H1B, J1, F1, Visa News – 2024-08-14
Welcome to the weekly news summary related to green card self-petition. This news page tries to capture immigration news that is relevant to self-petition applicants. It tries to gather broad immigration topics that may be of interest to self-petition EB1A, and EB2-NIW applicants. Hope you enjoy the news. All news sources are acknowledged. If you need additional details follow the source link.
News Articles
- Understanding the Special Handling Process for PERM Labor Certification for Teachers in U.S. Colleges and Universities
- September 2024 Visa Bulletin: No Forward Movement in Employment-Based Categories, Visa Limit Expected to be Reached
- How do I show that I have been judged by experts in my field?
- September 2024 Visa Bulletin: No Change in Green Card Waiting Times
- Can I use unpaid work or volunteer experience as evidence in my NIW petition?
- USCIS Completes Second Round of H-1B Visa Lottery for Fiscal Year 2025, Reaches Annual Limit
Understanding the Special Handling Process for PERM Labor Certification for Teachers in U.S. Colleges and Universities
Special handling is a PERM labor certification process for teachers at U.S. colleges and universities. It requires a test of the U.S. labor market, but offers two main advantages. Firstly, the employer can use the labor market test that was used to hire the teacher. Secondly, the institution can use a “more qualified” standard. This can streamline the PERM process for faculty members. To use special handling, the institution must meet certain criteria, including a prevailing wage determination from the Department of Labor and providing job opportunity notice to all employees. If these are not met, the institution can still use the “more qualified” standard in the regular PERM process or initiate a new recruitment round.
Date: 2024/08/12
September 2024 Visa Bulletin: No Forward Movement in Employment-Based Categories, Visa Limit Expected to be Reached
The U.S. Department of State has released the September 2024 Visa Bulletin, which shows no forward movement in employment-based categories from the previous month. Due to increased demand, it is expected to reach the visa limit in September 2024, making additional visas unavailable until October 2024. The EB3 category cutoff date has retrogressed for some countries. The EB1 category remains unchanged, with India’s cutoff date set at February 1, 2022, and China’s at November 1, 2022. The EB2 cutoff date for India is July 15, 2012, and for China, March 1, 2020. The cutoff date for the EB4 category is January 1, 2021, and for the EB5 category, December 15, 2015 for China and December 1, 2020 for India.
Date: 2024/08/08
How do I show that I have been judged by experts in my field?
To demonstrate that you have been judged by experts in your field, you can provide evidence of peer reviews, panel participations, or judging the work of others in the same or related academic fields. For someone with an advanced degree, this could include serving as a reviewer for academic journals, being invited to speak at conferences, or sitting on thesis committees. Other forms of evidence could be letters of recommendation from recognized experts in your field attesting to your contributions and recognition. It is important that these letters not only vouch for your qualifications, but also provide detailed examples of your work and its impact. The more specific and detailed the evidence, the stronger your case will be. Remember, the goal is to demonstrate that you are a top expert and have sustained national or international acclaim for your work.
Date: 2024/08/14
September 2024 Visa Bulletin: No Change in Green Card Waiting Times
The U.S. Department of State’s Visa Bulletin for September 2024 shows no changes in waiting times across all family- and employment-based green card categories. The bulletin provides cut-off dates for different countries and categories, but the wait times are not exact and can vary depending on the country’s backlog and the category of the green card. Some countries may experience slower progress and even retrogression, where the cut-off dates move backward due to high demand. Understanding the Visa Bulletin can be complex, so a guide has been provided to help applicants find their priority date and track patterns over several months.
Date: 2024/08/09
Can I use unpaid work or volunteer experience as evidence in my NIW petition?
Yes, you can use unpaid work or volunteer experience as evidence in your EB2-NIW (Employment-Based Second Preference – National Interest Waiver) petition. The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) considers all relevant post-degree experience, paid or unpaid, full-time or part-time, in evaluating whether you have influenced your field and whether your work is of substantial intrinsic merit. You should provide evidence of your unpaid work or volunteer experience, such as letters of recommendation, awards, or recognitions. This evidence should demonstrate the significance of your contributions to your field. As someone with an advanced degree, your unpaid work or volunteer experience can be especially valuable if it demonstrates your ability to make significant contributions to your field beyond what is typically expected from someone with your level of education.
Date: 2024/08/14
USCIS Completes Second Round of H-1B Visa Lottery for Fiscal Year 2025, Reaches Annual Limit
The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has completed the second round of H-1B visa lottery selection for fiscal year 2025, reaching its annual limit of 65,000 visas. The agency had determined more registrations for unique beneficiaries were needed to fulfill the regular cap quota. All prospective petitioners with selected registrations have been notified and are eligible to file an H-1B cap-subject petition. However, there will be no second selection for the advanced degree exemption or master’s cap, as the first round met the required numbers. The H-1B visa, often used by Indian IT companies to send software engineers to the US, is highly sought after by US companies for hiring skilled foreign workers.
Date: 2024/08/08
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