[ALBSA-Info] SHUSTERMAN'S IMMIGRATION UPDATE (Special Alert) (fwd)

[Spaho]

Subject: SHUSTERMAN'S IMMIGRATION UPDATE (Special Alert)

MARCH 17, 2000 -- The General Counsel of the INS informed the American 
Immigration Lawyers Association today that the H-1B cap has been reached.  
A notice will be published in the Federal Register on Tuesday, March 21st 
announcing this fact, and detailing procedures for petitions in the 
'pipeline'.

None of the 20,000 'extra' H-1B visas supposedly granted last year were 
applied toward this year's cap.

Meanwhile, a new bill (H.R.3983) introduced in the House of Representatives 
last Wednesday would overhaul the H-1B system, end discriminatory per 
country quotas for EB visas and permit certain H-1B visaholders to extend 
their stays in the U.S. past six years.  See

        http://www.shusterman.com/lofgren-hitech.html

The Hatch-Abraham bill (S.2045) which passed the Senate Judiciary Committee 
by a vote of 16-2 is scheduled to be voted on by the full Senate during 
the week of April 10th. See

        http://www.shusterman.com/s2045mu.html

While it is impossible to know how the INS will treat pending petitions, 
it is perhaps instructive to look at INS's procedures announced in 1999 
after the cap was reached.  See

        http://www.shusterman.com/hcap99regs.html

For F-1 students and J-1 exchange visitors, see

       http://www.shusterman.com/fj-hrule.html

Carl Shusterman
March 17, 2000