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THE HOUSE PROPOSES A BILL: Comprehensive Immigration Reform ASAP 2009.
On December 15th, 2009, Congressman Luis
Gutierrez (D-IL) introduced the "Comprehensive
Immigration Reform for America's Security and
Prosperity (CIR ASAP) Act of 2009." Congressman
Gutierrez has been joined by members of various
communities within Congress. This legislation marks
a path for the nation to tackle the nation's broken
immigration system.
The link below is an overview of this new
immigration reform bill that was propsed in the
House. Many of the provisions are still vague but we
will update you as the details emerge. If you should
have any questions with regard to the new Bill or the
general comprehensive immigration reform climate or
for immigration, green card, PERM or visa assistance,
please e-mail us at info@visaserve.co
m or call us at 201-670-0006 (ext. 100).
Click Here to Read the Text of the Proposed Bill . . .
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Dear Readers:
We would like to thank our loyal readers and followers
and to wish you and yours a safe and happy and
healthy New Year. To say the least, the 2009
Business Immigration Law arena has been full of
surprises. Last week's introduction of a proposed
House Bill for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
provided a glimpse into what will seemingly be an
uphill battle if immigration reform is a 2010 legislative
initiative. Recently, members of our Firm have been
assisting the leadership of numerous not-for-profit
secular and religious organizations poised to be
active in the "push" for immigration reform.
More then ever, we continue to field requests for
foreign investor visas in the U.S. We believe that
one driving factor here is the weak U.S. dollar. The H-
1B visa supply lasted eight (8) months longer then it
did in the 2008-2009 Fiscal Year. The slow H-1B
petition rate for the 2009-2010 Fiscal Year was due to
the high rate of U.S. unemployment. Outbound
immigration to Canada (and other destinations)
continues to be vibrant. The "world-wide brain drain"
appears to be flowing in the wrong direction.
The Obama Administration says that it wants to
retain the "best and the brightest" professionals in the
U.S. Until the present Administration takes "real"
steps to improve the U.S. immigration system, our
Nation's economy will continue to slog along. For
more information about business immigration law or
family-based immigration law practice, please feel
free to contact us at info@visaserve.co
m.
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| THE END OF THE LINE: H-1B Visa Cap Reached for FY2010. |
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U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services ("CIS")
announced today that it has received a sufficient
number of H-1B petitions to reach the statutory cap for
fiscal year (FY) 2010. CIS is hereby notifying the
public that December 21st, 2009 is the "final receipt
date" for new H-1B specialty occupation petitions
requesting an employment start date in FY 2010.
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Click Here to Read More . . . |
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| NEW STATE E-VERIFY BILL: Illinois E-Verify Bill Law to Take Effect on January 1st, 2010. |
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SB1133, signed into law by Illinois Governor Quinn,
in August 2009, amends the Illinois Privacy in the
Workplace Act by eliminating the law's prohibition of
employer use of E-Verify. The bill is set to
take effect on January 1st, 2010.
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Click Here to Read the Bill . . . |
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| TPS EXTENSION ANNOUNCED: 18-Month Extension of Temporary Protected Status for Sudan. |
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CIS announced today that the Department of
Homeland Security ("DHS") will extend Temporary
Protected Status ("TPS") for nationals of Sudan from
the current expiration of May 2nd, 2010 to the new
expiration date of November. 2nd, 2011. During the
past year, DHS and the Department of State have
reviewed the conditions in Sudan.
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Click Here To Read More . . . |
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| MORE INFORMATION FOR U: The U Nonimmigrant Interim Relief Final Filing Date is Extended. |
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CIS announced that it is extending the filing deadline
for the expiration of the U Nonimmigrant Interim Relief
Program. Individuals are now encouraged to file Form
I-918, Petition for U Nonimmigrant Status, by February
1st, 2010. The filing extension will allow affected
individuals the opportunity to file Form I-918 in a timely
manner.
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Click Here to Read More . . . |
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| SUNSET ON H-1C NURSES: Classification for Nurses Working in a Health Professional Shortage Area Set to Expire. |
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The H-1C nonimmigrant temporary worker
classification authorizes the admission of up to 500
nurses annually to work in eligible health care
facilities. After the original 1999 statutory authorization
of the program expired in 2005, Congress
reauthorized it for three years beginning Dec. 20, 2006
in the Nursing Relief for Disadvantaged Areas
Reauthorization Act of 2005. The statutory authority for
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Click Here to Read More . . . |
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| CANADIAN ASSISTANCE: CIS Launches Immigration Inquiry Mailbox for Canadian Customers. |
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CIS announced the creation of a general inquiry
mailbox for customers in Canada. Currently
Canadians cannot access the National Customer
Service Center through the 1-800 number to ask about
general immigration questions. Canadian customers
may now inquire about general immigration
information at USCIS.Canada@dhs.gov in addition to
obtaining immigration information on the CIS website.
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Click Here to Read More . . . |
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| RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION: California Pastor Charged in Visa Fraud Scheme. |
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A Korea-born Pastor who owns and operates a
religious school in Fullerton, California, is expected to
make his initial appearance in Federal Court
to answer to charges that he used a the school as a
front for an elaborate student visa fraud scheme,
going so far as to hand out phony diplomas
and stage graduation ceremonies.
Samuel Chai Cho Oh, 65, owner of California
Union University ("CUU"), surrendered to U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE")
agents. Oh, who also serves as the Pastor of the
Union Church housed on the CUU campus, is
accused in a criminal complaint of conspiracy to
commit visa fraud.
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Cick Here to Read More . . . |
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