gcbikari
11-17 03:34 PM
Done for GA.
wallpaper Hello Kitty Plush Toy Doll
asdf123
09-14 08:57 AM
where did you file at NSC or TSC?
Lisap
08-30 04:56 PM
FYI I received my EAD card this morning!!! I know yours are all coming soon! It never updated online it just said that the approval notice was sent- it never said card ordered.
2011 Learn to make a set of
24fps
03-08 11:27 AM
The situation on the ground is this:
L-1 extensions for software related jobs are pretty much now dead. TCS, IBM, etc., are getting denied. USCIS has changed their definition of "specialized knowledge". Now, "specialized knowledge"means no on in USA has that knowledge and cannot obtain that knowledge through training.
Staffing companies; small companies or companies who are h-1b dependent (larger comapnies) are stuck in Vermont Service Center. There are some that aren't having problems but usually it starts with one case stuck in background check; followed by a few approvals; then another one stuck in background check and then all of a sudden all cases are stuck in background check. The scrutiny uscis is giving these types of cases is tremondous and they are denying all of them. Right now; if you monitor the forums you are starting to see the denials. However, vermont service center was sticking cases in background check since fall of 2007. Now; those cases are being worked on and denied. We are just at the beginning of this.
Traditioinal American companies; h-1b and greencard have become toxic and political. Many of them aren't filing greencards for people due to layoffs or too many poeple responding to the advertisements. I haven't seen h-1b issues with them yet. However, if they are not going to do GC then what is the point.
Staffing companies had easiest time filing labors becuse they don't layoff people. However, after Iowa issue now they have started cancelling h-1b's for people on bench, etc. There are so many transfer requests in open market right now; but companies aren't filing because they are getting rid of their own people and it would be foolish to bring on more people in non productive status. However, when they are cancelling h-1b's and sending people back; it is a layoff and that would preclude them from filing greencards.
I do know of one person working at FEDEX as a permanent employee (she has greencard); she told me that FEDEX has taken the detemination that they will not be filing greencards for anyone in the near future. Person can stay until duration of their h-1b but then that will be it.
perm labors used to go through in matter of days. Anything mor then 3 weeks was considered a long time. Now; there is high rate of denials and DOL turning up the scrutiny as to layoffs and general workforce in the place of inteneded employment.
IT IS NOT A FUN TIME FOR ANYONE CONNECTED WITH IMMIGRATION RIGHT NOW.
WOW thats rough! just recently a friend of mine who was on the o-1 visa (in the entertainment industry) applied for an extension as his third year was up, he got rejected!! this is unheard of in the o-1 visa (unless you commit some crime, which this guy never did etc) the o-1 doesn't even have the "displacement of american worker" clause that can be used to reject extensions, and once the "extra-ordinary" ability is proved how does it diminish??
With all this BS going on they might as well shut down immigration for a few years.:confused:
L-1 extensions for software related jobs are pretty much now dead. TCS, IBM, etc., are getting denied. USCIS has changed their definition of "specialized knowledge". Now, "specialized knowledge"means no on in USA has that knowledge and cannot obtain that knowledge through training.
Staffing companies; small companies or companies who are h-1b dependent (larger comapnies) are stuck in Vermont Service Center. There are some that aren't having problems but usually it starts with one case stuck in background check; followed by a few approvals; then another one stuck in background check and then all of a sudden all cases are stuck in background check. The scrutiny uscis is giving these types of cases is tremondous and they are denying all of them. Right now; if you monitor the forums you are starting to see the denials. However, vermont service center was sticking cases in background check since fall of 2007. Now; those cases are being worked on and denied. We are just at the beginning of this.
Traditioinal American companies; h-1b and greencard have become toxic and political. Many of them aren't filing greencards for people due to layoffs or too many poeple responding to the advertisements. I haven't seen h-1b issues with them yet. However, if they are not going to do GC then what is the point.
Staffing companies had easiest time filing labors becuse they don't layoff people. However, after Iowa issue now they have started cancelling h-1b's for people on bench, etc. There are so many transfer requests in open market right now; but companies aren't filing because they are getting rid of their own people and it would be foolish to bring on more people in non productive status. However, when they are cancelling h-1b's and sending people back; it is a layoff and that would preclude them from filing greencards.
I do know of one person working at FEDEX as a permanent employee (she has greencard); she told me that FEDEX has taken the detemination that they will not be filing greencards for anyone in the near future. Person can stay until duration of their h-1b but then that will be it.
perm labors used to go through in matter of days. Anything mor then 3 weeks was considered a long time. Now; there is high rate of denials and DOL turning up the scrutiny as to layoffs and general workforce in the place of inteneded employment.
IT IS NOT A FUN TIME FOR ANYONE CONNECTED WITH IMMIGRATION RIGHT NOW.
WOW thats rough! just recently a friend of mine who was on the o-1 visa (in the entertainment industry) applied for an extension as his third year was up, he got rejected!! this is unheard of in the o-1 visa (unless you commit some crime, which this guy never did etc) the o-1 doesn't even have the "displacement of american worker" clause that can be used to reject extensions, and once the "extra-ordinary" ability is proved how does it diminish??
With all this BS going on they might as well shut down immigration for a few years.:confused:
more...
gcisadawg
03-06 06:22 PM
I find the second proposal very reasonable. If anyone is waiting for more than 5 years, then make that person exempt from country quota.
I'm not saying this because I've already waited five years. It makes sense to flush out oldest PD in the system. This would give people an idea about the wait time.
I'm fine even it is made to say, 6 or 7 years......We just need to know what to expect and how long to wait rather than being subjected to the whims and fancies of politicians and vagaries of the economic boom and bust!
Whether, it is 5,6 or 7 years can be debated but a reasonable time frame would really help.
When the spill over happened based on PD, it was doing exactly that; the oldest applicants ( who were typically EB3 I/C) were flushed out of the system.
When the criteria got changed (fEB category first and then PD), the applicants with oldest PDs were made to wait even longer.
I dont expect a GC before 2010. That would make about 8 years with multiple boom and bust. When the economy is bad, we need to be free to look for other jobs. With the shackle of visa sponsorship, one would easily become a viction of a recession.
I know few of my friend who went back in 2001 - 2002. I was fortunate to survive then....Not sure what is in store now......
-G
I'm not saying this because I've already waited five years. It makes sense to flush out oldest PD in the system. This would give people an idea about the wait time.
I'm fine even it is made to say, 6 or 7 years......We just need to know what to expect and how long to wait rather than being subjected to the whims and fancies of politicians and vagaries of the economic boom and bust!
Whether, it is 5,6 or 7 years can be debated but a reasonable time frame would really help.
When the spill over happened based on PD, it was doing exactly that; the oldest applicants ( who were typically EB3 I/C) were flushed out of the system.
When the criteria got changed (fEB category first and then PD), the applicants with oldest PDs were made to wait even longer.
I dont expect a GC before 2010. That would make about 8 years with multiple boom and bust. When the economy is bad, we need to be free to look for other jobs. With the shackle of visa sponsorship, one would easily become a viction of a recession.
I know few of my friend who went back in 2001 - 2002. I was fortunate to survive then....Not sure what is in store now......
-G
gch
05-28 12:44 PM
Auto reply from
-----------------
Arlen Specter:-
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I receive a large volume of E-mails, phone calls, faxes and letters every week from concerned citizens like yourself.Unfortunately, due to the high volume of mail, I can only respond if you're a resident of Pennsylvania. If you need to find out who your U.S. Senator is please go to www.senate.gov.
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Lindsey Graham:-
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Dianne Feinstein:-
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-----------------
Arlen Specter:-
---------------
I receive a large volume of E-mails, phone calls, faxes and letters every week from concerned citizens like yourself.Unfortunately, due to the high volume of mail, I can only respond if you're a resident of Pennsylvania. If you need to find out who your U.S. Senator is please go to www.senate.gov.
........
...........
------------
Lindsey Graham:-
---------------
Thank you for taking the time to contact me. I appreciate the opportunity to hear from you. Due to the large volume of mail I receive, I regret that I am only able to respond personally to inquiries from South Carolinians.
..........
........
---------------------
Dianne Feinstein:-
--------------
Thank you for sending me your electronic mail message. I appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts with me. Because of the volume of e-mail that is received by my office, we can only respond to email that includes a California postal address. Please resend the text of your e-mail message, including your postal address, and I will respond to you as soon as possible.
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more...
StarSun
02-03 09:16 AM
To get a head start on the advocacy effort, we need members to register, contribute, plan the travel, and spread the word as soon as possible.
2010 Lady Gaga Given One-Of-A-Kind Hello Kitty Doll On Japanese Show
jai007
09-12 04:16 PM
My I-140 is pending in TSC. I have applied I-485 for self and wife on July 18. Received by K.Lawson in NSC on July 19th 9.29 AM.
Check are cashed today by TSC, saw the SRC# in back of my check.
Waiting for original receipt.
Check are cashed today by TSC, saw the SRC# in back of my check.
Waiting for original receipt.
more...
tonyHK12
02-21 12:59 PM
Total Contributions...........$6,875.00
Amount to be raised.......$43,125.00
.
.
Amount to be raised.......$43,125.00
.
.
hair uild a Hello Kitty.
akhilmahajan
02-10 11:56 AM
bump.............
more...
akred
05-24 02:31 AM
Yes, Microsoft and many other major employers could easily find qualified US students with two years of experience, skills by the way comparable to what the vast majorities of H1B's offer, but Americans who do not need the H1B would give a finger to any employer who would expect that an American would work 80h/week for 55K/year.
Hmm, so one would conclude that immigrants work harder than the natives. What is stopping the natives from working as hard? At the very least the immigrants are keeping natives honest and increasing competitiveness.
You also misunderstand the chief reason why younger employees work long hours. It is because they want to learn and become more productive in the future, so they can make more money, not because their job depends on it.
The illegal aliens are being backed by major employers of cheap labor, such as Wall Mart and many others. Illegals also can put extra long hours and therefore they yield more output for less investiment. That's is the reason that US employers seem to fight so consistently to keep them here.
This may well be true for illegals. In fact it is true for any work that is well understood.
By its very nature high skilled workers are expected to perform leveraged work where there isn't a direct correlation between results achieved and the number of hours worked.
For the naive and dreamers out there who are shaking their heads after reading the above and believe that employers cannot find qualified applicants, so just answer this:
How many million dollars per year are the top management of Fortune 500 companies making? The US is not about drastic wages inequalities. This is about paying a fair salary, otherwise we have increasing salary inequality and this should be renamed then to Mexico, India or something like that.
See my comment above about leveraged work. This applies all the way to the CEO, and is the reason for insane salaries. As for the point about salary inequality, US income equality is better than Mexico's and significantly worse than India's, so there may be something there contributing to angst amongst Americans.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_income_equality
Hmm, so one would conclude that immigrants work harder than the natives. What is stopping the natives from working as hard? At the very least the immigrants are keeping natives honest and increasing competitiveness.
You also misunderstand the chief reason why younger employees work long hours. It is because they want to learn and become more productive in the future, so they can make more money, not because their job depends on it.
The illegal aliens are being backed by major employers of cheap labor, such as Wall Mart and many others. Illegals also can put extra long hours and therefore they yield more output for less investiment. That's is the reason that US employers seem to fight so consistently to keep them here.
This may well be true for illegals. In fact it is true for any work that is well understood.
By its very nature high skilled workers are expected to perform leveraged work where there isn't a direct correlation between results achieved and the number of hours worked.
For the naive and dreamers out there who are shaking their heads after reading the above and believe that employers cannot find qualified applicants, so just answer this:
How many million dollars per year are the top management of Fortune 500 companies making? The US is not about drastic wages inequalities. This is about paying a fair salary, otherwise we have increasing salary inequality and this should be renamed then to Mexico, India or something like that.
See my comment above about leveraged work. This applies all the way to the CEO, and is the reason for insane salaries. As for the point about salary inequality, US income equality is better than Mexico's and significantly worse than India's, so there may be something there contributing to angst amongst Americans.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_income_equality
hot Sanrio Hello Kitty Alpaca
PDOCT05
10-08 10:39 AM
Did you contact USCIS regarding your case ? Any response or the regular
'wait for 30/45 more days' answer ?
Looks like today is holiday..i called up no response.
'wait for 30/45 more days' answer ?
Looks like today is holiday..i called up no response.
more...
house Dolls amp; Bears. Make Offer
PDOCT05
08-28 09:16 AM
I have seen several July 2nd Filers at NSC whose cases Transferred to TSC are getting receipts.That's good sign...,Does any july 3rd filer got receipt?
tattoo Hello Kitty Love Heart Doll
feedfront
08-26 03:39 PM
Even my case was transferred from NSC to TSC. My I-485 receipt has receipt date as July 3 2007 but the notice date is September 7 2007. My A# is on the receipt but no PD.
Did you get transfer notice? What's receipt date on transfer notice?
I've everything on my I-485 and transfer notice but PD is missing because it was not filed concurrently with I-140.
I-485's receipt date is Jul 30, 2007, notice date oct 11, 2007
Transfer notice for I-485: receipt date is Oct 10, 2007 and notice date: Oct 12, 2007.
Both has same A#, and receipt#.
Did you get transfer notice? What's receipt date on transfer notice?
I've everything on my I-485 and transfer notice but PD is missing because it was not filed concurrently with I-140.
I-485's receipt date is Jul 30, 2007, notice date oct 11, 2007
Transfer notice for I-485: receipt date is Oct 10, 2007 and notice date: Oct 12, 2007.
Both has same A#, and receipt#.
more...
pictures hello kitty mini dolls and
zilmax007
11-17 08:15 PM
Done.
dresses From the cute Hello Kitty
diptam
06-22 03:46 PM
Giving Pay stubs instead of FUTURE employment letter ?
That may be a RFE and then eventually you have to give that letter and do more bargaining with your employer...
Generally speaking two recent pay stubs are sufficient to verify that you remain with the same employer. It is possible that if your petition is pending for more than 10 or 12 months, either a job offer letter or additional pay stubs will be requested.
That may be a RFE and then eventually you have to give that letter and do more bargaining with your employer...
Generally speaking two recent pay stubs are sufficient to verify that you remain with the same employer. It is possible that if your petition is pending for more than 10 or 12 months, either a job offer letter or additional pay stubs will be requested.
more...
makeup Hello Kitty amp; Hello Daniel
dba9ioracle
04-25 11:50 AM
Most of the desi employers in this country have gone thru the same H1B and GC process and got all bad experience. BUT when they start their own company, MOST OF THEM (NOT ALL OF THEM) do the same..... Employer should treat employees, the same way they are expecting to be treated as an employee.. In a long run, Employers with good ethics and practices makes more money and reputation.. The releationship goes longer only if employer and employee both benefits from it.. Isn't it simple to understand and put it into the practice ?
girlfriend The little doll even pulls out
gapala
05-09 12:30 AM
Guys, when you write to senators/WH/ other officials, Its important to include the reasons for this huge backlog. 1) Wasted visa numbers due to CIS inefficiencies for past decade.
2) Country quota... I believe the visa waste is more of a problem on their side. Also when you highlight a problem, do not just end with problem, quantify with quoting the visa bulletin's memos and other statistics from ombudsman's report.
Important, include a suggested approach to resolution as well.. which is "Recapture the wasted visa numbers and elimination / fixing the dispropotionate of country quota". This will atleast set the precendence to thought process on the fix.
abrupt and emotional emails would not cut it in this protectionist environment created due to job loss and economy. Just a humble suggestion. We have to be a part of solution to housing problem as well.
2) Country quota... I believe the visa waste is more of a problem on their side. Also when you highlight a problem, do not just end with problem, quantify with quoting the visa bulletin's memos and other statistics from ombudsman's report.
Important, include a suggested approach to resolution as well.. which is "Recapture the wasted visa numbers and elimination / fixing the dispropotionate of country quota". This will atleast set the precendence to thought process on the fix.
abrupt and emotional emails would not cut it in this protectionist environment created due to job loss and economy. Just a humble suggestion. We have to be a part of solution to housing problem as well.
hairstyles Get the best deal by making an
eastindia
02-22 09:11 AM
Anyone still depressed?
Then come to lobby day in April or contribute money for it.
Then come to lobby day in April or contribute money for it.
ksiddaba
07-10 07:52 AM
An immigration voice member from DC area must do to the USCIS office to see what's happening to the flowers and take a few pictures while he/she is there.
caydee
07-09 11:16 AM
A news article from San Jose Mercury News...........
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_6331029?nclick_check=1
(apologies for posting this here. I couldnt find the link to News Article Thread - 3. Moderators please move this to the right thread)
IMMIGRATION REFORM'S COLLAPSE GETS FIRMS LOOKING ABROAD
By Frank Davies
MediaNews Washington Bureau
Article Launched: 07/09/2007 01:29:41 AM PDT
WASHINGTON - Reeling from the collapse of a massive immigration bill, major tech firms plan to press for more visas and green cards for foreign workers - one element of the failed legislation - but admit they face political resistance and an uncertain future.
"We face a serious problem this year, Congress knows that, and we just have to keep pushing," said Robert Hoffman, an Oracle lobbyist. He said restrictive caps on H-1B and L visas for skilled workers and the long waiting time for green cards for some were limiting companies' growth and sending some jobs overseas.
But Ralph Hellmann, who lobbied on the Senate bill for the Information Technology Industry trade group, sounded an upbeat note. He said a separate measure increasing visas and green cards "is probably a better product now that we don't have to ride on a compre hensive bill."
Hoffman, who co-chairs Compete America, a coalition of businesses seeking immigration reform, said he hopes to meet with key congressional leaders on the issue, including Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., sponsor of the failed Senate bill, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, the San Jose Democrat who chairs the immigration subcommittee in the House.
"We'll have to see what's in the realm of the doable, whether it's long-term or a stop-gap," Hoffman said.
Lofgren sounded a note of caution Friday, saying progress on any component of the comprehensive bill may be difficult.
"We're in an assessment phase right now, and I don't know what can proceed - that's up to a very diverse group of people in the House and Senate," she said. Other provisions of the failed immigration bill have champions who now see an opening for separate legislation.
Taking separate action
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, said the shortage in farm labor is a crisis that means her "ag jobs" proposal for more foreign workers "should be moved before any other immigration-related legislation."
She said she will work with Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, a co-sponsor, and industry and farmworker groups to push soon for that bill.
Lofgren said "there's a compelling case for the Dream Act," another part of the comprehensive bill that would allow some children of illegal immigrants to achieve legal status and make it easier to enter college or the military.
Several South Bay students last week launched a fast to show their support for the Dream Act, and they demonstrated Tuesday in front of Lofgren's San Jose office.
Immigration hard-liners who oppose any legalization process for undocumented workers said the failure of the Senate bill shows the need to improve border security and workplace enforcement.
Rep. Brian Bilbray, a San Diego Republican who chairs the House Immigration Reform Caucus, said a congressional consensus exists to pursue those goals this year.
Workforce in jeopardy
Meanwhile, thousands of highly skilled visa-holders who filed paperwork last month for green cards had a more immediate problem this week. Because of a dispute between the State Department and Immigration Services, and a huge backlog of applications, they were told no more green cards are available this year.
Large employers, including some in the tech sector, were told this year by the Bush administration to help pass the overall bill to secure some of their key goals. Those include almost doubling the number of H-1B visas to 115,000 a year, exempting 40,000 people with higher degrees from any restrictions, and speeding up the employer-based green card system for workers already here.
With the demise of the bill and uncertainty over future immigration, some California companies may shift operations to other countries, Lofgren said. Microsoft announced plans Thursday to open a software development center in Vancouver, British Columbia, which would "allow the company to recruit and retain highly skilled people affected by the immigration issues in the U.S."
In 2006, Microsoft secured 3,117 H-1B visas for its workers - the third-highest total - according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Lou Gellos, a Microsoft spokesman, said immigration uncertainty was "an issue, but not the defining reason" for opening the Canada center.
Criticism has also mounted over abuses and fraud in the H-1B visa system.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., citing government surveys, said that "job shops" and other brokers were misusing the system to bypass U.S. workers, bring in foreign workers for substandard wages, and outsource some jobs.
"Our immigration policy should seek to complement our U.S. workforce, not replace it," Durbin said last month during the Senate debate.
System left in limbo
After behind-the-scenes negotiations, tech companies acceded to some of the proposals from Durbin and Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, to improve oversight and enforcement of the H-1B program by the Department of Labor. All companies would have to pledge to seek U.S. workers first for openings, and if an employer's visa-holders who are paid entry-level wages exceeded 30 percent of its workforce, a Labor Department audit would be automatic.
That agreement is now in limbo. If a serious push for an increase in visas makes progress, Durbin would want to include his proposals, an aide said.
Hoffman said tech representatives would agree to more enforcement "that is not punitive."
Lofgren, who represents tech executives and workers, said she could support "reforms and changes" in the visa system.
"It needs a good review - I've never thought that just increasing the numbers was in the cards," she said.
Contact Frank Davies at fdavies@mercurynews.com or (202) 662-8921.
http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_6331029?nclick_check=1
(apologies for posting this here. I couldnt find the link to News Article Thread - 3. Moderators please move this to the right thread)
IMMIGRATION REFORM'S COLLAPSE GETS FIRMS LOOKING ABROAD
By Frank Davies
MediaNews Washington Bureau
Article Launched: 07/09/2007 01:29:41 AM PDT
WASHINGTON - Reeling from the collapse of a massive immigration bill, major tech firms plan to press for more visas and green cards for foreign workers - one element of the failed legislation - but admit they face political resistance and an uncertain future.
"We face a serious problem this year, Congress knows that, and we just have to keep pushing," said Robert Hoffman, an Oracle lobbyist. He said restrictive caps on H-1B and L visas for skilled workers and the long waiting time for green cards for some were limiting companies' growth and sending some jobs overseas.
But Ralph Hellmann, who lobbied on the Senate bill for the Information Technology Industry trade group, sounded an upbeat note. He said a separate measure increasing visas and green cards "is probably a better product now that we don't have to ride on a compre hensive bill."
Hoffman, who co-chairs Compete America, a coalition of businesses seeking immigration reform, said he hopes to meet with key congressional leaders on the issue, including Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., sponsor of the failed Senate bill, and Rep. Zoe Lofgren, the San Jose Democrat who chairs the immigration subcommittee in the House.
"We'll have to see what's in the realm of the doable, whether it's long-term or a stop-gap," Hoffman said.
Lofgren sounded a note of caution Friday, saying progress on any component of the comprehensive bill may be difficult.
"We're in an assessment phase right now, and I don't know what can proceed - that's up to a very diverse group of people in the House and Senate," she said. Other provisions of the failed immigration bill have champions who now see an opening for separate legislation.
Taking separate action
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, a California Democrat, said the shortage in farm labor is a crisis that means her "ag jobs" proposal for more foreign workers "should be moved before any other immigration-related legislation."
She said she will work with Sen. Larry Craig, R-Idaho, a co-sponsor, and industry and farmworker groups to push soon for that bill.
Lofgren said "there's a compelling case for the Dream Act," another part of the comprehensive bill that would allow some children of illegal immigrants to achieve legal status and make it easier to enter college or the military.
Several South Bay students last week launched a fast to show their support for the Dream Act, and they demonstrated Tuesday in front of Lofgren's San Jose office.
Immigration hard-liners who oppose any legalization process for undocumented workers said the failure of the Senate bill shows the need to improve border security and workplace enforcement.
Rep. Brian Bilbray, a San Diego Republican who chairs the House Immigration Reform Caucus, said a congressional consensus exists to pursue those goals this year.
Workforce in jeopardy
Meanwhile, thousands of highly skilled visa-holders who filed paperwork last month for green cards had a more immediate problem this week. Because of a dispute between the State Department and Immigration Services, and a huge backlog of applications, they were told no more green cards are available this year.
Large employers, including some in the tech sector, were told this year by the Bush administration to help pass the overall bill to secure some of their key goals. Those include almost doubling the number of H-1B visas to 115,000 a year, exempting 40,000 people with higher degrees from any restrictions, and speeding up the employer-based green card system for workers already here.
With the demise of the bill and uncertainty over future immigration, some California companies may shift operations to other countries, Lofgren said. Microsoft announced plans Thursday to open a software development center in Vancouver, British Columbia, which would "allow the company to recruit and retain highly skilled people affected by the immigration issues in the U.S."
In 2006, Microsoft secured 3,117 H-1B visas for its workers - the third-highest total - according to the Department of Homeland Security.
Lou Gellos, a Microsoft spokesman, said immigration uncertainty was "an issue, but not the defining reason" for opening the Canada center.
Criticism has also mounted over abuses and fraud in the H-1B visa system.
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., citing government surveys, said that "job shops" and other brokers were misusing the system to bypass U.S. workers, bring in foreign workers for substandard wages, and outsource some jobs.
"Our immigration policy should seek to complement our U.S. workforce, not replace it," Durbin said last month during the Senate debate.
System left in limbo
After behind-the-scenes negotiations, tech companies acceded to some of the proposals from Durbin and Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, to improve oversight and enforcement of the H-1B program by the Department of Labor. All companies would have to pledge to seek U.S. workers first for openings, and if an employer's visa-holders who are paid entry-level wages exceeded 30 percent of its workforce, a Labor Department audit would be automatic.
That agreement is now in limbo. If a serious push for an increase in visas makes progress, Durbin would want to include his proposals, an aide said.
Hoffman said tech representatives would agree to more enforcement "that is not punitive."
Lofgren, who represents tech executives and workers, said she could support "reforms and changes" in the visa system.
"It needs a good review - I've never thought that just increasing the numbers was in the cards," she said.
Contact Frank Davies at fdavies@mercurynews.com or (202) 662-8921.
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