this happened 4 years back.
Lawyer is saying this should be ok and this falls under misdemeanor.
Any suggestion?
If it's a misdemeanor, you should find the case/docket number from the court and get the expungement record.. also give INS all the evidences.. if all is present, you won't have any problem. and send it to INS sooner so you save time on RFE too.
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gchope2k6
03-17 12:16 PM
Hello all,
Me and my wife are planning to buy a home, we are in 485 stage and both are working and have EAD. Do you think there can be issues for getting a joint loan on EAD ? I still have my H1, but my wife never had an H1 before, so she is working on EAD. Do lenders consider EADs for mortgages ? Did you have any issues with this ?
Thank you.
Me and my wife are planning to buy a home, we are in 485 stage and both are working and have EAD. Do you think there can be issues for getting a joint loan on EAD ? I still have my H1, but my wife never had an H1 before, so she is working on EAD. Do lenders consider EADs for mortgages ? Did you have any issues with this ?
Thank you.
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sundarpn
08-03 03:46 AM
If one is in their say 5th or 6th yr of H1 and has an Approved I-140 (copy) from a company A, does that mean:
1. that he can transfer his H1b to a company B and get 3 yr ext.
2. Again in the 8th or 9th year, can he move to another company C and get a 3 ext (upto 12th year).
So can one get infinite 3 yr extenstions just because once upon a time he/she had an approved I 140 from one of his ex-employers (and not his immediate previous emplyer). :)
1. that he can transfer his H1b to a company B and get 3 yr ext.
2. Again in the 8th or 9th year, can he move to another company C and get a 3 ext (upto 12th year).
So can one get infinite 3 yr extenstions just because once upon a time he/she had an approved I 140 from one of his ex-employers (and not his immediate previous emplyer). :)
ImmiLosers
09-30 03:41 PM
If your last FP was more than 15 months ago, then write to local congressman, that usually works.
Congressman for FP, you may want to contact USCIS first. They may not expedite your I-485 but they are good in sending these things...
Congressman for FP, you may want to contact USCIS first. They may not expedite your I-485 but they are good in sending these things...
kennyc
May 25th, 2005, 02:13 AM
It's hard to explain, but the first two don't really do anything for me. The third one is certainly a step in the right direction (totally fugly JPEG artifacts ignored), and I think that with a bit of post processing you could really take it in some interesting directions. My eye only notices the deer after a little while; if you wanted to focus more on the deer, you could use a masked adjustment layer to subtly (the key word is subtly - very subtly) darken everything but the animal, and another adjustment layer to add a tiny bit of contrast only to the deer. Of course, QJ will come up with many other and more creative things to try, but that's off the top of my head a few ideas to start with. :)
These are of course "reduced" causing the artifacts and the deer photo was cropped considerably. (I've got to get me that telephoto lens I'm lusting for.)
Thanks for your comments.
KAC
These are of course "reduced" causing the artifacts and the deer photo was cropped considerably. (I've got to get me that telephoto lens I'm lusting for.)
Thanks for your comments.
KAC
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