May BIM 05/17/09

any thing new?

Even if the bill is offered tomorrow, there is no guarantee that it will be passed, in which case the retrogression will continue.

As to whether the bill will be offered tommorrow, we’ll have to see… It is always darkest right before dawn…

Hi Chris,
Thankyou for the prompt response but my question is not answered.In simple terms: last months bulletin showed a big ‘U’ 4 EB3 and this will continue till oct’09 as all visas for fiscal year 09 have been exhausted.Do we in oct 09 expect ‘Available’ for EB3 or just a foward move in PD’s.I agree with u that despite the bill being introduced in congress doesnt guarantee that it will pass.Come october EB3 visas for fiscal year 2010 will be available but depending on the pending applications new applicants will expect a big ‘u’. My point is that if we know the number of pending applications and Number of visas issued per year for EB3 then we can, as new applicants,estimate when we will be allowed to even submit applications.Atleast knowing will help alot of people plan carefully. Waiting for congress to act is a game i find hard to play bcoz there is just no guarantees.somehow I feel this retrogression will run its course and its just best to know an estimated date when retrogression will end.

dear sima,

unfortunately there really is no way of telling what USCIS is going to do, they are all waiting for Obama’s ok on this immigration mess. Even if this bill is passed if Obama vetos it then we’re back to square one, remember, he already said that hiring foreign RNs makes no sense.

glad you asked bubbles the reason is this, Obama can repeat what happened in the late 80s,where H1B visas were given to RNs and not immigrant ones, then when the maximum limit for renewing this kind of visa was reached, these RNs HAD to go home. So, like what Obama said, ” makes no sense to hire foreign RNs” blah, blah, blah IF and WHEN they do produce their own home grown RNs, they can easily tell us foreign RNs who are already here but without completing our AOS, “ok foreign RNs thank you very much for holding up the fort for us, you can go home now we can handle it from here”. That is what I am really wary of. Although my lawyer tells me not to worry THIS IS AMERICA and if it’s not going to be for their own benefit, guess who gets the boot? Uh huh, us, the hard working, not complaining about work condition, foreign RNs. The US is in deep deep economic trouble right now, thousands upon thousands are losing their jobs and whenever I go to the grocery store to buy my dinner after a hard days work in the hospital I get paranoid at some people who look at me and seem to be saying “look at this foreign RN taking away our job” of course that’s just me but I can’t help thinking about it. All because of Obama’s statement. One rule of thumb here in the US, they will always, always protect their own.

Another reason why I am so angry and frustrated, my PD is Sept 2006 and guess what, my friend who came to the US barely making it to the deadline of Oct 30, 2006 got his greencard July 2007!!! Then another friend of mine, after taking and passing the CA nclex here in the US wanted to go home first to our country and just come back. Good thing she listened to me when I told her not to go home anymore and grab the opportunity to find a sponsor. Her PD was Oct 25, 2006 guess what??? She got her greencard too in June 2007!!!! So what happened to mine? My I-485 was filed in Vermont, theirs were filed in Texas and apparently the people in that processing center were doing their jobs! Those in Vermont were SLEEPING! So you see, here in America service is like gambling, you win some you lose some.

So now, my daughter has aged out she just turned 21 and it will take 10 yrs for her to follow me here if and when I am able to petition her, maybe not even, my husband can’t follow me here either because I still don’t have that greencard and therefore my family is freaking fragmented! I will have to file for a travel permit which costs around $300+ so that I can go home and visit them and this permit is good only for 1 year.

So you see bubbles, these are the things that make me so frustrated and down right angry at the system right now. As I have said in my previous blogs, America invited us in because THEY NEEDED US. We played by the rules, got in here LEGALLY, took all their exams, paid them big money, CGFNS, NCLEX, TOEFL IBT, IELTS, Visa Screen, NCSBN reviews, etc. begged and borrowed money to take all these exams promising that we’ll pay it back and soon and now THIS?!!!??? We are all lumped together in that CIR mostly concerning illegal immigrants who crossed the boarders?

Then, let me tell you more, when you work here there will be discrimination, oh yes, those who say there isn’t are only fooling themselves! I left 2 big hospitals because of discrimination and finally got my sponsorship transferred (AC21)to a smaller hospital where the RNs there are predominantly my own countrymen and now it’s more bearable, the people I mean but the work condition is horrible, we are worked like dogs there that’s why you don’t see white americans working in that hospital except registry. I know everywhere you go there will always be something to complain about but this takes the cake, I have been here since 2006 and still no greencard. The only update I got from USCIS is a letter answering my question “where is my greencard” is “your I-485 is pending visa availability” meaning that’s all I am waiting for now a number which by all means is all out.

Sorry for the long blog but I just have to let you guys know that even though “we” are here in the US already working and awaiting our AOS, there is still a possibility that we can be sent home. The only ones who are really, really safe are those who have the greencard in their hands as we speak, they just need to complete 4 years and 8 months and then they can file for citizenship, the last step in fulfilling the American dream. So now Bubbles, i hope you understand why I seem to be angry, I am!

yup i can understand that. We share the same feelings but on different planes. Let us just hope USCIS gives us something definite to go or not to go, to stay or not to stay that is all.

I’d like to make a correction, my I-485 was filed in Nebraska processing center not Vermont, so the people there are the ones “sleeping” on the job.

hello savana

I am working as an RN here in the US. What i’m saying is I am here legally only by the strength of a work permit (not H1B visa) together with my Dept. Of Homeland Security card. I am still not holding a greencard because of the unavailability of immigrant visa numbers and therefore I am at the mercy of the USA immigration. What they allow us to do, we foreign RNs who are here awaiting the completion of our adjustment of status, is renew our work permits which is valid for 2 years. My work permit, reflecting my alien registration number (this number represents that I have filed for a greencard)is valid until 2010. Therefore, next year, if nothing happens again this Oct, 2009 I will have to renew my work permit and HOPE they will allow me to renew it. If not, then I must go home.

hello helen,

well, i don’t have an H1B visa either. I have filed for AOS but it’s in limbo because all immigrant visa numbers are used up, or so USCIS says. That’s why it’s pretty confusing to others how we are able to work here. It’s like this, my friends and I came to the US using our tourist visas. During that time there was still no retrogression. We all have our completed documents mainly nclex and visa screen all we need to find were sponsors. Now here lies the difference between those who came here on their own and found sponsors thru their lawyers and those who do not possess a US tourist visa and had to go thru an agency to find a sponsor for them. Those who go thru an agency will have to wait in their home country until their greencard comes out to be able to enter the US and present themselves to their sponsors. We, who do have tourist visas were able to cut out the middle man (recruitment agencies) and went straight to immigration lawyers upon entering the US for them to find us our sponsors. Others just presented themselves right away to the HR of the hospital of their choice and most of the hospitals have their own immigration lawyers who serve the purpose of filing the papers of these foreign RN applicants. That’s why there is some confusion with regards to how we are able to work here even though we still don’t have our greencards or H1B visas for that matter. We are maybe what you can call the lucky few and at the same time unlucky few. Because although we are able to work now as RNs in our sponsoring hospitals, without that greencard in our hands we are still very much in danger of being sent home too because Obama may just tell USCIS not to renew our work permits once they expire. Therefore those who are really safe are those who have gotten their greencard before coming over here to the US (such as the case of those applicants who were processed by a recruitment agency) or those who entered the US using their tourist visas and having the luck of getting their AOS processed sooner than the others.

So in summary, those who have no tourist visas have to use the long route, that of a recruitment agency, wait for their greencards while still in their respective countries then fly to the US. Those who are lucky enough to have a tourist visa, can take the short cut, they entered the US BEFORE retrogression began, found a sponsor, got a immigration lawyer, papers filed and work permits (I-765) were given and thus commenced working for their sponsoring hospitals or facilities. These are the 2 routes that we RNs used to get over here. Oh there is one more, the H1C visa which by all means is the most ridiculous visa to have but some applied for it. I think that too has been used up. RNs can get H1B but you must have a speciality, like dialysis, ICU, PICU, NICU, etc. But as staff RN only the immigrant visa will do.

If any of you have other questions to ask me regarding other matters whether it concerns immigration, life in the US, work in the US or just wanting an opinion, should i wait, should i not wait, you can email me. I will be glad to give you my 2 cents worth if you care to take it. God bless us all!

hi again dgd if you have your ym can you give it to me? thank you

WHY AMERICA’S ECONOMY FELL OFF THE CLIFF and we still in retrogression?

John Smith started the day early having set his alarm clock

(MADE IN JAPAN) for 6 am.

While his coffeepot

(MADE IN CHINA)

was perking, he shaved with his

electric razor

(MADE IN HONG KONG)

He put on a

dress shirt

(MADE IN SRI LANKA),

designer jeans

(MADE IN SINGAPORE)

and

tennis shoes

(MADE IN KOREA)

After cooking his breakfast in his new

electric skillet

(MADE IN INDIA)

he sat down with his

calculator

(MADE IN MEXICO)

to see how much he could spend today. After setting his

watch

(MADE IN TAIWAN)

to the radio

(MADE IN INDIA)

he got in his car

(MADE IN GERMANY)

filled it with GAS

(from Saudi Arabia)

and continued his search

for a good paying AMERICAN JOB.

At the end of yet another discouraging

and fruitless day

checking his

Computer

(made in MALAYSIA),

John decided to relax for a while.

He put on his sandals

(MADE IN BRAZIL),

poured himself a glass of

wine

(MADE IN FRANCE)

and turned on his

TV

(MADE IN INDONESIA),

and then wondered why he can’t

find a good paying job

in AMERICA

AND NOW HE’S HOPING HE CAN GET HELP FROM A PRESIDENT MADE IN KENYA

my dear bubbles,

my ym is dgdc4a1@yahoo.com chat with you there.

many people around the world moved to other countries and their are many who are planning to move i think when obama will understand the importance of foriegn nurse by 2020 the time will left and no body willing to go usa only obama and politician are left to take care for patients.
those people with priority date of 2006 they are really unlucky because they dont expect this worst ending. God bless all nurses for thier patients.

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Hi DGD

i went through all ur productive advise to other….so i m hoping that u can be the right person to give me a worthy opinion.

dear i am a emergency nurse with Bsc degree. my agency has applied for H1b visa. they have submitted all the documents and are waiting for the same….. but i m reluctant to go on H1b visa because of following reasons.
1 my husband would not be able to work there….
2 visa is for 3 years…though it is extandable for another 3 years but what after 6 years… what would be our fate….(as ur case is at present)
3 i m from India and earning handsome salary approx (USA $ 900)and my husband Approx ( USA $ 800) total 1700 US dollers in india only which is quite sufficient in India…..shall i be able to save this much there….
4. we both r in govt service after 8 years we can qualify for pension and other medical benefit for all through our life as we r in 12th years of my service.
5. i have 2 kids what would be there future..(their study and expenses in usa)
6. i cleared my NCLEX in aug 2006 but my agency failed to apply for my I 140 in time and my I 140 approval date is may 2008. (they say they forgot to send document by mistake as they took visa screen document for I 140 doc therefore visa screen was done in march 2007)

Kindly advise what should i do…is there any opportunity with H1b visa….can we enjoy a peaceful life there..

thanks and regard

raj

my dear raj,

can i email you instead? i would be glad to give you my 2 cents worth.

dgd,

I would like to know your opinion with regards to my status.I hold a Visascreen Certificate, Ca license (since I have a SSN, we lived in Texas from 199-1996). Currently I am working in one of the largest hospitals here in the southern part of NCR for almost 6months. I am thinking of going to Ca maybe in August (I have a multiple entry visa til 2018) because I heard of rumors that retrogression will be uplifted in October. Is it worth sacrificing my hospital experience here in Philippines to go to US. By the way I still dont have an employed or agency. There is also an agency in Ca owned by the relative of my aunt who is telling me to there on a tourist visa and have the papers to be processed there because the hospitals that they are tied up with only sponsor those nurses who are in the US. Also, they told me that I could work there on tourist visa or i can get a student visa. Is it possible? Your comments and suggestions would be of great value.

hi dgd im also a nurse and have passed CA nclex,ielts and still on the process of my visa screen.i can relate to franztorres. can i have ur email add so i can also get ur advice?it would be a big help.