HR 5924 is live!

[aadimanav]

Source:http://hammondlawgroup.blogspot.com/


HR 5924 is live!

Last night Rep. Wexler (D - FL) introduced our legislation. It is HR 5924, and is co-sponsored by Rep. Sensenbrenner (R - WI). The Government Printing Office has not yet printed the legislation, but since the CTIHS has been instrumental in moving this bill, HLG is very familiar with the legislation.

The key points of the legislation are:

1. Lifting of retrogression for Schedule A workers. Any immigrant visa quotas or caps are waived for all visa applications filed for Shortage Occupations (Schedule A occupations: Physical Therapists and Registered Nurses), provided that the I-140 is filed prior to September 30, 2011.

2. 20,000 primary beneficiary quota. While there is no retrogression for Schedule A cases filed before September 30, 2011, Consulates may not approve more than 20,000 primary beneficiary visas in any one year. There is no quota for the immediate family members of such beneficiaries.

3. Expedited Review. The USCIS must review -- and approve or issue an RFE -- on all Schedule A I-140 cases within 30 days of receipt.

4. Grant Fee. All primary beneficiary nursing visas issued under this legislation must pay a fee of $1500. Katrina-effected and HPSA employers do not have to pay the fee.

5. Grant Program. These fees will fund a Grant program. Schools of nursing may draw on this fund based on their student populations. The fees are to be used to attract, train, and retain nursing faculty, purchase educational equipment, expand infrastructure, and attract students.

6. Liberalized US Citizenship for some Health Care workers. Time spent by US Permanent Resident Health acre workers in a developing country will not be held against them in their endeavors to become US citizens.

7. Obligation Attestation. Immigrant visa applicants must attest that they do not owe their country of residence or origin a financial obligation. An obligation is defined as financial assistance that the intending immigrant incurred to defray the costs of education in consideration for a commitment to continue to work in that county.


The fact that Rep. Sensenbrenner is co-sponsoring the legislation is particularly important. He is known as someone who is not “soft” on immigration. He was one of the first Congressmen to call for a fence on the US Southern border. He should signal to some members that this is the kind of immigration legislation that is positive for America.

This is a good time to remind everyone that we are still actively seeking contributions to the CTIHS. In the event that not enough contributions are received, we will have to stop retaining the lobbyists. Presently, we do not have enough funds to continue the effort through the summer. There is a very real chance of this legislation being passed this year and it would be a shame if the effort stalled so close to the finish line. If you are interested in contributing, please contact:

Christopher T. Musillo, Esq.
Hammond Law Group LLC
cmusillo@hammondlawfirm.com

[ilikekilo]

Iam confused...Whats there in this for EB visas?

[Michael chertoff]

Originally Posted by ilikekilo

Iam confused...Whats there in this for EB visas?

Same Question...

[aadimanav]

If no quota for nurses then the left over visas which currently they use will be used by the EB people.

[here4gc]

The nurses are ahead of us in the line...good CIS..keep it up!!

I wonder how come legislators don't see whats happenning to the plight of all these aspiring people sufferring like this...

[ilikekilo]

Iam an optimist but I suspect there would be NO leftovers from their quota...Even if there is I am not sure how much it will trickle down all the way to eb3?

[h1techSlave]

This bill is to help Schedule A filed after Jan 2007. Before that date, the visa date for Schedule A was current.

They also do not need labor approval. They file 140 directly.

[gconmymind]

Originally Posted by here4gc

The nurses are ahead of us in the line...good CIS..keep it up!!

I wonder how come legislators don't see whats happenning to the plight of all these aspiring people sufferring like this...

Everywhere you read, you will find articles on shortage of nurses. Even Doctors are in the same EB line like you and me, but nurses are not. Apparently, there is a shortage. Also, companies can outsource software related work, but outsourcing nursing is not easy.

My 2 cents on why nurses are ahead in line. Whether that appears fair to you and me is a different issue.

Btw, I am a Software Engineer. Should I study nursing now???

[NolaIndian32]

Originally Posted by gconmymind

Everywhere you read, you will find articles on shortage of nurses. Even Doctors are in the same EB line like you and me, but nurses are not. Apparently, there is a shortage. Also, companies can outsource software related work, but outsourcing nursing is not easy.

My 2 cents on why nurses are ahead in line. Whether that appears fair to you and me is a different issue.

Btw, I am a Software Engineer. Should I study nursing now???

If you are serious about a career in Nursing, i can get you set up with a 9 month diploma program and a guaranteed job thereafter!

[hpandey]

If all these visas are for Schedule A workers ( mostly nurses probably ) then I don't see we in the EB category people should be excited about it .

Its the same for us - people cutting through lines , buying labor and priority dates while we wait for years and now someone sponsors a bill go give 20000 visas to Schedule A workers so that they also don't have to wait in line .

Well all we can do is wait , wait and more wait .

[snakesrocks]

Originally Posted by NolaIndian32

If you are serious about a career in Nursing, i can get you set up with a 9 month diploma program and a guaranteed job thereafter!

You need atleast a 2 year associate degree in nursing to write the NCLEX exam. Only if you are a RN job market is good.

[snakesrocks]

Originally Posted by hpandey

If all these visas are for Schedule A workers ( mostly nurses probably ) then I don't see we in the EB category people should be excited about it .

Its the same for us - people cutting through lines , buying labor and priority dates while we wait for years and now someone sponsors a bill go give 20000 visas to Schedule A workers so that they also don't have to wait in line .

Well all we can do is wait , wait and more wait .

EB category people should not get excited. the bill is trying to recapture the 61,000 visa lost in 2006.
Nurses are alwasys considered as a priority job as it cannot be outsourced.

[kshitijnt]

Originally Posted by gconmymind

Everywhere you read, you will find articles on shortage of nurses. Even Doctors are in the same EB line like you and me, but nurses are not. Apparently, there is a shortage. Also, companies can outsource software related work, but outsourcing nursing is not easy.

My 2 cents on why nurses are ahead in line. Whether that appears fair to you and me is a different issue.

Btw, I am a Software Engineer. Should I study nursing now???

Who cares about the nurses? If I knew as a child that nurses were more valuable than s/w engineers,who would want to work so many extra hours and still be at the back of the queue

[snakesrocks]

Originally Posted by NolaIndian32

If you are serious about a career in Nursing, i can get you set up with a 9 month diploma program and a guaranteed job thereafter!

Some of my software friends who lost job after dot com bust studied nursing and are working as nurses now. So not a bad idea. The pay is equivalent to a software guy and don't have to worry that the job will be outsourced to India.

[GCard_Dream]

I like the idea but the notion of "Male Nurse" just doesn't sit too well with me; not that there is anything wrong with it and lot of people are doing it. May be I need to get out of the tunnel and see the bigger picture.

Originally Posted by snakesrocks

Some of my software friends who lost job after dot com bust studied nursing and are working as nurses now. So not a bad idea. The pay is equivalent to a software guy and don't have to worry that the job will be outsourced to India.