immigration options immigration options for students and scholars saturday, april 2, 2011 william a....
TRANSCRIPT
Immigration OptionsImmigration Options for Students and Scholars
Saturday, April 2, 2011
William A. Stock, Esq.Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Philadelphia New York1800 John F. Kennedy Blvd., 17th Floor 317 Madison Ave., Suite 1518Philadelphia, PA 19103 New York, NY 10017215.825.8600 212.796.8840
[email protected] www.klaskolaw.com
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
William A. Stock, Esq.
Bill Stock is a founding partner of Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP and has been providing immigration assistance and solutions to leading universities, research institutions, hospitals, multinational corporations, and individuals for over 15 years.
Bill is featured in Chambers Global, Best Lawyers in America, and other guides to prominent attorneys. He is a leader in the American Immigration Lawyers Association on a national level, and in 2000 he received AILA’s Joseph Minsky Award, given to the lawyer under age 35 who has made the most outstanding contributions to the field of immigration law.
Bill is a graduate of the University of Minnesota Law School and is a frequent author and lecturer on business-related immigration topics and currently is an Adjunct Faculty Member at Villanova University School of Law.
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
H-1B Visas H-1B Quota Options for Dealing with H-1B Quota Quota-Exempt Employment Strategies to Enhance Chances of Getting H-1B Other Visa Options Permanent Resident Status – Family, Investment,
Asylum, Lottery
Immigration Options for Students and Scholars
Agenda
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Permanent Resident Status – Employment Quotas Q & A Session
(cont’d)
Immigration Options for Students and Scholars
Agenda
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Basic requirementsJob Offer
Part-time or full-time
Bachelors or higher degree Determine U.S. equivalence of foreign degree Combination of education and experience
Specialty occupation Job requires bachelors or higher degree in specific
field
Prevailing wage
H-1B Visas
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
H-1B Visas
Employer requirementsU.S. employerPay feesPost noticeKeep public examination file
(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
H-1B Visas
Procedure and processing timeFile Labor Condition Application with DOLFile H-1B petition with CISChange of status or consular visa issuanceProcessing time
3 to 6 months 15 days or less with premium processing
(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
H-1B Visas Length of approval and extensions
3 year initial approval and 3 year extension6 year maximum – any combination of
employersExtensions beyond 6 years
Recapture time out of U.S. 1 year extension if file labor certification application
or immigrant petition one year before expiration 3 year extension if immigrant petition approved and
quota backlog
(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
H-1B Visas
H-1B portabilityPresent or prior H-1BCommence employment upon new employer
filing petition Spouses
H-4 cannot work Travel
Dual intent
(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
H-1B Quota What is it, and what does it mean?
65,000 visas
Separate quota for US-educated advanced degree holders 20,000 visas
Separate options for Canada, Mexico, Australia, Chile and Singapore TN-1, E-3, H-1B1
Prospects for change Timing
April 1 filing date October 1 start date
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Options for Dealing with H-1B Quota
Quota-exempt employment Strategies to enhance chances of getting H-1B Alternative visa options Applying for permanent residence directly
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Quota-Exempt Employment
Who is not subject to the quota?UniversitiesNonprofit institutions affiliated with universitiesEmployed “at” universityNonprofit or government research organizationConcurrent employmentPrevious H-1B
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Strategies to Enhance Chances of Getting H-1B
Obtaining masters degree Filing multiple years Filing first day Using previously-obtained degree Combination of education and experience Start your own business?
Apply as H-1B employee?
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Other Visa Options F-1
OPT 12 months or 29 months
Going back to school Advantages of Masters or PhD
Working overseas for U.S. employer Entering U.S. as B-1 Eligibility for L-1 after one year
Look at spouse’s status Spouse of J,E and L can work
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Other Visa Options E-1 Treaty Trader
Substantial import or export Treaty country nationality Executive, supervisor, essential skill employee
E-2 Treaty Investor Substantial investment
No exact amount Treaty country nationality Investor or employee (executive, supervisory or essential skill)
L-1 Intracompany Transferee Related company (equity ownership) One year employment overseas Managerial or specialized knowledge
Overseas and U.S.
(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
H-3Corporate traineeTraining not available overseasFormal training program requiredProductive employment incidental to training Training will qualify for position abroad
Other Visa Options(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
O-1 Visas Employer sponsored Standards
National or international reputation
Documentation Reference letters Length of approval
3 years Unlimited one year extensions
Spouses O-3 cannot be employed
Other Visa Options(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
J-1 Visas Trainee, researcher, scholar Who is subject to 2-year return? What does it mean to be subject? Options if subject:
Return home Where is home? Aggregating trips?
O-1 Waiver
Other Visa Options(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Permanent Resident Status
Family Investment Asylum Employment Lottery
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Spouse of U.S. citizenNo quota waitEAD and AP within 3 months
All other relationshipsLong quota waitNo interim benefits
Family
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Investment
$500,000 or $1,000,000 Individual investment or regional center
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Asylum
Individualized fear of persecution Race, religion, nationality, political opinion,
social group, sexual persuasion
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Lottery
Only specified countries One year window Apply in October www.travel.state.gov
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Permanent Resident StatusEmployment
Employer-sponsored or self-sponsored Labor certification or extraordinary/national
interest/exceptional Multiple petitions
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Permanent Resident StatusEmployment
Self-SponsoredExtraordinary ability
EB-1 Standard
National or international reputation “One of few at the top of peers” Key is defining field of expertise specifically First? Only? Best? Media publicity
Extensive documentation required Reference letters critical
(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Permanent Resident StatusEmployment
National Interest Waiver EB-2 Standard
Exceptional ability or advanced degree National priority National impact
Extensive documentation required Reference letters critical May file multiple petitions
(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Permanent Resident StatusEmployment
Employer-SponsoredOutstanding Researcher
EB-1 “Permanent position” Similar to extraordinary ability
Multinational Manager EB-1 Same as L-1 except must be manager or executive
overseas
(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Permanent Resident StatusEmployment
Labor Certification Application (PERM) EB-2 or EB-3 Employer must:
Pay attorney fees and advertising costs Define “minimum requirements” Engage in required recruitment (approximately 4-5 months) Interview U.S. worker applicants Prove unavailability of qualified, interested, and available
U.S. worker Pay prevailing wage
(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Permanent Resident StatusEmployment
Timing Electronic filing Varies Possibility of audit First of three steps
(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Quotas
Per country of birth, per preference category, per fiscal year
Filing date is “priority date” EB-1 (extraordinary ability, outstanding
researcher, multinational manager) No quota wait
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Quotas
EB-2 (national interest waiver and labor certification) National interest waiver Labor certification requiring
Masters degree Bachelors degree plus 5 years progressive experience, or Exceptional ability
No quota wait, except China and India
EB-3 Labor certification requiring bachelors or 2 years
experience Long quota wait for all countries
(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Permanent Resident StatusEmployment
I-140 Petition 1st step for EB-1 and national interest waiver 2nd step for PERM
Employee documents education and experience
If adjustment of status, file concurrently with I-485 if quota current
If consular immigrant visa processing, approval sent to National Visa Center
(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Permanent Resident StatusEmployment
I-485 (Application for Adjustment of Status to Permanent Resident)Cannot file until quota is current Importance of filing
Do not need to maintain visa status Can file for spouse and child Can get Employment Authorization Document (EAD)
(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Permanent Resident StatusEmployment
Can get advance parole travel document Eliminate need to obtain visas Can still maintain and extend H-1B status
Can leave employer if I-140 approved I-485 pending 180 days Similar occupation
Permanent resident upon approval Timing and delay issues
(cont’d)
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
For Further Information
William A. Stock, Esq.Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: 215-825-8600 (Philadelphia)
212-796-8840 (New York)
Website: www.klaskolaw.com
Blog: http://blog.klaskolaw.com