kitune

Thanks, Anna. I'm going to start working next week...Excited? nervous?? I hope that my green card and other international nurses' will be approved soon.

I've recieved letter from the USCIS which informed that my information was sent to Texas service center from CA. How long do I need to wait more? Which center's processing date should I refer?? Do I the USCIS need additional documents for my petition???

I STRONGLY RECOMMEND NOT TO FIND A JOB THROUGH AN AGENCY. You should contact with hospitals directly by yourself. Some hospitals may not want to hire international nurses without SSN and nursing license. If you can not convince the hospitals that you are eligible to work as a RN, hire an attorney and have job interviews with letter from your attorney. Do not make any contract with the hospitals and agency until you pass the NCLEX and the Visascreen in CA, and CGFNS in other states. 1.Pass the NCLEX and obtain the Visascreen certificate. 2.Find an immigration attorney. 3.Job hunting with letter from your attorney. Good luck.

I talked with the other attorney. She said; 1.The "Personnel form"doesn't seem to be a contract. Therefore the hospital doesn't have to pay $25.5. 2.If the hospital changed their payment policy, we cannot do anything about that. 3.It seems that you got a bad agency. But if you change your sponsor to another hospital, you have to wait for the EAD 6 more months. 4.My agency told me that the hospital cannot hire a international nurse with payment higher than certain amount. That is wrong. The USCIS does't allow hospitals hire international nurses with less than minimum payment, but they doesn't have any criteria about maximum payment. I have to make a dicision: Accept the change of pay or change the hospitals. Probably I will accept the hospital's offer.

Hi, suzanne4. I'm caught in the other trouble besides my payment. My workauthorization lost its way and it hasn't been delivered to me yet. According to the agency, it was delivered to my old address. It couldn't be forwarded and returened to the USCIS. After I got the job, I moved to the city where the hospital is located. I have never put my new address on the form for the USCIS. The agency knows my new address, because they found the accommodation for me. The agency says "This is the USCIS's fault." I can't agree with them. They should have informed my new address to the USCIS during the process. I want to call the USCIS and pick up my workauthorization with my hand. I'm not sure the reason why they say "don't call the USCIS." I suppose they are trying, but why don't they want to explain how it will be given to me? I can't obtain SS# without workauthorization. My RN license can't be issued without SS#, because I passed the NCLEX,BON of California.

Thank you quick response, suzanne4. I know that I'm going to be paid by the hospital not the agency. I made my employment contract with the hospital not the agency. When I had the job interview, we filled up the hospital personnel form with "Hourly Rate $25.5". I don't know if this paper is legally effective or not. I need to access prepaidlegal.com. I will post the result. I don't want happen to nobody else like this.

My payment was changed $22/hr. from $25.5 last week just after my workauthorization has been approved. They say that the hospital changed their payment policy. I got my job through an agency in April,2005. You know, it takes long time for the paper work. I understand that change of the policy may happen depending on the hospital's ficancial situation. But why didn't they tell me earlier? Why now? After the workauthorization, before the greencard... According to the USCIS, my greencard will be approved within 6months. I agreed them, because I tought if I wouldn't accept this, I would lose job. It means, I lose my sponsor. But still I can't stop feeling like that my greencard is taken as hostage by the hospital and agency.