Advanced Employment Based Immigration Topics for Scholar Advisers - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Advanced Employment Based Immigration Topics for Scholar Advisers

Presenters

• Elise Fialkowski, Klasko Immigration Law

Partners, LLP

• Shinn Ko, Emory University
• David Muusz, University of Michigan

Agenda

• Prevailing Wage Issues
• H-1B Location Change
• Travel
• AC21 Extensions
• EAD for H-4 Spouse
• Section 212(e)
• Recent Developments

Who Is In the Audience?

– Scholar advisor vs. student and scholar advisor – # of I-129 filings a year – # of PERM Special Handling filings a year – # of traditional PERM filings a year – # of I-140 filings a year

Prevailing Wage Issues

• Combinations of occupations
• Unrealistic data/ wage determinations
• Alternatives:
• Determine own PWDs
• Request usage of survey
• Some accepted directly on LCA
• Safe harbor?

Prevailing Wage Issues

• BLS data is problematic for ACWIA occupations
• Acceptability of employer provided surveys
• ETA 9141
• LCA
• Recent NPWC scrutiny of surveys, e.g. CUPA
• What is an institution of higher education?
• Accredited
• Not-for-profit

Prevailing Wage Issues

• Requirements
• Current edition
• Published in last 24 months
• Data collected within 24 months of publication
• Cover employers in area of intended employment
• Job description must match survey position
• Weighted average or median
• Cover all ACWIA industries??
• Must provide survey and methodology to NPWC for 9141

requests

AAO decision on Location Change

• Matter of Simeio Solutions, LLC (4/9/15)
• 26 I&N Dec. 542 (AAO 2015)
• New LCA for new location?
• Overturns previous precedent and guidance
• Considered material change, which requires amended

petition

• Limited exceptions
• Same geographic area:
• DOL WHD Fact Sheet 62J
• 30/60 day rule for short-term travel:
• DOL WHD Fact Sheet 62K

Travel

• Last Action “Rule”?
• Change of Status
• Extension of Status
• Electronic I-94s
• Now get limited travel history for 5 year period
• CBP updated FAQ; refer to Deferred Inspection/POE

for issues

• Consent from beneficiary before downloading
• EAD v. Advance Parole

AC21 Extensions

• §106 vs. §104(c)
• Timing of I-129 filing
• Recapturing time spent outside the US
• Handling change of employers

EAD for H-4 Spouses

• For certain H-4s
• Employment-based I-140 for H-1B spouse; or
• H-1B extension under AC21
• USCIS begins accepting I-765 applications on

5/26/2015

• Timing of I-765 filing
• Concurrent I-539 filing?
• Effect of I-140 withdrawal?

Section 212(e) – Impact

• Ineligible for certain visas only
• H-1B, K, L-1
• Ineligible for COS from J-1
• What about consecutive J-1 programs?
• Can do COS from other status, e.g. F-1
• Ineligible for last step of Green Card
• I-485
• IV Consular Processing
• But, may commence initial steps

Recent Developments

• Executive Action – Impact on Employment
• DOL/PERM
• Visa Wait Times/Adjustment of Status
• STEM/OPT
• H-1B termination – back pay
• Barclays Capital, ALJ Case No. 2011-LCA-025
• More…

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