Bridge Building 10/18/07
The next few weeks are critical for the Bridge legislation. The conventional wisdom is that no immigration bills will be approved in 2008, which compounds the urgency. There are still many budget bills that are set to be acted on in the next few weeks. The Bridge is still on the short-list of smaller immigration amendments under consideration.
At least one immigration amendment has crossed a major hurdle. By unanimous consent on Wednesday the Senate passed Sen. Mikulski’s amendment to address the H-2B cap. The amendment is part of the Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations bill.
The Mikulski amendment still has several steps before it becomes law: base appropriations bill passage, House approval, Conference committee survival, and no Presidential veto. Still, it is a significant breakthrough and shows what never-ending advocacy can do even on controversial immigration legislation. The H-2B has been a pet issue of Sen. Mikulski for some time. She and her staff deserve a lot of credit.
For the Bridge amendment we have our eye on several base appropriations bill, including the likely end-game omnibus appropriations bill. Stay tuned. It could be a wild ride over the short run.
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17 Responses to this article
Thank you very much for your efforts. Please keep us updated whatever is a good or bad result.
good day… can somebody help me on this… DOES H1C VISA OFFERS IMMIGRATION OPPURTUNITIES INCLUDING MY DEPENDENTS? THANKS HLG…
To Ricky
I f u go to USA on H1 c visa ,u r spouse cannot work, only can study.If u already filed I 140, MY ADVISE DO NOT GO THROUGH THIS,BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO START FROM THE BEGINNING.WE CAN USE THE OLD PRIORITY DATE, BUT IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET COPY OF I 140 FROM THE AGENCY.They will not give it .Also if we want to get duplicate of I140 from USCIS, WE NEED TO GIVE SOME INFORMATION.iF U R NEW EMPLOYER FILES I 140,U CAN GET GREEN CARD
Can some body help me on this….
Already my papers are in consulate if the retrogression lifts ,we will be having an interview.what’s my questions is
1) Lets say if the retogression doesn’t lift in coming months or ,In that case If I file for H1C,does it have any impact on GC. once the retrogression lifts up will have any issues at the time of interview.
To Thomas
I also was planning to apply for H1C Visa,but when i thought the consequences i changed my mind.Because only certain hospitals can apply for H1C Visa and so you have to change the employer.I140 is the property of employer and they can revoke it if u break the contract,but still u can get the old priority date when H1C Employer file I140,but again new I140 has to be approved and u have to fill I824 Form to get old priority date.For that u need some informations without that USCIS will not process I824.These all details r with u r agency.So my advise is stay where you are and go with green card.That is safe for u.I also got job offer for h1c visa but i refused it.Because if h1c visa employer is not happy for any reason we won’t be anywhere and again we have to start everything from the beginning.Where u r from,if u r from India give me u r email id
To evin
Thanks for the info.EmailID:tskurien@yahoo.com
pls send me ur email id too.
To HLG,
Thank you very much for the update. Bridge legislation is our only hope.
honestly, the waiting game is killing me. Because all I can do Is wait..wait..wait. What if its really a two- five year wait? Arrghh………..
Hello everyone,
i read on the numbers usa website that DREAM act has been introduced yest by sen dick durbin.Will any senator try to attatch the SKILL bill to it? Does the bridge bill have a chance of bein attatched to the above ones.HLG, please speculate.
to evin…
thanks for the info…
Anyone please advise.I’m in the same situation like all of the bloggers at HLG, If I apply for H1C visa and just change of status through marriage will I still go through square one with USCIS? What is the best thing to do, I got a British passport will it help? Thanks all.
To Ricky
The H-1C visa category has long expired on 2005 and has not been renewed since because they found it unserving.This visa is the offspring of the H-1A of long ago.
The H-2B is the other category you can hope for but I don’t know wether nurses can use it to apply to work in the USA.
To x-men:
Just a correction to your statement. Please read the following:
H-1C Visa Available for Nurses
On December 26, 2006, the USCIS published a new interoffice memorandum which reauthorized the H-1C Program under the Nursing Relief for Disadvantaged Areas Act of 2005. Following is the specific information:
1. Purpose
The purpose of this memorandum is to notify U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) officers that the Nursing Relief for Disadvantaged Areas Act of 1999 (NRDAA) has been reauthorized for an additional three years and to inform the officers of the effect of this extension on the adjudication of Form I-129 for H-1C nurses.
2. Background
The Nursing Relief for Disadvantaged Areas Act of 1999 (NRDAA) established the H-1C Program to reduce the shortage of qualified nurses in health professional shortage areas. NRDAA allowed qualified hospitals to employ temporary foreign workers as registered nurses for up to three years under the H-1C visas. NRDAA expired on June 13, 2005.
3. Public Law 109-423
On December 20, 2006, with the enactment of Pub.L. 109-423, Congress reauthorized the H-1C program for an additional three years. The elements of the program are unaffected. The provisions take effect immediately and the revisions to the regulations will follow. The reauthorization expires on December 20, 2009.
4. Procedural Impact
In accordance with previous practice, all I-129 petitions for the H-1C classification will be adjudicated exclusively by the Vermont Service Center.
FYI,I have a friend who applied under the H1C Category last June 2007 and subsequently got her working visa August 2007. She’s now in the US.
The H2B visa is designated for individuals who will be employed in non-agricultural positions which are seasonal, intermittent or a one time occurrence. Examples of qualifying positions include restaurant workers, janitors, resort/hotel workers, amusement park workers and landscape workers.
any news related to nurse immigration quota?
danilo dimapilis/philippines hello to all any idea about i-140 eb3 nurse visa available?
To RN,
Thank you very much for the information you gave me. Kindly give me the address of the blog where you got this information because I had been searching the web for this but got nowhere.
i was not aware that the H-1C had been approved for extension.
I am just like everybody else waiting for the recession to lift.
thanks.