Hello and welcome to the July 2009 Immigration Newsletter!
July, the National Ice Cream month got a bit hotter this year with wide ranging discussions and apprehensions regarding the need for a comprehensive Immigration Reform. Well, it’s not the sole reason; the accompanying cause for the rising heat in the immigration landscape is the H-1B visa. The H-1B like always have been in news for what-so-ever reason it may be. When the H-1B Cap is reached within a day or two, it makes news and when the cap is not reached it’s again in news!
Only 20,000 H-1Bs remaining now! So, if you wish to pursue an H-1B, have your employer Contact VisaPro before they run out!
The fact that the H-1B cap is not reached yet (it has been 3 months now), shows how bad the economy is right now and how outrageous it could be in the future. Well, apart from this melancholy, we have two good things to cheer for…!
The first good thing is about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Yes…you got it right…the Recovery Act has made progress!
President Barack Obama in his weekly address touted the gains the Recovery Act has made in a little more than 100 days. While the recession is still far from over, the Recovery Act has helped end the economic free fall, ease the rate of monthly job losses from 700,000 a month, extend unemployment and health insurance to those who have lost their jobs, and deliver $43 billion in tax relief to working families. As the Recovery Act ramps up throughout this summer and fall, it will be instrumental in laying a new foundation for America and American workers to compete and win in the 21st century. Vow! Now that’s called an achievement, isn’t it?
And the second reason to applaud for is nothing other than the American Independence Day which is celebrated on July 4 of every year but this time it was a little more special. The American Independence Day brought smile to many peoples’ faces as the US celebrated its 233rd year of independence with citizenship ceremonies. More than 50 naturalization ceremonies were held during the American Independence Day and approximately 6,000 US immigrants who have been living, working or studying in the US were granted citizenship at the ceremonies.
Michael Aytes, the acting deputy director of the USCIS, says naturalization ceremonies are an extremely important part of what the department does. He says, “There is no more important role we have as an agency than to welcome new citizens during naturalization ceremonies throughout the year…but on the Fourth of July, that role is even more profound as we proudly stand side-by-side with the newest Americans to celebrate our independence together as one family.”
More than 500 service members won the right to live in the US indefinitely as US citizens at ceremonies held in Iraq and the US. Liberty Island in New York hosted a special ceremony, Walt Disney World in Florida, where 1,000 US visa holders were granted citizenship in a naturalization event which took place on 3rd July.
Other Developments in Immigration Law:
Federal Minimum Wage Will Increase to $7.25 on July 24
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) reminds employers and employees that the federal minimum wage will increase to $7.25 on Friday, July 24. With this change, employees who are covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) will be entitled to pay no less than $7.25 per hour.
DOL’s Notice of Injunction against Suspension of December 2008 H-2A Final Rule
DOL’s Office of Foreign Labor Certification has published a notice of a preliminary injunction issued by the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina against the DOL’s suspension of the December 2008 H-2A Final Rule.
Immigration Articles and Other Fun Stuff:
Now for the regulars – this month’s Immigration Article entiled ‘H-1B Visa Interview: Questions you may be Asked’ is designed to save our readers the hassle of visiting various forums to gather information on what to expect during the H-1B visa interview. The article also provides some common questions Consular Officers ask during an interview. Also check out our In Focus section for this month which unveils the inspection process at the US Ports of entry i.e. airport, land and sea. The article also informs you what you could be asked and how you can be prepared for your interview!
Every month we introduce a new and interesting question for our opinion poll. Last month’s poll results indicate that 70.59% of the respondents believe that immigration reforms will help recover the broken immigration system in the US. We appreciate that people take interest in the opinion question and cast their vote to give us their feedback. Keep it up! And continue to cast your vote to express Your Opinion.
We congratulate David Miller for winning last month’s Immigration Quiz. Again, we received a significant number of responses from our readers, who talked about various solutions to support their position, but David Miller gave the correct answer and won a free online consultation to discuss the concerned Immigration issues. So it’s time to get ready for this month’s quiz. If you know the correct answer your name might be featured in next month’s newsletter. All the Best!!!
See you next month with a lot more noise from the Immigration World!