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Nachman Phulwani Zimovcak (NPZ) Law Group, P.C. - 
U.S. and Canadian Immigration and Nationality Newsletter and Update.
In This Issue:
YOUR IMMIGRATION LAWYERS, MICHAEL PHULWANI, ESQ. AND DAVID NACHMAN, ESQ. AND LUDKA ZIMOVCAK, ESQ. PROVIDE U.S. IMMIGRATION LAW UPDATES ON TV ASIA & ITV: VLOG & USCIS NEWS UPDATES ON THE WEB.
ABCs OF H-1Bs (THIS IS PART III OF AN VIII PART SERIES): WHAT H-1B EMPLOYERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE LCA TO AVOID POTENTIAL DOL COMPLIANCE PITFALLS.
ABCs OF H-1Bs (THIS IS PART IV OF AN VIII PART SERIES): THE WHYS AND HOWS OF EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE EVALUATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF H-1B VISA PREPARATION AND FILING.
DAVID NACHMAN'S TOP TEN REASONS WHY WILLING PROSPECTIVE H-1B EMPLOYERS SHOULD DO H-1B VISAS FOR WILLING H-1B CANDIDATES
CHILE ADDED IN THE VISA WAIVER PROGRAM
VISA BULLETIN FOR APRIL 2014 IS OUT!!!!
SKILLED WORKERS IN DEMAND IN NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA
ABCs OF H-1B PART I (A)...
YOUR IMMIGRATION LAWYERS, MICHAEL PHULWANI, ESQ.  AND DAVID NACHMAN, ESQ. AND LUDKA ZIMOVCAK, ESQ., PROVIDE U.S. IMMIGRATION LAW UPDATES ON TV ASIA & ITV: VLOG & USCIS NEWS UPDATES ON THE WEB & ON TV.

David Nachman, Esq., Ludka Zimovcak, Esq.  and Michael Phulwani, Esq., your Immigration and Nationality Lawyers, continue to bring employment and family-based immigration and nationality news and updates to your TV screen each week on TV Asia and iTV. Watch "YOUR IMMIGRATION LAWYERS" each week on iTV and TV Asia. Please contact us at  [email protected] for additional U.S. immigration law information or about how to subscribe to iTV or TV Asia.
 
IIFA 2014 | H-1B Visas Specifically 
  
 
- H-1B Visas, Specifically: What is it; When to file; process of H-1b; obligations of EE and ER; How long it takes to get approval
- tickets to IIFA in April tickets sold via Ticketmaster 

  

IIFA Promotion | Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) | H-1B deadline

 

  

 IIFA promotion - DOMA - March 31st deadline to reopen cases that were previously filed but denied - H-1b deadline - premium process vs. non-premium process of h-1b - h-1b intent to go to U.S. and intent to go back to native country

 

IIFA Promotion | H-1B SEASON

  

 
Promotion of IIFA event, Tampa Florida; premium fee; approval/denial of h-1b; processing of h-1b; public access file 
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:: 201-670-0006 (X100)

Dear Readers:

 

Immigrants make cities more economically competitive. Specifically, immigrants (1) contribute to a dynamic labor force and spur economic growth, (2) are more likely to start businesses and create jobs in their cities, (3) are critical to helping cities counteract population decline thereby keeping economies vibrant and strong, (4) make cities more attractive by raising housing values; and (5) contribute to a talented workforce through higher levels of education. Immigrant business owners contribute to communities across America. Recent reports show the importance of entrepreneurship and innovation to local economies, and recent trends show the ways in which local leaders encourage an inclusive environment through integration initiatives.

The tide is turning . . . business leaders across the Midwest overwhelmingly back comprehensive immigration reform. A recent report about comprehensive immigration reform finds that 65 percent of Midwest business leaders strongly support the Senate's (S.744) immigration reform bill passed in June 2013. The support for reform is bipartisan, and the preference is for legislation that addresses many components of immigration reform rather than addressing individual components in a piecemeal approach. Specifically, 75 percent of Republican business leaders support the Senate's comprehensive immigration reform bill.

Improvements to the EB-5 Investor Visa Program can strengthen its use and better accomplish its central goal of aiding regional economic development. By aligning similar goals in mutually beneficial arrangements among regional centers and economic development agencies (EDAs), such organizations can capitalize on their often complementary resources in order to leverage more funding and reduce risk for investors. Immigrants and their children help grow our economy. Despite an aging population and slower population growth, the U.S. has a healthier demographic outlook compared with other western countries thanks to immigration.

Citizenship is an important component of successful immigrant integration. There is an important citizenship premium that should be factored into economic calculations of immigration reform. According to one recent report: "the bump to a country's economy that arises after immigrants become citizens. This bump comes in the form of higher wages and more tax revenue collected from naturalized citizens, all of which spurs more overall economic activity." If immigration reform does not include a reasonable path to citizenship, then the U.S. is "leaving dollars on the table" due to the economic benefits that citizenship presents.

For more information about the way that immigration to the U.S. helps to build our nation's economic infrastructure, please feel free to contact any of the immigration and nationality lawyers and/or attorneys at [email protected] or feel free to call is at 201-670-0006 (x107).
ABCs OF H-1Bs (THIS IS PART III OF AN VIII PART SERIES): WHAT H-1B EMPLOYERS NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE LCA TO AVOID POTENTIAL DOL COMPLIANCE PITFALLS.

The H-1B visa program permits a United States employer ("employer") to temporarily employ non-immigrants to fill specialized jobs in the United States. The Immigration and Nationality Act (the "INA" or the "Act") requires that an employer pay an H-1B worker the higher of the actual wage or the locally prevailing wage, in order to protect U.S. workers and their wages.  

 

Under the Act, an employer seeking to hire a foreign national in a specialty occupation on an H-1B visa must receive permission from the Department of Labor ("DOL") before the alien may obtain an H-1B visa. The Act defines a "specialty occupation" as an occupation requiring the application of highly specialized knowledge and the attainment of a bachelor's degree or higher. The Act requires an employer seeking permission to employ an H-1B worker to submit and receive an approved Labor Condition Application ("LCA") from the DOL.

 

TO READ MORE, PLEASE CLICK HERE . . . 

ABCs OF H-1Bs (THIS IS PART IV OF AN VIII PART SERIES): THE WHYS AND HOWS OF EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE EVALUATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF H-1B VISA PREPARATION AND FILING. 

Most of the prospective H-1B employees and H-1B employers begin with either of the following two thoughts: "I would like to work in the U.S. using an H-1B visa, but am not sure if I qualify"or "I want to hire a foreign worker but not sure if the individual qualifies for an H-1B visa."

 

As briefly touched upon in Part I of this VIII Part H-1B series, it is mandatory that not only the prospective H-1B employee ("H-1B employee" or "Beneficiary") but both the proffered position and prospective employee should qualify for the H-1B visa. To build on previous articles, the following article will explore the importance of educational and/or experience evaluations, and explain certain precautions that an employer and/or prospective H-1B employee can take in order to avoid a potential Request for Evidence (RFE) and/or denial of the H-1B nonimmigrant petition.

 

TO READ MORE, PLEASE CLICK HERE . . . 

DAVID NACHMAN'S TOP TEN REASONS WHY WILLING PROSPECTIVE H-1B EMPLOYERS SHOULD DO H-1B VISAS FOR WILLING H-1B CANDIDATES.

Every year at about this time, U.S. Employers approach the Immigration and Nationality Lawyers and Immigration Attorneys at the NPZ Law Group often asking us for the reasons why they should consider doing the H-1B visa. Here are the TOP TEN REASONS we give to them. David Letterman, eat your heart out . . .

 

TO READ THE "TOP TEN REASONS", PLEASE CLICK HERE . . . 

CHILE ADDED AS A COUNTRY IN THE VISA WAIVER PROGRAM.       

Recently, the DHS announced the designation of Chile in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) streamlining travel for thousands of eligible Chilean passport holders, while maintaining strong security standards.  

 

Starting May 1st, 2014, eligible Chilean passport holders with both an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) and an e-passport will be able to visit the U.S. without nonimmigrant visitor visas. Along with other 37 participants in the VWP,, Chile will soon be a country that permits visa-free travel to the U.S. for eligible travelers visiting for 90 days (or less) for business or tourism.

 

FOR DETAILED INFORMATION, PLEASE CLICK HERE . . . 

VISA BULLETIN FOR APRIL 2014 IS RELEASED!        

Most immigrant visas to the U.S. are numerically limited both by preference category and by country of chargeability (which is, in most cases, one's country of birth). Most immigrants are sponsored either by U.S. citizen or permanent resident relatives or, alternately, through their employment or investment in the United States.  

 

Scroll down this page to see the current State Department Visa Bulletin, showing backlogs in both the family and the employment-based categories. If you are unfamiliar with the Visa Bulletin, read our explanation of the Family Categories and the Employment categories. You should also note that the visa bulletin is backward-looking, meaning that it indicates how long people in a given category have been waiting for visas, not the waiting times for those currently applying.

 

TO READ THE NUMBERS, PLEASE CLICK HERE . . . 

CANADIAN IMMIGRATION LAW UPDATES: 
NPZ NEWS FROM NORTH OF BORDER.
SKILLED WORKERS IN DEMAND IN NOVA SCOTIA, CANADA.       

On March 6th, 2014, important changes were put into place for the Nova Scotia Provincial Nominee program.  This new initiative is called the Regional Labour Market Demand stream. This program is for all individuals who wish to join the labour market with a full time and permanent position and who wish to live in the province of Nova Scotia permanently. Applicants are not required to have a permanent, full-time job offer from a Nova Scotia employer at the time of submitting their application; however, they must intend to pursue employment in an occupation that is in demand in the Province. This is a window of opportunity for foreign nationals with certain education and professional histories to apply to immigrate to Canada.

 

FOR DETAILED INFORMATION, PLEASE CLICK HERE . . . 

 

For more information, please contact our Canadian Law Group and send your resume for review to [email protected]

"IMMIGRATION NEWS AND VIEWS" - NPZ'S NEW PRACTICAL SERIES ON YOUTUBE ABOUT VARIOUS U.S. AND CANADIAN IMMIGRATION LAW ISSUES.
ABCs OF H-1B PART I (A)  - David Nachman, Esq. and Rabindra Singh, Esq., immigration lawyers at the NPZ Law Group, discuss some H-1B issues during the H-1B season and what employers and employees can do to ensure that their cases are filed in a timely manner under the cap.


There are Only 58,200 Regular H-1B Visas: Do Not Delay - It's Now Time to Strategize for the H-1B Season.
The current annual cap on the H-1B category is 65,000. All H-1B nonimmigrants are not subject to this annual cap. Up to 6,800 visas are set aside from the cap of 65,000 during each fiscal year for the H-1B1 program specifically designed for the citizens of Chile and Singapore. Unused numbers in H-1B1 pool are made available for H-1B use for the next fiscal year.
Thus, in effect, only 58,200 H-1Bs visas are granted each year except 20,000 additional H-1B visas which are restricted to individuals who have received master's degrees or higher from U.S colleges or universities.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) reached the statutory H-1B cap of 65,000 for fiscal year (FY) 2014 within the first week of the filing period, which ended on April 5, 2013. USCIS received approximately 124,000 H-1B petitions during the filing period, including petitions filed for the advanced degree exemption.
On April 7, 2013, USCIS used a computer-generated random selection process (commonly known as a "lottery") to select a sufficient number of petitions.
Given that, in FY 2014, the H-1B cap was met by the first week of the filing period, it is imperative that employers file all new quota-subject H-1B petitions on March 31, 2014. Employers should immediately begin identifying persons for whom H-1B sponsorship will be needed. This will allow sufficient time for petition preparation, including the time required to file and receive certification of the prerequisite Labor Condition Application (LCA). Thus, strategically strategizing the filing of H-1B Petition is a key to hiring an H-1B employee for the financial year beginning on October 1, 2014.