This month’s issue of the bulletin contains stories regarding several developments likely to have a significant impact on the current US immigration system. The Commission on Immigration Reform, the Clinton Administration, as well as several members of Congress are supporting drastic reductions in the legal immigration numbers. Most of you probably would agree that this would have a seriously negative effect on our country. Included at our web site is a sample letter to Congress which you are urged to pass on to employers of immigrants. You are also urged to write personal letters explaining your feelings on why legal immigration is good for the country. Many members of Congress have email addresses and links to Congressmen and Senators are now available at our web site. We are also including at our web site the full text of the Smith Bill, one of the key bills currently being considered by Congress.
We are also including an article on new employment-based immigration regulations recently proposed by the Immigration and Naturalization Service. Among other key changes, the INS seeks to crack down on what they perceive as abuse in the national interest category. The INS would require, among other things, that the applicant show that they have two years experience in their field (exclusive of experience gained while in university) and that the impact of the applicant’s work benefit the nation as a whole rather than just a local or regional area. The INS has invited comments which may be submitted, in triplicate, to the Director, policy Directives and Instructions Branch, Immigration and Naturalization Service, 425 I Street, NW, Room 5307, Washington, DC 20536. Comments must be submitted by August 7, 1995.
The H-1A Nonimmigrant Visa Program for nurses is scheduled to expire on September 1st and no word is available as of yet regarding the possibility of extending the program. Applying for extensions now is recommended, but a more permanent solution is available in the form of a Schedule A permanent residency application. Qualified nurses may apply for permanent residency under the program without an employer conducting the cumbersome labor certification process (the labor market test to show that no US workers are available for a job). This month’s newsletter describes the Schedule A program available to nurses.
As we do every month, we include in this issue a copy of the State Department’s Visa Bulletin. We are also including in this issue a guide to understanding the Visa Bulletin.
Finally, as we celebrate our first anniversary on the World Wide Web, we are pleased to announce a number of additions and improvements in the Siskind and Susser Web Site. First, we have greatly improved the appearance and layout of the page. Thanks very much to Edward Chin of our office for his efforts in the “facelift.” Second, we have now added a page of links to a number of web sites that readers should find useful including employment services, government resources and immigration- related information. Third, we are now providing at our site the text of bills and legislation as well as other documents affecting the immigration system. We begin this month with the full text of the Smith Bill currently being debated in the Congress as well as a form letter to your Congressman or Senator urging restraint in slashing legal immigration. Finally, we note that we are now the first law firm in the country to offer teleconferencing via the Internet. Siskind and Susser is using the Internet Phone software to communicate with clients that have a modem speed greater than 14,000, Windows and a sound card. See our web page for a link to Internet Phone’s web page.
We appreciate your comments and hope you find the June issue of Siskind’s Immigration Bulletin useful information.
Disclaimer: This newsletter is provided as a public service and not intended to establish an attorney client relationship. Any reliance on information contained herein is taken at your own risk. The information provided in this article has not been updated since its original posting and you should not rely on it until you consult counsel to determine if the content is still valid. We keep older articles online because it helps in the understanding of the development of immigration law.