JazzByTheBay
07-03 06:35 PM
http://digg.com/politics/Rep_Lofgren...Bulle tin/who (http://digg.com/politics/Rep_Lofgren_Issues_Statement_on_Updated_Visa_Bulle tin/who)
It's showing up on the front page now as far as I can tell.
jazz
It's showing up on the front page now as far as I can tell.
jazz
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NolaIndian32
10-28 01:30 PM
Can Nixtor or IV Core share some updates on the status of this idea/project.
anantc
01-14 01:15 PM
Hi,
Does this Memo affects for POE for existing Valid stamped Visas ?
Thanks.
Does this Memo affects for POE for existing Valid stamped Visas ?
Thanks.
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gc28262
01-18 10:19 AM
It is true.They were implemented stirctly. But to cheat that many of bodyshoppers are creating fake Paystubs. Getting just payroll expenses and tax from consultant and creating paystubs. How do you prevent that? When good faith effort fails more and more regulations are coming. If our bodyshoppers are honest there would have no regulations like that.
Probably you are your relatives did these kinds of stuff. Most of us on this forum didn't.
When did you get your GC ?
Probably you are your relatives did these kinds of stuff. Most of us on this forum didn't.
When did you get your GC ?
more...
villamonte6100
12-14 02:50 PM
Thank you very much for pointing that out. I really appreciate it.
His/Her country of origin and the state chapter is not really relevent for this discussion now, is it?
:cool:
His/Her country of origin and the state chapter is not really relevent for this discussion now, is it?
:cool:
onemoredesi
05-19 08:57 AM
Thanks for the advice friends.
My brother applied and got his GC approved through labor substitution. It was really safe in the past. With the proposed bill to abandon the labor substitution, I'm a little concerned if it is alright to proceed.
I've talked to one of the attorney's and he mentioned that the Labor substitution will not likely go away as during the comment period they received a number of objections. But, nothing is certain.
My other concern is if the proposed immigration bill does some good to the legal immigrants, then whatever I am doing will be a waste and I'll be losing all of what I have in my current company (I am very well setlled in a multinational company in a good position). I am torn apart whether to take that risk or to stay put in the existing company.
When do you think the BEC's might complete the processing of existing backlogged applications?
When do you think any of these amendments will be implemented?
Lots of questions.. Your responses are highly appreciated.
Thx,
1MoreDesi!
My brother applied and got his GC approved through labor substitution. It was really safe in the past. With the proposed bill to abandon the labor substitution, I'm a little concerned if it is alright to proceed.
I've talked to one of the attorney's and he mentioned that the Labor substitution will not likely go away as during the comment period they received a number of objections. But, nothing is certain.
My other concern is if the proposed immigration bill does some good to the legal immigrants, then whatever I am doing will be a waste and I'll be losing all of what I have in my current company (I am very well setlled in a multinational company in a good position). I am torn apart whether to take that risk or to stay put in the existing company.
When do you think the BEC's might complete the processing of existing backlogged applications?
When do you think any of these amendments will be implemented?
Lots of questions.. Your responses are highly appreciated.
Thx,
1MoreDesi!
more...
gonecrazyonh4
03-16 12:23 PM
All the people in the piple line are saved, but atleast it will prevent further misuse of this loophole.
There should be some enquiry or auditing done on the old LC substituion cases and green cards revoked for those whose received theirs illegally and those visa numbers added back (wishful thinking).
Any auditing done on these cases would reveal lots of scams and possibily avert others from being unscrupulous.
Its so unfair that people jumb ahead of the que for upto 5 years using LC substitution.
There should be some enquiry or auditing done on the old LC substituion cases and green cards revoked for those whose received theirs illegally and those visa numbers added back (wishful thinking).
Any auditing done on these cases would reveal lots of scams and possibily avert others from being unscrupulous.
Its so unfair that people jumb ahead of the que for upto 5 years using LC substitution.
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vdlrao
07-24 09:20 PM
The July 2008 Visa Bulletin has said Exactly the same, but in different words, what I have been saying for the past few months about the EB2-India and EB3-India Movements.
EB2 India will move very fast till 01 JAN 06 as because based on June 2007 bulletin, just before the july fiasco,( http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_3236.html ) the PD for China is 01 JAN 06. That means in EB2 Category except India and China every other country is current. So till India reaches 01 JAN 06 PD in EB2, all the spill overs will be moved to EB2 India,because the spill overs will be alloted based on the priority of old PD(Priority Date). By the time India EB2 reaches 01 JAN 06, China PD in EB2 will move further from 01 JAN 06 by using its 7% quota. So Inidia PD for EB2 again moves fast till that changed China PD using the spill overs. After that India and China will share the spill overs based on the PD priority. All this happens if and only if the USCIS works effectively and uses all the available visa numbers for the present fiscal year. My prediction for EB2 India PD is it touch 2005 /even cross few months in 2005 by the end of this year if USCIS works effectively.
For all Eb3s along with EB2s with PD after April 2005, the movement in the coming visa bulletins wont be much encoraging unless the new Obama government does something significant about employent based category or immigrationvoice does a fruitful lobbying. The doings of something by obama government to employment based category is not in our hands. The only thing we could do is to help IV and help ourrselves by contributing to it to reach its financial target for better lobbying. Or else wait for the Visa Bulletin every month with great hopes, sorry dreams, for your PD to become current, and satisfy with your EADs for years ahead.
Please find the earlier post about Eb2 India and EB3 India movement on Jun 10th 2008 and the comments of our members.
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4285&highlight=vdlrao&page=102
EB2 India will move very fast till 01 JAN 06 as because based on June 2007 bulletin, just before the july fiasco,( http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_3236.html ) the PD for China is 01 JAN 06. That means in EB2 Category except India and China every other country is current. So till India reaches 01 JAN 06 PD in EB2, all the spill overs will be moved to EB2 India,because the spill overs will be alloted based on the priority of old PD(Priority Date). By the time India EB2 reaches 01 JAN 06, China PD in EB2 will move further from 01 JAN 06 by using its 7% quota. So Inidia PD for EB2 again moves fast till that changed China PD using the spill overs. After that India and China will share the spill overs based on the PD priority. All this happens if and only if the USCIS works effectively and uses all the available visa numbers for the present fiscal year. My prediction for EB2 India PD is it touch 2005 /even cross few months in 2005 by the end of this year if USCIS works effectively.
For all Eb3s along with EB2s with PD after April 2005, the movement in the coming visa bulletins wont be much encoraging unless the new Obama government does something significant about employent based category or immigrationvoice does a fruitful lobbying. The doings of something by obama government to employment based category is not in our hands. The only thing we could do is to help IV and help ourrselves by contributing to it to reach its financial target for better lobbying. Or else wait for the Visa Bulletin every month with great hopes, sorry dreams, for your PD to become current, and satisfy with your EADs for years ahead.
Please find the earlier post about Eb2 India and EB3 India movement on Jun 10th 2008 and the comments of our members.
http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/showthread.php?t=4285&highlight=vdlrao&page=102
more...
kondur_007
01-13 08:45 PM
This indeed is a very bad news. It looks to me that someone is frying a bigger fish here...
If antis target the areas of immigration that are no "well defined" so far (H1b rules is one example, another could be AC21 same or similar job and yet another could be "permanent job" after greencard), it could create a lot of problems and may even practically shut down all legal immigration.
This will only increat outsourcing and actually hurt US economy and jobs...too bad that "blinded" politicians do not recognize this.
If antis target the areas of immigration that are no "well defined" so far (H1b rules is one example, another could be AC21 same or similar job and yet another could be "permanent job" after greencard), it could create a lot of problems and may even practically shut down all legal immigration.
This will only increat outsourcing and actually hurt US economy and jobs...too bad that "blinded" politicians do not recognize this.
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ganguteli
06-15 05:32 PM
H1b cap is 65k+ 20K for US master degree and remaining are exemptions. Total approimately 125K were issued on 2007.
Let H1B and L1 become unlimited. Anyone with right skills should be allowed to come and work in USA and earn. Even if it means salary of US programmers go down to $1 an hour or less.
Likewise allow all US citizens to come to India and apply for jobs. Let them compete with Indians in India. Let them live on $1/hr.
America should lead the wold by example and make this change in the policy and show the world that it cares for Democracy and equality.
This will make a level playing field for everyone and true globalization. What do you say Senthil1?
You are an anti-immigrant lurking on this forum. You people better watch out. Go tell this to Losers guild.
Let H1B and L1 become unlimited. Anyone with right skills should be allowed to come and work in USA and earn. Even if it means salary of US programmers go down to $1 an hour or less.
Likewise allow all US citizens to come to India and apply for jobs. Let them compete with Indians in India. Let them live on $1/hr.
America should lead the wold by example and make this change in the policy and show the world that it cares for Democracy and equality.
This will make a level playing field for everyone and true globalization. What do you say Senthil1?
You are an anti-immigrant lurking on this forum. You people better watch out. Go tell this to Losers guild.
more...
chanduv23
02-15 11:48 AM
Thanks for an excellent research and arguments. Some of the arguments are well presented.
Well, if you are not ready to lead and we do not have anyone else to lead then whats the point of forming the yahoo group? Please don't get me wrong, I am just trying to find out the objective of this yahoo group.
I think lazycis taking a step forward towards the creation of a group, but does not seem confident he/she will lead the group, but I am sure will definitely lead the group
Well, if you are not ready to lead and we do not have anyone else to lead then whats the point of forming the yahoo group? Please don't get me wrong, I am just trying to find out the objective of this yahoo group.
I think lazycis taking a step forward towards the creation of a group, but does not seem confident he/she will lead the group, but I am sure will definitely lead the group
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thomachan72
09-17 03:27 PM
[QUOTE=arunmurthy;916610]Cousin of my friend got an email that his card production has been ordered.
He falls in EB3I (PD Aug. 2005). I could not believe it but my friend told me that
EB3I would see significant movement in coming months.
Gus Hang on and tighten your seat belts. We will have a wild ride if he is true.[/QUOTE
Really?? are you sure??
He falls in EB3I (PD Aug. 2005). I could not believe it but my friend told me that
EB3I would see significant movement in coming months.
Gus Hang on and tighten your seat belts. We will have a wild ride if he is true.[/QUOTE
Really?? are you sure??
more...
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msp1976
02-18 10:19 AM
UnitedNations,
Your argument about immigrants favoring their kin for the employment based immigration is true...and you say that the USCIS would increase the scrutiny of each application...But it is a fact that a majority of our members, I would estimate 80% or more would very well stand up to a rigorous scrutiny...You see a lot of Indian coming in on EB immigration not because they have some kin here in US to sponsor them but because of the fact that there is a massive skills buildup in India as a effect of several favorable factors like...
1. a large education system producing a large number of graduates...
2. increased awareness in the population of the capability of technology wiping out their poverty...
3. large hungry young ambitious population who toughen up in cutthroat competition...
So I say let there be increased scrutiny.....If there are larger numbers allowed of EB immigrants even with rigorous scrutiny and prompt processing.....My particular group would emerge as a winner....
During my education in India I have gone through so much scrutiny, I am not afraid of any scrutiny any more....I welcome it.....
Now; some people may not like this posting. However; you need to have as much information as possible in order to strategize and talk to various decision makers. Some of them might sit there and listen to you but then when they start studying the situation they might come to know what I have posted here. if/when quota increases, it will probably be because when the intial 140,000 was set; the economy was at a different stage, population was at a different stage. The increase would probably just follow market realities (population is more then what it was when 140,000 was set and we need to adjust it accordingly).
Reply With Quote
When the cap is revised, I agree that 'the increase in net population' is one parameter in decision...
But that should not be the determining dominant parameter....
The dominant parameter should be the change in the US demographics and the needs of the US economy...Millions of baby boomers are gonna start retiring soon....The cap has to increase keeping that in mind....
The projections of manpower deficit due to demographic shift are in millions......
If you want to maintain the same standard of living, you have absolutely no option but to import more skilled labor....and lots of it.....
America is barely producing babies at replacement levels and between 2011 to 2032 ...... 77 million baby boomers( people born between 1946 to 1964) would need to retire or phase out involvement in active labor force....
http://www.teamncpa.org/main/news.php?ItemsID=165
Doggone illegal mexicans would not take care of your high end requirements ... That is just fact of life...Now you tell me how much the EB cap should be .....
I understand that Americans are concerned about their jobs and the whole argument... But look into the future...
If you stop this immigrant flow and I am not talking about the mexicans...Your standard of living would undergo revision on the great depression scale on the scale of 1930's depression....You would have economic contraction rather than expansion...This would become a country of old geezers dying of hunger......
Please forgive me for the harsh choice of words....But someone has to show you the mirror...
Your argument about immigrants favoring their kin for the employment based immigration is true...and you say that the USCIS would increase the scrutiny of each application...But it is a fact that a majority of our members, I would estimate 80% or more would very well stand up to a rigorous scrutiny...You see a lot of Indian coming in on EB immigration not because they have some kin here in US to sponsor them but because of the fact that there is a massive skills buildup in India as a effect of several favorable factors like...
1. a large education system producing a large number of graduates...
2. increased awareness in the population of the capability of technology wiping out their poverty...
3. large hungry young ambitious population who toughen up in cutthroat competition...
So I say let there be increased scrutiny.....If there are larger numbers allowed of EB immigrants even with rigorous scrutiny and prompt processing.....My particular group would emerge as a winner....
During my education in India I have gone through so much scrutiny, I am not afraid of any scrutiny any more....I welcome it.....
Now; some people may not like this posting. However; you need to have as much information as possible in order to strategize and talk to various decision makers. Some of them might sit there and listen to you but then when they start studying the situation they might come to know what I have posted here. if/when quota increases, it will probably be because when the intial 140,000 was set; the economy was at a different stage, population was at a different stage. The increase would probably just follow market realities (population is more then what it was when 140,000 was set and we need to adjust it accordingly).
Reply With Quote
When the cap is revised, I agree that 'the increase in net population' is one parameter in decision...
But that should not be the determining dominant parameter....
The dominant parameter should be the change in the US demographics and the needs of the US economy...Millions of baby boomers are gonna start retiring soon....The cap has to increase keeping that in mind....
The projections of manpower deficit due to demographic shift are in millions......
If you want to maintain the same standard of living, you have absolutely no option but to import more skilled labor....and lots of it.....
America is barely producing babies at replacement levels and between 2011 to 2032 ...... 77 million baby boomers( people born between 1946 to 1964) would need to retire or phase out involvement in active labor force....
http://www.teamncpa.org/main/news.php?ItemsID=165
Doggone illegal mexicans would not take care of your high end requirements ... That is just fact of life...Now you tell me how much the EB cap should be .....
I understand that Americans are concerned about their jobs and the whole argument... But look into the future...
If you stop this immigrant flow and I am not talking about the mexicans...Your standard of living would undergo revision on the great depression scale on the scale of 1930's depression....You would have economic contraction rather than expansion...This would become a country of old geezers dying of hunger......
Please forgive me for the harsh choice of words....But someone has to show you the mirror...
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ramus
07-04 11:13 AM
Cost = 800 (Medical for 2 persons- Average) + 1000 (attorney fees- doesn't matter who pays- company or you) + 30 (photos) + 100( Postage) + 100(others)
Total = 2000 average . I am not adding application fess since USCIS will send it back if they don't process the application.
Out of 2000 - Medical is only valid for 1 year. In most of cases you will have to pay attorney again. All you can use is photos. I will say everybody atleast lost 1800 ( This is very minimum - also doesn't matter who pays- company or you).
So lets say everybody lost 1800. Now depend how many people were ready to file the application..
Please post good reliable estimate of cost for applying with ALL possible break ups. I know the following only!
Cost of applying = application fee ($795 ??) + Lawyer fee + others (= medical + pictures + ...)
Also, which parts are lost if we have to re-apply!
Total = 2000 average . I am not adding application fess since USCIS will send it back if they don't process the application.
Out of 2000 - Medical is only valid for 1 year. In most of cases you will have to pay attorney again. All you can use is photos. I will say everybody atleast lost 1800 ( This is very minimum - also doesn't matter who pays- company or you).
So lets say everybody lost 1800. Now depend how many people were ready to file the application..
Please post good reliable estimate of cost for applying with ALL possible break ups. I know the following only!
Cost of applying = application fee ($795 ??) + Lawyer fee + others (= medical + pictures + ...)
Also, which parts are lost if we have to re-apply!
more...
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retropain
08-03 03:35 PM
don't even think about it. It is grossly unfair to people whove been waiting in line for years.
I don't mind substituion per se as long as people get new priority dates.
IV- we should have a poll on whether labor substitution is fair.
I don't mind substituion per se as long as people get new priority dates.
IV- we should have a poll on whether labor substitution is fair.
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gdilla
07-13 12:41 PM
This is the most ridiculous article I've ever seen.
"I should have done my own homework before I applied" - no $hit. What makes you think going to med school in Indian means jack in Canada or the US. You have to get board certified. Duh. And I'm afraid cold calling doesn't work anywhere, including the US... does this work in India? Of course they're not going to listen to you. Jeez. People not doing their due diligence before THEY PACK UP AND MOVE HALF WAY ROUND the world... yeah, that proves to me you are smart enough to hire.
[QUOTE=sankap]Here's an article that appeared in Outlook (India) magazine 8 years ago. Apparently, the situation hasn't changed much since then:
http://outlookindia.com/full.asp?fname=international1&fodname=19990125&sid=1
Canada...The Grass Isn't Greener
Outlook: Jan 25, 1999
It's a dream gone sour. Thousands of Indian immigrants who land up in Canada are, more often than not, greeted with unemployment, racism, culture shocks...
SOHAILA CHARNALIA
"I didn't come here to be a chowkidar. I came here believing it to be a land of opportunity; a country that has never known the nepotism, the corruption, the shortages of India. I find I have only substituted one country for another... certainly not one set of values for another, as I hoped. " For Dr Gurdial Singh Dhillon, who was made to believe his qualifications would land him a good job fast, Canada was a real disappointment. When he did find work, it was that of a security guard. This, when the United Nations has declared Canada the best country to live in.
Some 200,000 people migrate to Canada every year, a majority from Asia. Hong Kong heads the list, followed by India, China, Taiwan and the Philippines. According to the Citizenship & Immigration Canada report, 21,249 Indians migrated to Canada in 1996 alone. (The high commission in Delhi, however, put the figure at 17,682). For many of them, especially those who are qualified professionals, dreams die fast. The life they face is never quite as rosy as made out by money-raking immigration lawyers.
Is the UN report the only reason for the increase in Indian applications for immigration? That, and the fact that it is easier to get entry into Canada than any other western country, says a Delhi-based immigration lawyer. Also, the fastest way of getting immigration to the US is through Canada.
Dhillon's disappointment is echoed by others. "I should have done my own homework before I applied", rues Aparna Shirodhkar, an architect from Mumbai, working as a saleswoman in a department store. "My husband is unemployed. I am the sole earner for a family of four. Sometimes I feel like running back". For Raheela Wasim, who's gone from being a schoolteacher in India to a telemarketer here, the experience was very discouraging, very disheartening. "I started losing confidence in myself. I felt I was not capable of the job market here".
Jobs are the sore point with Indian immigrants. The irony is, they are often more qualified than their Canadian peers, yet they end up with either no work, or with entry-level jobs that have no future. "I was not told that you require a Canadian degree to get a job here", says Paramjeet Parmar, a postgraduate in biochemistry from Bombay University. Parmar works as a telemarketer, which has turned her from an elite professional to an unskilled, daily wage labourer.
Ditto Opinder Khosla, a mechanical engineer from India, who has ended up as a salesman. "I found it difficult to even get an interview call", he says. The Canadian authorities are non-committal about the social and economic devaluation that the country imposes on immigrants.
"You can't come thinking you can just walk in and get a job in your profession", says Isabel Basset, minister of citizenship, culture and recreation, responsible for handling immigrants' woes in Canada's largest province, Ontario. But she admits that the licensing bodies regulating the professions need to be more accepting of people trained elsewhere.
That effort could only come from the government, argues Demetrius Oriopolis, co-author of Access, a government-commissioned report on assessing qualifications of newcomers, a 10-year-old report whose recommendations have still to be implemented. The report suggests certain rules of equivalence should be made binding on the regulatory bodies, which are exclusionist by nature.
But Basset won't even hear of making the regulatory bodies accountable: "We believe in private enterprise with a minimum of government checks. Besides, she argues, the exercise would cost millions of dollars".
Needless to say, the organisations are gleeful. Only professional bodies have the ability to determine what constitutes competence in a particular profession, was the cold response of the spokesperson for the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, an institution that's responsible for the unemployment as well as under-employment of hundreds of qualified chartered accountants from India. They do not grant licences for professional practice, because Indian qualifications are not acceptable.
"What kind of society are we creating? Is it a new form of slavery?" asks an irate Bhausaheb Ubale, Canada's former human rights commissioner. Qualified immigrants work as drivers, guards. If this isn't job discrimination, what is? Dr Ubale lobbied intensely before Indians were accepted in the media. They now hold jobs as reporters and anchors, he says, but a lot more has to be done.
While skilled men may not be able to find jobs, their less qualified wives find it easier because they accept whatever comes their way. In several cases, the wives earn and support their husbands who are busy upgrading themselves, by studying for a Canadian degree. The working wife sometimes slogs away at three jobs. Sumitra starts at 7 am at her first job, teaching immigrants English; her second job as telemarketer starts at 4 pm. She gets back home around 8 pm, after which she begins selling cosmetics and household goods door to door. Till midnight. Sumitra supports three students, her husband and two school-going children.
The other problems Indians face here are the high taxes, high mortgage payments for new homes and the sort of hidebound laws that the benign anarchy back home hardly prepares them for. "You can't run a red light, you can't escape from a hit-and-run site even if you are just the witness, you can't smoke in public. Too many rules, so different from home", says Harminder Singh.
Two 'Indian' practices that do exist here, however, cause immigrants the maximum trouble. They are sifarish baazi (nepotism) and mufat ka kaam (free work). The Canadians, of course, have given them sophisticated terminologies, the former is referred to as 'networking' and the latter, 'volunteerism'. In a country where you are never encouraged to 'drop in' to meet someone, where the fax, the computer or the phone is used to complete most transactions, a job-seeking immigrant often has the phone put down on him. Polite but firm secretaries block access, unless the caller can drop a magic name that can help him gain entry. It takes at least a year for even the most enterprising immigrant to get to know somebody who can help him, before he can get a job at all.
'Networking' goes hand in hand with 'volunteerism'. Many immigrants put in a year of free service before they are given the job. Most writers and anchors of Asian origin are given only part-time jobs, paid by assignment and with no fringe benefits. The company insists on the word 'freelance' on their business cards, to make it clear they have not been hired by the company, and hence can't demand higher pay or any benefits. They can, and often are, fired at will.
Perhaps the greatest problem in Canada is the one that is least articulated--racism. According to a diversity report on Toronto (said to be the most ethnically diverse city in the world), the year 2000 will see its minority becoming its majority that is, 54 per cent of Toronto's population by the end of the millennium will be non-Whites. Keeping that in mind, it warned, if the discrimination against them in education, employment, income and housing, or incidents of hate are not addressed, it will lead to a growing sense of frustration.
"All our problems exist because of racism", sums up Anita Ferrao, who works in a firm. Anita has worked for them for three years and has got neither promotion nor raise. "As an Indian immigrant, you can never reach the top. They'll see to that. It's better to bring in some money here and start a business. It's the only way you'll do well here and be respected. "
But then if life is so tough here, why do people give up everything back home and come? The answer is the rosy picture of North America, inculcated right from childhood. Everything 'American' is considered superior. Better food, better homes, better life.
"I should have done my own homework before I applied" - no $hit. What makes you think going to med school in Indian means jack in Canada or the US. You have to get board certified. Duh. And I'm afraid cold calling doesn't work anywhere, including the US... does this work in India? Of course they're not going to listen to you. Jeez. People not doing their due diligence before THEY PACK UP AND MOVE HALF WAY ROUND the world... yeah, that proves to me you are smart enough to hire.
[QUOTE=sankap]Here's an article that appeared in Outlook (India) magazine 8 years ago. Apparently, the situation hasn't changed much since then:
http://outlookindia.com/full.asp?fname=international1&fodname=19990125&sid=1
Canada...The Grass Isn't Greener
Outlook: Jan 25, 1999
It's a dream gone sour. Thousands of Indian immigrants who land up in Canada are, more often than not, greeted with unemployment, racism, culture shocks...
SOHAILA CHARNALIA
"I didn't come here to be a chowkidar. I came here believing it to be a land of opportunity; a country that has never known the nepotism, the corruption, the shortages of India. I find I have only substituted one country for another... certainly not one set of values for another, as I hoped. " For Dr Gurdial Singh Dhillon, who was made to believe his qualifications would land him a good job fast, Canada was a real disappointment. When he did find work, it was that of a security guard. This, when the United Nations has declared Canada the best country to live in.
Some 200,000 people migrate to Canada every year, a majority from Asia. Hong Kong heads the list, followed by India, China, Taiwan and the Philippines. According to the Citizenship & Immigration Canada report, 21,249 Indians migrated to Canada in 1996 alone. (The high commission in Delhi, however, put the figure at 17,682). For many of them, especially those who are qualified professionals, dreams die fast. The life they face is never quite as rosy as made out by money-raking immigration lawyers.
Is the UN report the only reason for the increase in Indian applications for immigration? That, and the fact that it is easier to get entry into Canada than any other western country, says a Delhi-based immigration lawyer. Also, the fastest way of getting immigration to the US is through Canada.
Dhillon's disappointment is echoed by others. "I should have done my own homework before I applied", rues Aparna Shirodhkar, an architect from Mumbai, working as a saleswoman in a department store. "My husband is unemployed. I am the sole earner for a family of four. Sometimes I feel like running back". For Raheela Wasim, who's gone from being a schoolteacher in India to a telemarketer here, the experience was very discouraging, very disheartening. "I started losing confidence in myself. I felt I was not capable of the job market here".
Jobs are the sore point with Indian immigrants. The irony is, they are often more qualified than their Canadian peers, yet they end up with either no work, or with entry-level jobs that have no future. "I was not told that you require a Canadian degree to get a job here", says Paramjeet Parmar, a postgraduate in biochemistry from Bombay University. Parmar works as a telemarketer, which has turned her from an elite professional to an unskilled, daily wage labourer.
Ditto Opinder Khosla, a mechanical engineer from India, who has ended up as a salesman. "I found it difficult to even get an interview call", he says. The Canadian authorities are non-committal about the social and economic devaluation that the country imposes on immigrants.
"You can't come thinking you can just walk in and get a job in your profession", says Isabel Basset, minister of citizenship, culture and recreation, responsible for handling immigrants' woes in Canada's largest province, Ontario. But she admits that the licensing bodies regulating the professions need to be more accepting of people trained elsewhere.
That effort could only come from the government, argues Demetrius Oriopolis, co-author of Access, a government-commissioned report on assessing qualifications of newcomers, a 10-year-old report whose recommendations have still to be implemented. The report suggests certain rules of equivalence should be made binding on the regulatory bodies, which are exclusionist by nature.
But Basset won't even hear of making the regulatory bodies accountable: "We believe in private enterprise with a minimum of government checks. Besides, she argues, the exercise would cost millions of dollars".
Needless to say, the organisations are gleeful. Only professional bodies have the ability to determine what constitutes competence in a particular profession, was the cold response of the spokesperson for the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, an institution that's responsible for the unemployment as well as under-employment of hundreds of qualified chartered accountants from India. They do not grant licences for professional practice, because Indian qualifications are not acceptable.
"What kind of society are we creating? Is it a new form of slavery?" asks an irate Bhausaheb Ubale, Canada's former human rights commissioner. Qualified immigrants work as drivers, guards. If this isn't job discrimination, what is? Dr Ubale lobbied intensely before Indians were accepted in the media. They now hold jobs as reporters and anchors, he says, but a lot more has to be done.
While skilled men may not be able to find jobs, their less qualified wives find it easier because they accept whatever comes their way. In several cases, the wives earn and support their husbands who are busy upgrading themselves, by studying for a Canadian degree. The working wife sometimes slogs away at three jobs. Sumitra starts at 7 am at her first job, teaching immigrants English; her second job as telemarketer starts at 4 pm. She gets back home around 8 pm, after which she begins selling cosmetics and household goods door to door. Till midnight. Sumitra supports three students, her husband and two school-going children.
The other problems Indians face here are the high taxes, high mortgage payments for new homes and the sort of hidebound laws that the benign anarchy back home hardly prepares them for. "You can't run a red light, you can't escape from a hit-and-run site even if you are just the witness, you can't smoke in public. Too many rules, so different from home", says Harminder Singh.
Two 'Indian' practices that do exist here, however, cause immigrants the maximum trouble. They are sifarish baazi (nepotism) and mufat ka kaam (free work). The Canadians, of course, have given them sophisticated terminologies, the former is referred to as 'networking' and the latter, 'volunteerism'. In a country where you are never encouraged to 'drop in' to meet someone, where the fax, the computer or the phone is used to complete most transactions, a job-seeking immigrant often has the phone put down on him. Polite but firm secretaries block access, unless the caller can drop a magic name that can help him gain entry. It takes at least a year for even the most enterprising immigrant to get to know somebody who can help him, before he can get a job at all.
'Networking' goes hand in hand with 'volunteerism'. Many immigrants put in a year of free service before they are given the job. Most writers and anchors of Asian origin are given only part-time jobs, paid by assignment and with no fringe benefits. The company insists on the word 'freelance' on their business cards, to make it clear they have not been hired by the company, and hence can't demand higher pay or any benefits. They can, and often are, fired at will.
Perhaps the greatest problem in Canada is the one that is least articulated--racism. According to a diversity report on Toronto (said to be the most ethnically diverse city in the world), the year 2000 will see its minority becoming its majority that is, 54 per cent of Toronto's population by the end of the millennium will be non-Whites. Keeping that in mind, it warned, if the discrimination against them in education, employment, income and housing, or incidents of hate are not addressed, it will lead to a growing sense of frustration.
"All our problems exist because of racism", sums up Anita Ferrao, who works in a firm. Anita has worked for them for three years and has got neither promotion nor raise. "As an Indian immigrant, you can never reach the top. They'll see to that. It's better to bring in some money here and start a business. It's the only way you'll do well here and be respected. "
But then if life is so tough here, why do people give up everything back home and come? The answer is the rosy picture of North America, inculcated right from childhood. Everything 'American' is considered superior. Better food, better homes, better life.
more...
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snram4
01-17 10:14 AM
Even if it is ok to fight how much resource IV have it to fight multiple issues. Resource means not just money but also time, manpower and effort. Most of the issues can be resolved if EB reform is done as people need not renew H1b as most can get GC within 3 years. Law clearly tells that there should be valid job position for H1b at the time of filing. For consulting bodyshoppers will bring persons here and search for job. That is clearly violation of law.
But certainly it can be requested to USCIS to change if geneunie persons are impacted. If memorendum is violation of law then USCIS will face lawsuit and you can also do that
There is no such requirement for fresh H1B as well as renewal as per Law. That is why we call it an ILLEGAL memo. We all need to fight this together.
NB: I am not a specialist in law
But certainly it can be requested to USCIS to change if geneunie persons are impacted. If memorendum is violation of law then USCIS will face lawsuit and you can also do that
There is no such requirement for fresh H1B as well as renewal as per Law. That is why we call it an ILLEGAL memo. We all need to fight this together.
NB: I am not a specialist in law
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pappu
07-03 01:05 PM
/\/\/\
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ss1026
04-20 11:23 AM
I applied for a labor substitution in 2003. The old labor had a master degree given out in may of 1999 and I had mine in august of 1999. I went and applied for it but the substitution was rejected after about 2 years. I wasted more than 5K and about 2 years. It is too much of a risk but give it a shot if it worth the risk for you
alterego
12-14 05:26 PM
An additional thing I want to point out is that the US cannot make itself diverse by restricting immigration to a diverse population mix. It is a well known fact that Hispanic american women bear many more children than Caucasian american women. How does america fix that, and if it does not then why talk about diversity in immigration?
JazzByTheBay
07-03 07:05 PM
Posting here as asked by Pappu:
------
Hi Jessie,
I am contacting you today regarding the recent chain of events concerning employment-based immigrants.
I am positive you are aware of the recent debacle skilled professionals waiting for years in the immigration backlog have sufferred thanks to the Dept of State and the USCIS.
Some Facts:
- On June 13, DoS announced the July Visa Bulletin which made visa numbers available for all categories of employment-based immigrant visas, for all countries of chargeability. The July Visa Bulletin made all categories for all countries "CURRENT", giving a ray of hope to skilled professionals waiting in line for years to get a green card.
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_3258.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2ftravel.state.gov%2fvis a%2ffrvi%2fbulletin%2fbulletin_3258.html)
- Faced with this news, applicants and their families spent significant time and resources to put together the required documentation in a very short time, in many cases procuring important documents from their home countries and getting them couriered at considerable expense; and having family members like spouses and children fly in to the U.S. to be able to apply for a green card. Thousands of dollars were spent on this, and on the required medical checkups, and in many cases lawyers' fees, in order to submit the applications for the final stage of green card - Adjustment of Status (AOS), by filing Form I-485 by end of June so it reaches USCIS by July 2.
- Once a Visa Bulletin for the next month is announced, USCIS accepts all applications to adjust status that are received in that month. They may not have enough visa numbers for all applications received, and as such are not bound to actually issue green cards to all applicants in the month. However, applicants and their family members can receive interim benefits after filing e.g.:
1. Employment Authorization (EAD): This is particularly important for spouses, who are often unable to work because they are on H4 visas, and do not belong to specialized occupations that would entitle them to get an H1B visa.
2. Advanced Parole: Allowing applicants to travel freely.
3. Portability: Allows applicants to change employers 180 days after filing AOS, if the new job is the same as the one they based their positions/original green card applications on. This is very important for most professionals, who are bound to a particular employer for years during the green card processing, marred by its delays and complexity.
- Early on July 2, the first day when USCIS started receiving applications for AOS, the Dept of State announced an updated Visa Bulletin, stating that USCIS has issued extraordinary number of immigrant visas (60,000) for employment-based immigrants (between the July 2007 Visa Bulletin announcement on June 13 and end of June = June 29), thus running out of any available visa numbers for the rest of the year!
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_3263.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2ftravel.state.gov%2fvis a%2ffrvi%2fbulletin%2fbulletin_3263.html)
- Following that, displaying amazing coordination, USCIS posted an update on its web site stating any AOS applications receivedi n the month of July will be rejected, effective immediately (July 2).
http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/VisaBulletin2Jul07.pdf (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.uscis.gov%2ffiles% 2fpressrelease%2fVisaBulletin2Jul07.pdf)
In effect, this closed the available window for filing AOS applications - the entire month of July - even before it opened!
- The fact that a Visa Bulletin gets updated mid-month is unprecedented.
- The fact that the USCIS processed and adjudicated roughly the same number of AOS applications in about 15 days as they have done in the previous 10 months is both alarming and shocking!
- The American Immigrant Law Foundation is considering a class-action lawsuit agains USCIS/DoS.
- Immigration Voice (www.immigrationvoice.org (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.immigrationvoice.o rg%2f)), an organization of skilled professionals/documented immigrants is considering the same.
- Here's a Press Release from ImmigrationVoice.org:
http://www.prlog.org/10022648-no-celebration-for-thousands-of-highly-skilled-future-americans-this-july-4th.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.prlog.org%2f100226 48-no-celebration-for-thousands-of-highly-skilled-future-americans-this-july-4th.html)
- Also of interest, the following blog post by immigration lawyer Greg Siskind:
Full-Blown Scandal
http://blogs.ilw.com/gregsiskind/2007/07/full-blown-scan.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fblogs.ilw.com%2fgregsi skind%2f2007%2f07%2ffull-blown-scan.html)
- Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren has issued a statement against this move, and written to both USCIS and DoS:
http://lofgren.house.gov/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=1808 (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2flofgren.house.gov%2fPR Article.aspx%3fNewsID%3d1808)
- Following link is from Forbes, a wire story by AP that got picked up by many media outlets in the last 24 hours:
Legal Workers Lose Chance at Green Cards
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/07/02/ap3879453.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.forbes.com%2ffeeds %2fap%2f2007%2f07%2f02%2fap3879453.html)
Hoping you will be able to highlight the plight of tens of thousands of such folks who got their single glimmer of hope taken away from them in a flash, before it even became available. (Ironically, all this happened whilst in the background lawmakers were considering legalizing 12-20 million undocumented immigrants.)
Thanks,
------
Hi Jessie,
I am contacting you today regarding the recent chain of events concerning employment-based immigrants.
I am positive you are aware of the recent debacle skilled professionals waiting for years in the immigration backlog have sufferred thanks to the Dept of State and the USCIS.
Some Facts:
- On June 13, DoS announced the July Visa Bulletin which made visa numbers available for all categories of employment-based immigrant visas, for all countries of chargeability. The July Visa Bulletin made all categories for all countries "CURRENT", giving a ray of hope to skilled professionals waiting in line for years to get a green card.
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_3258.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2ftravel.state.gov%2fvis a%2ffrvi%2fbulletin%2fbulletin_3258.html)
- Faced with this news, applicants and their families spent significant time and resources to put together the required documentation in a very short time, in many cases procuring important documents from their home countries and getting them couriered at considerable expense; and having family members like spouses and children fly in to the U.S. to be able to apply for a green card. Thousands of dollars were spent on this, and on the required medical checkups, and in many cases lawyers' fees, in order to submit the applications for the final stage of green card - Adjustment of Status (AOS), by filing Form I-485 by end of June so it reaches USCIS by July 2.
- Once a Visa Bulletin for the next month is announced, USCIS accepts all applications to adjust status that are received in that month. They may not have enough visa numbers for all applications received, and as such are not bound to actually issue green cards to all applicants in the month. However, applicants and their family members can receive interim benefits after filing e.g.:
1. Employment Authorization (EAD): This is particularly important for spouses, who are often unable to work because they are on H4 visas, and do not belong to specialized occupations that would entitle them to get an H1B visa.
2. Advanced Parole: Allowing applicants to travel freely.
3. Portability: Allows applicants to change employers 180 days after filing AOS, if the new job is the same as the one they based their positions/original green card applications on. This is very important for most professionals, who are bound to a particular employer for years during the green card processing, marred by its delays and complexity.
- Early on July 2, the first day when USCIS started receiving applications for AOS, the Dept of State announced an updated Visa Bulletin, stating that USCIS has issued extraordinary number of immigrant visas (60,000) for employment-based immigrants (between the July 2007 Visa Bulletin announcement on June 13 and end of June = June 29), thus running out of any available visa numbers for the rest of the year!
http://travel.state.gov/visa/frvi/bulletin/bulletin_3263.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2ftravel.state.gov%2fvis a%2ffrvi%2fbulletin%2fbulletin_3263.html)
- Following that, displaying amazing coordination, USCIS posted an update on its web site stating any AOS applications receivedi n the month of July will be rejected, effective immediately (July 2).
http://www.uscis.gov/files/pressrelease/VisaBulletin2Jul07.pdf (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.uscis.gov%2ffiles% 2fpressrelease%2fVisaBulletin2Jul07.pdf)
In effect, this closed the available window for filing AOS applications - the entire month of July - even before it opened!
- The fact that a Visa Bulletin gets updated mid-month is unprecedented.
- The fact that the USCIS processed and adjudicated roughly the same number of AOS applications in about 15 days as they have done in the previous 10 months is both alarming and shocking!
- The American Immigrant Law Foundation is considering a class-action lawsuit agains USCIS/DoS.
- Immigration Voice (www.immigrationvoice.org (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.immigrationvoice.o rg%2f)), an organization of skilled professionals/documented immigrants is considering the same.
- Here's a Press Release from ImmigrationVoice.org:
http://www.prlog.org/10022648-no-celebration-for-thousands-of-highly-skilled-future-americans-this-july-4th.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.prlog.org%2f100226 48-no-celebration-for-thousands-of-highly-skilled-future-americans-this-july-4th.html)
- Also of interest, the following blog post by immigration lawyer Greg Siskind:
Full-Blown Scandal
http://blogs.ilw.com/gregsiskind/2007/07/full-blown-scan.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fblogs.ilw.com%2fgregsi skind%2f2007%2f07%2ffull-blown-scan.html)
- Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren has issued a statement against this move, and written to both USCIS and DoS:
http://lofgren.house.gov/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=1808 (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2flofgren.house.gov%2fPR Article.aspx%3fNewsID%3d1808)
- Following link is from Forbes, a wire story by AP that got picked up by many media outlets in the last 24 hours:
Legal Workers Lose Chance at Green Cards
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/07/02/ap3879453.html (http://immigrationvoice.org/forum/redir.aspx?URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.forbes.com%2ffeeds %2fap%2f2007%2f07%2f02%2fap3879453.html)
Hoping you will be able to highlight the plight of tens of thousands of such folks who got their single glimmer of hope taken away from them in a flash, before it even became available. (Ironically, all this happened whilst in the background lawmakers were considering legalizing 12-20 million undocumented immigrants.)
Thanks,