Tuesday, March 13, 2007
HUTCHISON AMENDMENT NOT TO BE INCLUDED IN 9/11 BILL
Sources tell us that the Hutchison Amendment to re-capture 100,000+ green cards for nurses and physical therapists will not be a part of the 9/11 bill currently under consideration in the Senate.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 1:35 PM
Saturday, March 10, 2007
SENATORS INTRODUCE NURSE AMENDMENTS TO 9/11 BILL
Texas Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison and Illinois Democrat have introduced amendments to the 9/11 bill (S.4) currently being debated in the Senate. Hutchison's Senate Amendment 364 would reclaim an estimated 110,000 unused green cards from past years and reserve them for Schedule A nurses and physical therapists. The provision would not cover Schedule A, Group II exceptional ability workers as a similar bill that passed in 2005 did. The Hutchison bill would also include authorization for a major study on foreign nursing and on increasing the supply of American nurses.
Senator Durbin offered Senate Amendment 442, an amendment to the Hutchison amendment. Durbin's amendment would tack on a $1500 fee to each of the green cards covered in the Hutchison provision. It would also bar nurses, doctors and other health care workers from coming to the US if they have an "outstanding obligation" to their home country for financial support funding their education. Finally, the Durbin amendment would allow nurses and doctors who have received green cards to preserve their residency in the US if they are going to developing countries to provide health care services.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 11:34 AM
"W" NON-IMMIGRANT NURSE BILL INTRODUCED IN HOUSE
Representative John Shedegg, an Arizona Republican, has introduced H.R. 1358, the Nursing Relief Act of 2007, a bill that would create a new W visa visa for nurses. The visa would have the following characteristics:
- spouses and children could accompany the nurse
- direct consular filing possible as well as processing with USCIS in the US
- provides that if only thing holding up licensure of nurse is possession of Social Security number, the nurse can instead get a letter from the licensing board confirming eligibility for a license upon submitting the number
- Like an H-1B, employers must go through a labor condition application process, pay the prevailing wage and maintain a public access file
- The visa would be dual intent and permanent residency processing would be permitted while in W status
- Like H-1Bs, W visas will be portable
- Ws approvable for up to three years at a time with six years maximum except 1) extensions permitted in one year increments if green card applications are pending for more than a year and 2) one year extensions permitted if green cards are not available due to backlogs and the I-140 is approved
- 50,000 cap, but number can grow 20% per year if the cap is hit in the prior year
- USCIS and the Department of Labor have 90 days to issue regulations; law takes effect automatically if no regulations issued
The bill is co-sponsored by three other Arizona Representatives - Rick Renzi (R-AZ), Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Edward Pastor (D-AZ).
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 5:55 AM
Monday, March 5, 2007
USCIS FORMALLY ADVISES POSTS ON EXTENSION OF CONRAD PROGRAM
Michael Aytes formally advises posts that the Conrad 30 program was extended by Congress until June 1, 2008 and that posts should continue processing cases.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 7:32 PM
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# posted by Greg Siskind @ 1:35 PM
Texas Republican Kay Bailey Hutchison and Illinois Democrat have introduced amendments to the 9/11 bill (S.4) currently being debated in the Senate. Hutchison's Senate Amendment 364 would reclaim an estimated 110,000 unused green cards from past years and reserve them for Schedule A nurses and physical therapists. The provision would not cover Schedule A, Group II exceptional ability workers as a similar bill that passed in 2005 did. The Hutchison bill would also include authorization for a major study on foreign nursing and on increasing the supply of American nurses.
Senator Durbin offered Senate Amendment 442, an amendment to the Hutchison amendment. Durbin's amendment would tack on a $1500 fee to each of the green cards covered in the Hutchison provision. It would also bar nurses, doctors and other health care workers from coming to the US if they have an "outstanding obligation" to their home country for financial support funding their education. Finally, the Durbin amendment would allow nurses and doctors who have received green cards to preserve their residency in the US if they are going to developing countries to provide health care services.
Senator Durbin offered Senate Amendment 442, an amendment to the Hutchison amendment. Durbin's amendment would tack on a $1500 fee to each of the green cards covered in the Hutchison provision. It would also bar nurses, doctors and other health care workers from coming to the US if they have an "outstanding obligation" to their home country for financial support funding their education. Finally, the Durbin amendment would allow nurses and doctors who have received green cards to preserve their residency in the US if they are going to developing countries to provide health care services.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 11:34 AM
"W" NON-IMMIGRANT NURSE BILL INTRODUCED IN HOUSE
Representative John Shedegg, an Arizona Republican, has introduced H.R. 1358, the Nursing Relief Act of 2007, a bill that would create a new W visa visa for nurses. The visa would have the following characteristics:
- spouses and children could accompany the nurse
- direct consular filing possible as well as processing with USCIS in the US
- provides that if only thing holding up licensure of nurse is possession of Social Security number, the nurse can instead get a letter from the licensing board confirming eligibility for a license upon submitting the number
- Like an H-1B, employers must go through a labor condition application process, pay the prevailing wage and maintain a public access file
- The visa would be dual intent and permanent residency processing would be permitted while in W status
- Like H-1Bs, W visas will be portable
- Ws approvable for up to three years at a time with six years maximum except 1) extensions permitted in one year increments if green card applications are pending for more than a year and 2) one year extensions permitted if green cards are not available due to backlogs and the I-140 is approved
- 50,000 cap, but number can grow 20% per year if the cap is hit in the prior year
- USCIS and the Department of Labor have 90 days to issue regulations; law takes effect automatically if no regulations issued
The bill is co-sponsored by three other Arizona Representatives - Rick Renzi (R-AZ), Jeff Flake (R-AZ) and Edward Pastor (D-AZ).
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 5:55 AM
Monday, March 5, 2007
USCIS FORMALLY ADVISES POSTS ON EXTENSION OF CONRAD PROGRAM
Michael Aytes formally advises posts that the Conrad 30 program was extended by Congress until June 1, 2008 and that posts should continue processing cases.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 7:32 PM
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- spouses and children could accompany the nurse
- direct consular filing possible as well as processing with USCIS in the US
- provides that if only thing holding up licensure of nurse is possession of Social Security number, the nurse can instead get a letter from the licensing board confirming eligibility for a license upon submitting the number
- Like an H-1B, employers must go through a labor condition application process, pay the prevailing wage and maintain a public access file
- The visa would be dual intent and permanent residency processing would be permitted while in W status
- Like H-1Bs, W visas will be portable
- Ws approvable for up to three years at a time with six years maximum except 1) extensions permitted in one year increments if green card applications are pending for more than a year and 2) one year extensions permitted if green cards are not available due to backlogs and the I-140 is approved
- 50,000 cap, but number can grow 20% per year if the cap is hit in the prior year
- USCIS and the Department of Labor have 90 days to issue regulations; law takes effect automatically if no regulations issued
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 5:55 AM
Michael Aytes formally advises posts that the Conrad 30 program was extended by Congress until June 1, 2008 and that posts should continue processing cases.
# posted by Greg Siskind @ 7:32 PM
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