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Suzanne B. Seltzer, Esq. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP New York Philadelphia

Immigration Opportunities for Clinicians and Researchers. Wednesday, January 25, 2012. Suzanne B. Seltzer, Esq. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP New York Philadelphia 317 Madison Avenue, Suite 1518 1800 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Floor 17

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Suzanne B. Seltzer, Esq. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP New York Philadelphia

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  1. Immigration Opportunities for Clinicians and Researchers Wednesday, January 25, 2012 Suzanne B. Seltzer, Esq. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP New York Philadelphia 317 Madison Avenue, Suite 1518 1800 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Floor 17 New York, NY 10017 Philadelphia, PA 19103 212.796.8840 215.825.8600 sseltzer@klaskolaw.comwww.klaskolaw.com

  2. Suzanne B. Seltzer, Esq. • Suzanne B. Seltzer is a partner of Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer LLP.  Ms. Seltzer is the Chair of the American Immigration Lawyer's Association (AILA) USCIS Benefits & Policy Liaison Committee, is a member of AILA’s InterAgency Liaison Committee, and recently completed her tenure as the Vermont Service Center (VSC) liaison and as a NAFSA Regulatory Ombudsman.  Ms. Seltzer speaks and writes extensively on visa options for scientists and researchers.  • She is listed in Best Lawyers in America, Chambers USA, New York SuperLawyers, and the International Who's Who of Corporate Immigration Lawyers.  • A magna cum laude graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Ms. Seltzer received her law degree from Georgetown University’s Law Center (cum laude).

  3. Immigration OpportunitiesPart I: J-1 Waivers & Options • Understanding J-1 two year rule • Who is Subject • What Does it Mean to be Subject • Options if Subject • J-1 Waivers • Research based • Clinical based • The O-1 Visa as a bridge to a waiver For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  4. J-1 Visa • Who is subject to 2-year return? • Exchange Visitor Skills List • Right Skill? • Right List? • Government Funding • U.S. or Home Country • Direct or Indirect • Graduate Medical Training For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  5. What Does it Mean to be Subject? • Ineligible for Certain Visas • H-1B • L-1 • K • Ineligible to apply for final step of Green Card • I-485 • IV Consular Processing • But may commence initial steps… For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  6. If Subject, are there Options? • Return home • Where is home? • Aggregating trips • Apply for a Waiver • Obtain an O-1 Visa • Requires an employer willing to sponsor • Must Demonstrate “Outstanding” in field • Does not ‘waive’ the two years, just puts it off for awhile For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  7. J-1 Waiver Options • Waiver options • Hardship • Persecution • No objection waiver (researchers only) For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  8. J-1 Waiver Options: Research For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com • Federal government agency waiver based on essentiality to research: • National Science Foundation • Department of Energy • Health & Human Services • U.S. Dep’t of Veteran’s Affairs

  9. J-1 Waiver Options: Clinical For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com • Federal government agency waiver based on clinical service: • Appalachian Regional Commission • Delta Regional Authority waiver • Health & Human Services • Department of Veteran’s Affairs • Conrad State 30 waiver

  10. J-1 Waiver Options: Clinical For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com • Clinical Waivers • Requires at least 3 Year Commitment • 3 Year Obligation Must be fulfilled in H-1B status • If 3 year commitment is extended to 5 years, may be a pathway to the green card

  11. O-1 Alien of Extraordinary Ability • Factors Considered in Initial Evaluation • 1st authored articles / impact factors • Citations to 1st authored work • Conference presentations • Book chapters / review articles • Peer reviewer / manuscript reviewer For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  12. O-1(cont’d) • What’s Included in the Petition • Reference letters • Independent referees • Addressing O-1 criteria • Corroborating Documentation • Processing time / issues • Length of approval • Extensions For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  13. For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  14. Pathways toPermanent Residency Part II

  15. Immigration Opportunities For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com Part II: Pathways to Permanent Residency • What is Permanent Residency • Permanent Residency Quotas • Employment Based Permanent Residency • Self Petitions • Employer Sponsored • Adjustment of Status and Maintenance of status

  16. What is Permanent Residency? • Authorization to Live & Work Indefinitely in the United States • “Immigrant Visa” • The “Green Card” or “Form I-551” • Not always ‘forever’ – may be abandoned or taken away For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  17. Immigrant vs. Nonimmigrant Visas • Immigrant Visa • Green Card / Permanent Residency • Nonimmigrant Visa (NIV) • H, F, J, O, etc • Limited duration • Specific to employer / institution • Specific to purpose (work/study/tourism) For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  18. How Do I Apply? • Family • Investment • Asylum • Employment • DV Lottery For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  19. Permanent Residency Quotas • Annual Limit on Permanent Residency • Per Country Limit – 7% • Allocated by: • Priority Date – place in line • Preference Category For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  20. Permanent Residency Quotas • Employment Based Preferences • First Preference (EB-1) • Extraordinary Ability, Outstanding Researcher, Multinational Executive • Second Preference (EB-2) • Nat’l Interest Waivers, Advanced Degreed Professionals, Bachelors plus 5 years exp. • Third Preference (EB-3) • Skilled Worker (2+ years experience), Bachelor’s Degree For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  21. Permanent Residency Quotas, Where Are We Now? Visa Bulletin for February 2012

  22. Permanent Residency Quotas,Where Are We Now? • “Oversubscribed” versus “Available” • Available if: • Visa Bulletin indicates “C” = current • Priority date earlier than posted date • Predictions from State Department for FY2012 • EB-1 approvals are down almost 50% • This will advance EB-2 in China or India • China EB-3 will advance a little; India EB-3 not at all For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  23. Employment Based (EB) Permanent Residency • Employer-sponsored or self-sponsored • Labor certification or extraordinary / national interest / exceptional • Multiple petitions • Multi-Step Process • Non-Immigrant Status? For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  24. Employment Based (EB) Permanent Residency: EB-1 Extraordinary Ability/EB-1 (I-140, filing fee $580) • “One of a Few at the Top” • ‘Self-Petition’ – no need for employer sponsor • Factors Considered in Initial Evaluation • 1st authored articles/impact factors • Citations to 1st authored work • Conference Presentations • Peer Review/Manuscript Review Work • References from independent Experts • Documenting Regulatory Criteria • Preparation/Processing Times For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  25. Employment Based: EB-1 (cont’d) Outstanding Researcher/EB-1 (I-140, filing fee $580) • Similar to Extraordinary Ability • Requires employer sponsor • At least 3 Years experience • Permanent job offer • Qualified Employers: • Academic Institutions • Industry • At least 3 FT researchers • Recognition in field For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  26. New EB-1 Guidance (Kazarian) For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com • Issued December 2010 • Establishes Two-Part Analysis of EB-1 • Does Petition Contain Evidence of Requisite Number of Criteria? • ‘Final Merits Analysis’ – does evidence demonstrate that beneficiary is one of a very few at the top of the field?

  27. New EB-1 Guidance (cont’d) For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com • Implications of Two Part Analysis • ‘Final merits analysis’ is an opportunity to second guess the criteria – more subjective adjudication • USCIS provides no clear guidelines for applying final merits analysis • Confusion among adjudicators as to the correct standards to apply

  28. Employment Based: EB-2 National Interest Waiver/EB-2 (I-140, filing fee $580) • Self-Petition, no employer sponsor required • Three Prong Test • Field is of Substantial Intrinsic Merit • National Impact of Your Contributions • You Are “Substantially Better” Than Your Peers • Preparation/Processing Times • India/China backlog For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  29. Employment Based: Employer Sponsored (cont’d) • Labor Certification Application (PERM) • Employer MUST Pay Costs • Recruitment • Prevailing wage • First of 3 steps • 2nd Step – I-140 • 3rd Step – I-485 or IV Consular Process • No filing fee for this step For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  30. Permanent Resident StatusAdjustment of Status (I-485) • Timing • Preference categories/quotas • Priority dates • Processing times • Concurrent filing (I-140/I-485) • I-485 filing fee $1070, includes: • Employment authorization (I-765) • Advance parole (I-131) For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  31. Permanent Resident StatusAdjustment of Status (I-485) • Adjustment portability • H-1B Extensions • One Year • Three years • Spouses (cont’d) For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  32. Issues Relating to NIV Status During Permanent Residency Process • Important to Maintain NIV status • Travel • Extensions of Status • Dependents • Eligibility for OPT For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  33. Materials Please visit www.klaskolaw.com to download this PowerPoint presentation and relevant articles. For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  34. Questions? For more information, visit www.klaskolaw.com

  35. For Further Information Suzanne B. Seltzer, Esq. Klasko, Rulon, Stock & Seltzer, LLP E-mail: sseltzer@klaskolaw.com Telephone: 212-796-8840 (New York) 215-825-8600 (Philadelphia) Websites:www.klaskolaw.com www.eb1immigration.com Blog:http://blog.klaskolaw.com

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