Will NVC process schedule A cases during retrogression

john83, BSN, RN · May 5, 2007

They are still keeping an eye on the developments for lifting of retrogression. Some are more aggressive because they are presuming it will be lifted soon so they want to start it but some are more conservative and adapting a wait-and-see attitude. It depends on how their respective immigration lawyers or consultants see things on the horizon.
Thanks.

I like the aggressive ones; getting started would at least show(you) a reason in good faith that they will help you in your goal of immigrating. I'd rather be in someone who would support me all the way(even at my lowest point) without any condition or choice of time... :nurse: "In good times or bad times" as one song would say... :cool:

suzanne4, RN · May 5, 2007

A word of caution:

Just because someone is aggressive in their recruiting, it does not mean that anything is actually being done as far as submitted documents to immigration by the immigration attorney. And some have been aggressive just to try to save money before the rates go up. But not being aggressive to help you, but to help them.

flyinghigh · May 5, 2007

I do not understand if there is nothing can be done more than filing 1-140 then why agencies are visiting UAE and signing up new candidates.even adverts of recruitments for US' are seen in newspaper.

One advert..says it is a direct hospital recruitment.[?]what are they up to??

suzanne4, RN · May 6, 2007

They can start the process and have the I-140 submitted. But even if the nurse is recruited today or tomorrow, the wait is usually a couple of months before the petition is submitted. It takes several weeks just for the immigration attorney to complete the documents and then there is also the wait to get the documents from the Labor Board, or from the union, if a unionized hospital that needs to be submitted with the petition. Most are not aware of this.

There are no Schedule A visas available, all are being submitted under the EB-3 category and that has a long wait. Sooner or later, things will get done, and the agnecies are just trying to get things done. Remember that they do not get paid until the nurse has started to work. And right now, you will find agencies doing about anything to get a nurse signed, they have no money coming in at this time.

Anyone can place an ad that they are hiring nurses. They do not list when the petition will be submitted, and the recruiters that you see are usually out of the loop on that. The petitioning is actually done by an immigration attorney that they have hired, and they also bulk ship the petitions in to immigration from the attorney's office many times. So it can be months before that are actually sent in.

We see it all of the time here, where someone has been waiting a year to get even a receipt from their agency. Or two years later, they still do not have approval of the I-140.

Some agencies will also try to sell you to a hospital or LTC and they will not even be the ones that do your petitioning. The facility will do it, and that can be more time added on.

So, please be careful. They are hoping that you are not aware of these things and just will push you to sign a document that is legally binding. We see this all of the time as well.

flyinghigh · May 6, 2007

Thanks a lot :) for the information Ms.Suzanne.

suzanne4, RN · May 6, 2007

You are quite welcome. Just wanted to clarify things for you.

tutugirlBSN · May 6, 2007

But what choice do you have when most of the hospitals are unwilling to petition for green card. I already have a recruitment agency who has contacted me by phone. I am scared to go with them but i feel like i have no choice since they "will take care of everything" like they said. I am so confused right now.

I dont want to go to LTCF and have 20 patients and at the same time i have to wonder about trying to get my documents filed on time, get someone to petition for me and then wait for retrogression to be lifted.

All i am saying is that the whole situation right now gives us little choice but to go for what is available. It is such a sad situation as i dont know what to do.

suzanne4, RN · May 6, 2007

But what choice do you have when most of the hospitals are unwilling to petition for green card. I already have a recruitment agency who has contacted me by phone. I am scared to go with them but i feel like i have no choice since they "will take care of everything" like they said. I am so confused right now.
I dont want to go to LTCF and have 20 patients and at the same time i have to wonder about trying to get my documents filed on time, get someone to petition for me and then wait for retrogression to be lifted.
All i am saying is that the whole situation right now gives us little choice but to go for what is available. It is such a sad situation as i dont know what to do.

You have lots of choices. Do not sell yourself short. And these agencies are not doing anything that is going to benefit you, they come first.

And they are not taking care of everything for you out of the goodness of their heart. You will be paying for it at more than a 700% cost to you for what will be deducted from your pay.

So, documents are not getting filed passed the I-140, and since the retrogression is in place, nothing more is being done. No matter what this agency is telling you. There is no such thing right now as trying to get documents filed on time, the retrogression has been in effect for more than six months. And there is no Schedule A right now, so you are getting petitioned only under the EB-3 status.

And it is not 20 patients in the LTC, you only wish. But will be 30 to 60 patients per shift. And this is all over the US. No matter what the state, that is what the staffing is like.

The choice is yours to make, but I would never, ever advise someone to sign because they think that this is their only choice. It is far from that.

Hospitals are not petitioning right now as there are no visas available. They are smart. They are waiting to see what is going to happen. And I can tell you that it will be several months before this agency files for you. Takes a month or so for the attorney to do all of the paperwork, and then they also need a Labor Certificate to submit with the petition. And they usually send the applications and documents to the attorney in groups, not one at a time.

What do you actually know about this agency? Where are they based?

tutugirlBSN · May 7, 2007

They are based in massachusetts. Should i be specific about the name of the company cos i dont want to get in trouble if you know what i mean.

suzanne4, RN · May 7, 2007

You do not need to be specific about them here. But what you need to know is that you are not going to have only 20 patients. And there is no huury to get anything done right now as it will make no difference. Nothing more than the I-140 can be submitted at this time, and the rates do go up in a few weeks, but they will not even have the documents ready to submit to USCIS by that time, if they are completed properly.

So not sell yourself short, it what I am trying to tell you. You have a degree and are a Registered Nurse. Please take the time to thoroughly do your homework before signing a contract. Once it is signed, it is legally binding and they are coming with hefty cancellation fees. Do not get caught up with that.

Take the time and contact some hospitals where you really wish to work. What type of experience do you actually have in a hospital? And where do you really want to work?

tutugirlBSN · May 8, 2007

I have nursing assistant experience along with my clinical experiences. I am also interested in acute med/surg or cardiac intensive care unit.

john83, BSN, RN · May 9, 2007

A word of caution:
Just because someone is aggressive in their recruiting, it does not mean that anything is actually being done as far as submitted documents to immigration by the immigration attorney. And some have been aggressive just to try to save money before the rates go up. But not being aggressive to help you, but to help them.

Thanks for the word of caution ma'am Suzanne!