Immigration News and Updates

lawrence01 · Feb 26, 2007

The above is definitely was referring to the 50,000 visas granted last May of 2005 as it was referring to creating a Schedule A category for the first time.

Also, it turns out that the 50,000 only lasted less than 2 years as majority of the visas were actually used up by the nurse's dependents as early rough estimates only accounted 15,+++ visas were given to the nurse and the rest to their dependents meaning there were an ave. of 3 dependents per nurse.

mutya · Feb 26, 2007

Hi all,
Pls find some info related to retrogression....Just for your information and comments only..Here is the link
.....deal between the House and Senate to recapture unused immigrant
visa numbers and eliminate retrogression was finalized late last night. The
deal creates a special EB3 immigrant class for Schedule A occupations --
registered nurses and physical therapists. The special class exempts
50,000 immigrant visas from the general EB3 category and effectively ends
nurse and physical therapist retrogression for at least the next two or three
years.
It is expected that the formal enabling vote will take place next week. The
President will sign the legislation shortly thereafter. It may take the
Departments of State and Homeland Security several weeks to apply the
law. At this point HLG estimates retrogression will be effectively lifted for
EB3 Schedule A occupations with the publication of the July Visa Bulletin.
The July Visa Bulletin should be released in mid-June.....
ANY COMMENTS..?

this happens in 2005, now the reality is nobody is taking into notice the actual fact that there is a real shortage of nurses in the US. There is the recaptured 90,000 available visa issue, there is the dependent being remove from the numerical count and the total exemption from the visa cap of PT and Nurses. A lot of things that could go on our way in ending this retrogression, the only problem is nobody want to talk about it.

The CIR issue is a very cumplicated one and it involves everybody, not only nurses, pts, h1-b's and illegals but almost all. The chances of it being pass is slim. I too is waiting for this retrogression to be lifted and just hoping that in one way or another those lawyers lobbying for nursing cap relief will be able to get something about it.US Nursing shortage is an issue that needs to be address fast, just wait and pray... Pray hard....

suzanne4, RN · Feb 26, 2007

Please always do your research on anything that you see on a website and verify when it was written. Many that are up on agency websites are old.

Best place to always check is directly with the US State Dept website, that will be the most correct. And not biased by trying to sell something. The US State Dept is actually the ones that issues visas and handle all of that, USCIS is under them.

Schedule A has already been removed from the Visa Bulletin last month.

lawrence01 · Feb 28, 2007

Web cast from the CIR committee hearing (Feb. 28 2007) for those interested:

http://judiciary.senate.gov/hearing.cfm?id=2555

vermountindia · Feb 28, 2007

Hi all.

Presently, what I understood is there are two bills on the move in terms of Nurses immigration. One is RNPA, which includes a provision to make Schedule A occupations exempt from the general Employment Based visa quota.(S.646). Second one is CIR, for which hearing took place today. Which of these you all think going to help us? I heard that CIR will have slim chance to get thru since its covering aspect of all kind of immigration.....

So....?

rgds

mutya · Feb 28, 2007

Hi all.
Presently, what I understood is there are two bills on the move in terms of Nurses immigration. One is RNPA, which includes a provision to make Schedule A occupations exempt from the general Employment Based visa quota.(S.646). Second one is CIR, for which hearing took place today. Which of these you all think going to help us? I heard that CIR will have slim chance to get thru since its covering aspect of all kind of immigration.....
So....?
rgds

For me RNPA is better and much faster. CIR has too many baggages attached to it wherein S.646 involves nurses and nursing shortage directly.

Hope they can expedite this bill as a priority so that we dont need to wait too long. Have hope...

suzanne4, RN · Mar 1, 2007

For me RNPA is better and much faster. CIR has too many baggages attached to it wherein S.646 involves nurses and nursing shortage directly.
Hope they can expedite this bill as a priority so that we dont need to wait too long. Have hope...

Nothing is being expedited; if it was, it would have already been a done deal.

rozmaril · Mar 2, 2007

Hi, everybody!

Those who are suprised by the sudden silence of Hammond Law group as for CIR Feb 28 meeting, may look up some information in the site of Carl Shusterman. Anyway, they mention some suggested "legalization" procedures (does not concern nurses) and an approximate date of the bill to be effected into law - Jan, 2008! Sad. More developments are to happen next week, as they say.

vermountindia · Mar 2, 2007

Hi all,

Anybody knows status of RNPA(the bill which includes a provision to make Schedule A occupations exempt from the general Employment Based visa quota.(S.646) ?

Where is that bill now? On what stage?

Also, who is (Senator) going to introduce the bill for recapturing 90,000visa?

Thanks

Rgds

jonRNMD · Mar 3, 2007

Anyway, they mention some suggested "legalization" procedures (does not concern nurses) and an approximate date of the bill to be effected into law - Jan, 2008! Sad. More developments are to happen next week, as they say.

Jan 2008???? my wife and I would be stuck using EAD's for the next 10 months and that means not able to come home for Christmas as im nervous about leaving NY using Advance Parole :madface:

karolina · Mar 3, 2007

iam in the same boat, i got to renew my work permit too... at least we have work permit. there are people out there, that are forced to leave..i hope sth will be done for nurses.\\

lawrence , i signed in for the email updates with the immigration a while ago/ my application for green card was udated on january 4 2007, but i quess bec we are stuck in the retrogression, nothing was done, except of updating it. no request for additional papers were send. thank you lawrence

karolina

lawrence01 · Mar 3, 2007

Thanks. :wink2: If it's for the I-140, USCIS continues to process those even during retrogression. Time-frame of approval just depends on w/c Service Center your file was placed at. Texas Service Center usually processes anywhere bet.