NEWS
PERM/EB-2
USCIS Will Issue Redesigned Green Cards and Employment Authorization Documents
USCIS today announced a redesign to the Green Card and EAD. The new cards will be issued on May 1, 2017. The redesigned cards will be more secure and tamper-resistant and deter counterfeiting and fraud than the ones currently in use. The new Green Cards and EADs will: Display the individual’s photos [...]
USCIS FEES TO BE RAISED FOR SEVERAL PETITION CATEGORIES – EFFECTIVE DATE 12/23/2016
USCIS published a Fee Increase schedule in the Federal Register today. Applications and petitions mailed, postmarked, or otherwise filed on or after 12/23/16 must include new fee. (81 FR 73292, 10/24/16) USCIS Fee Schedule (pdf) A few important Forms and the corresponding fee increases are listed below: Form From To I-129 $325.00 [...]
BALCA Overturns Denial, Says Advertisement of the Occupation Rather than Particular Position is Acceptable
BALCA upheld denial where the employer submitted a recruitment report signed by its agent, as opposed to itself, in direct violation of 20 C.F.R. §656.17(g)(1) which requires either the employer or its representative to sign the recruitment report. (Matter of DMPRO, Inc., 3/24/16). Read Balca decision(pdf)
BALCA Overturns Denial Where Employer Name on 9089 Did Not Match That on SWA Job Order
BALCA overturned the denial, holding that a minor typo in the employer name on the SWA job order did little to confuse potential applicants about the employer's identity or undermine the employer's §656.10(c)(8) attestation. (Matter of SWDWII LLC, 1/29/16). Read Balca decision(pdf)
BALCA Orders Grant of Certification Because SWA Job Order Is Not Controlled by 656.17(f)(6)
BALCA ordered certification to be granted despite a divergence of duties between Form ETA 9089 and the SWA job order, finding that 656.17(f) only applies to the required newspaper or professional journal. (Matter of Pinnacle Technical Resources, Inc., 1/21/2016). Read the Balca case here.
BALCA Remands Section K Cases for Certification, Dismisses Appeals
After denial solely for failing to list non-experience based qualifications in Section K, BALCA ordered the matter remanded for certification, which the CO supported. See three factually similar cases: 2014-PER-00224, 2014-PER-00260, and 2014-PER-00262. (Matter of The Cadmus Group, 1/15/16). Read Balca decision(PDF)
AC21 – Post-Porting Employee Has Standing to Challenge I-140 Revocation
Kidambi & Associates would like to congratulate and recognize Attorney Joseph Hohenstein for his excellent work on this case, MANTENA v. Johnson, Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit 2015. The court held that USCIS is required by the portability provisions to give pre-revocation notice to the beneficiary or to the successor employer that it [...]
BALCA Reverses Denial Based on Dated Website Screenshots and Radio Audio Recording and Contract
After employer failed to provide dated website postings and the text of the radio ad, BALCA held that screenshots are "dated copies" and that an audio recording and contract from the radio station confirming when the ad ran was sufficient. (Matter of Waldorf School of Orange County, 11/6/15). Read the BALCA decision.
BALCA Reverses Denial of a Mailed In Application Denied for Failure to Verify Sponsorship
BALCA determined that employer verified sponsorship upon signing the statement certifying the conditions of employment on the mailed-in application. The application was remanded to CO for further processing on the merits of the application. (Matter of La Hacienda Meat Market, Inc., 11/4/15). Read the Balca decision here.
BALCA Upholds denial for PW Typo
Denial affirmed where prevailing wage validity period on 9089 was less than 90 days. Validity was actually "90 days from date of determination" but dates were entered incorrectly on 9089. (Matter of Guilbert Tex, Inc., 10/14/15). Read the Balca decision here.
BALCA Affirms Denial Where Notice of Filing Lacks Employer Name
BALCA affirmed denial where the company president's name but not employer’s name was on the NOF. Rejecting the employer's harmless error argument, BALCA said persons providing information to the CO need the employer name as it appears on Form 9089. (Matter of G.O.T. Supply, Inc., 10/6/15). Read the Balca decision here.
FAQ on Filing I-485
Q. Why is the new (October) Visa Bulletin different? A. The visa modernization initiative announced by President Obama last year is the reason for this change. As part of this initiative, the USCIS and Department of State have formulated a process of determining visa eligibility. Q. Why are there two grids with dates [...]
BALCA Upholds Denial for Failure to Submit Signed Recruitment Report
Acknowledging that 20 CFR 656.17(g)(1) does not explicitly require recruitment reports to have "original" signatures, BALCA upheld the denial of 3 labor certifications rejecting the argument that the typewritten name constituted an electronic signature. (Matter of NYC Dept. of Educ., 5/14/15). Read the BALCA decision here.
Balca decision regarding Denial for Failure to File Recruitment Report
BALCA upheld the CO’s denial for failure to submit a recruitment report describing the recruitment steps undertaken, as 20 CFR 656.17(g)(1) requires, when the employer inadvertently omitted a page. (Matter of Simply Soup LTD., 1/13/15). Read the BALCA case.
Form I-9 Webinar On-Demand
USCIS has published an informative webinar thats's available on demand about Form I-9 and how to properly complete it. Please watch the I-9 Form webinar.
BALCA on “Infeasibility to Train”
BALCA found that where the employee gained the required experience while working for the employer, the employer's detailed statement sufficiently documented that it was no longer feasible to train a worker for the position under 20 CFR §656.17(i)(2)(ii). (Matter of Kentrox, 5/22/14). Read the BALCA case.
BALCA on Use of Single Newspaper for Multiple Recruitment Steps
Finding nothing in the regulations prohibiting an employer from using the same newspaper as both a "general circulation" and a local newspaper, BALCA reversed the denial where the employer placed two Sunday ads and one Tuesday ad in the Boston Globe. (Matter of Delta Search Labs, 4/24/14). Read the BALCA case.
BALCA Panel Disagrees with Credit Suisse Holding on Ad Requirements
BALCA reversed the CO's denial, finding that based on the plain language of the regulations and the regulatory history, the advertising content requirements of 20 CFR 656.17(f) do not apply to additional requirement steps found in section 656.17(e)(1)(ii). (Matter of Symantec Corp., 2/11/14). Read the BALCA case.
BALCA Reverses PERM Denial for Senior Financial Analyst
BALCA reversed the CO's denial, finding the laid-off U.S. worker clearly lacked the required experience and skill in specified accounting and modeling programs based on the face of the worker's resume and the employer's ETA 9089. (Matter of Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp., 2/10/14). Read the BALCA case.
BALCA Says ETA 9089 Lacks “Free Form Space” for Clarifying Eligibility
BALCA held that the CO was unreasonable in insisting that the alien's holding of the required degree be disclosed on the 9089 where documents in the reconsideration motion showed that a bachelor's degree is a prerequisite for a Montessori certificate. (Matter of The Clariden School, 1/30/14). Read the BALCA case.