I work in VBMC and i came in through H1c. I have been here since November of 2008.My visa is valid until Feb 2011. VBMC was able to petition 30 nurses last 2008 and all of us are here. Its not bad here at all. Harlingen is a small, quiet city in the Rio Grande Valley, Texas. VBMC is a 600 bed hospital and working conditions have been good. I work in the Progressive Cardiac Care Unit and our nurse to patient ration was 1:6 or 7. And now its better, 1:4 or 5, after we came. I am paid $23 an hour plus differentials (I work nights) and I think its ok for the Cost of Living here. In my opinion the city is quite peaceful too. Not really that much crime. I think we are really lucky to be here..I mean among all the other hospitals that are able to petition through H1c and the area that they are in.
I do have a pending I140 petition with a hospital in Florida with a priority date of Jan 2006. VBMC is also willing to petition us with an immigrant visa. My question is, will they be able to get the priority from my previous petition? Thats what their lawyers are telling us, but I doubt that. Any thoughts on this? And its true even the lawyers are telling us that it there is really a possibility that we will go home if our priority dates will not be current.
Well, theres always Canada... =)