Michael chertoff
01-13 01:00 PM
If wishes were wings, pigs would fly
thank you for your kind words. but why are you looking for PIG. are you not happy with your DOG. still we can be friends.
Thanks
MC
thank you for your kind words. but why are you looking for PIG. are you not happy with your DOG. still we can be friends.
Thanks
MC
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Lasantha
02-15 11:48 AM
What Beastia meant was, send your own personal cheques as opposed to getting your employer to send theirs or pay with bank drafts etc. That way like he explained, you will know when USCIS cashed your cheques, and if you have online access to your account you will get to find out your file number way before USCIS sends the receipt notice.
Aslo I belive you have to send seperate cheques for each application. One for 485, seperate one for EAD and another for AP. I don't know if that's a rule but that's how my attorney asked me to send the cheques.
Bestia,
First thanks 4 your advice. We'll send 2 separate cheques, one 4 me and one 4 my husband.Is this what U meant when suggesting 2 send "my own cheque"?
Why do U say I have good chance to have my AOS adjudecated? I really needed to hear that. Can U be more specific? Any idea/guess how long could it take to get GC?
About EAD. I 'm on H4, not working yet, that's why I am eager to get EAD. Do U think that there is no chance to get it within the 90 days? My husband is on H1B an he has I40 already approved. He won't leave his job that's for sure.
What "IV" stands for? Where can I found more about it?
Aslo I belive you have to send seperate cheques for each application. One for 485, seperate one for EAD and another for AP. I don't know if that's a rule but that's how my attorney asked me to send the cheques.
Bestia,
First thanks 4 your advice. We'll send 2 separate cheques, one 4 me and one 4 my husband.Is this what U meant when suggesting 2 send "my own cheque"?
Why do U say I have good chance to have my AOS adjudecated? I really needed to hear that. Can U be more specific? Any idea/guess how long could it take to get GC?
About EAD. I 'm on H4, not working yet, that's why I am eager to get EAD. Do U think that there is no chance to get it within the 90 days? My husband is on H1B an he has I40 already approved. He won't leave his job that's for sure.
What "IV" stands for? Where can I found more about it?
chanduv23
02-13 03:44 PM
Buck up :) We all go through it. I never take it personally. I would definitely be happy if more and more members come forward and help, instead of "missing in action" when needed most.
We would be really happy if new members come up and take initiatives (i am now keeping my messages positive :) ) , more active members, more strength.
participation is contigeous, all we need is some self motivators and self starters to kindle the fire.
As a first step -people can
(1) Openly pledge support
(2) Contact their chapter leaders on their willingness to come forward
(3) Not get influenced by negative vibes
(4) Work towards reqruiting more volunteers.
Can we walk the talk?
We would be really happy if new members come up and take initiatives (i am now keeping my messages positive :) ) , more active members, more strength.
participation is contigeous, all we need is some self motivators and self starters to kindle the fire.
As a first step -people can
(1) Openly pledge support
(2) Contact their chapter leaders on their willingness to come forward
(3) Not get influenced by negative vibes
(4) Work towards reqruiting more volunteers.
Can we walk the talk?
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Ramba
05-11 07:34 PM
It is easy to spit out numbers like this. Do you have independent proof of these? Please don't point us to LTTE run web sites. Provide hard proof if you can.
As for "formerly superior Tamil competitiveness", I am sure what you refer to is, the fact that during the British period, the Tamils were given the lion's share (pardon my pun) of all the civil service and other administrative jobs as part of their divide and Rule policy. When SL gained independence of course, things changed so that formerly discriminated Sinhalese started getting their fair share of thse opportunities. Mind you that Sinhalese are after all 75% of SL. Are you saying it is fair to ask 12% of the population (SL Tamils) to have 50% of all the opportuniies and land and the resources reserved for them???
Panani,
I dont blame you for your post as you are singalese. However, don't try to hide the truth. Your post itself has the answer. British, did not discriminate the singalse. Though, they ruled India and SL, they always respected the skills and knowledge. Thatswhy, tamils were in good position before 1948. SL denied the voting rights to estate Tamils and want to keep them as slaves. 33% Tamils become 20% because of that act, apart from mass killing of Tamils by SL. SL are still doing forced/barbaric sterilization on Tamil women. The undeniable truth is SL did not want to Tamils to overtake them (pollitically, socially, economically,); though they are the natural born citizen of SL.
I certainly blame GOI, for its mercyless view on Tamils, as they are killed in India's Doorstep. I dont blame one guy saying "its shame to carry the Indian passport".
See the wikipedia It wont lie.
There is a sizable population of Tamils in the Central Province, plantation laborers brought down from India by the British colonial authorities in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. These Indian Tamils (or Estate Tamils), as they are called, still work mainly in Sri Lanka�s tea plantations. They have been locked in poverty for generations and continue to experience poor living conditions.[15] Although they speak the same language, they are usually considered a separate community from the Sri Lankan Tamils of the North and East.
The government of D.S. Senanayake passed legislation stripping the estate Tamils of their citizenship in 1949, leaving them stateless.
The effect was to tilt the island's political balance away from the Tamils. In 1948, at independence, the Tamils had 33% of the voting power in Parliament.[citation needed]. Upon the disenfranchisement of the estate Tamils, however, this proportion dropped to 20%. The Sinhalese could and did obtain more than a 2/3 majority in Parliament, making it impossible for Tamils to exercise an effective opposition to Sinhalese policies affecting them. The main reason for the imbalance was that several multi member constituencies elected a Tamil member of Parliament in a majority Sinhala electorate. The idea in having multi member constituencies was to prevent domination of minorities by a future nationalist government.
As for "formerly superior Tamil competitiveness", I am sure what you refer to is, the fact that during the British period, the Tamils were given the lion's share (pardon my pun) of all the civil service and other administrative jobs as part of their divide and Rule policy. When SL gained independence of course, things changed so that formerly discriminated Sinhalese started getting their fair share of thse opportunities. Mind you that Sinhalese are after all 75% of SL. Are you saying it is fair to ask 12% of the population (SL Tamils) to have 50% of all the opportuniies and land and the resources reserved for them???
Panani,
I dont blame you for your post as you are singalese. However, don't try to hide the truth. Your post itself has the answer. British, did not discriminate the singalse. Though, they ruled India and SL, they always respected the skills and knowledge. Thatswhy, tamils were in good position before 1948. SL denied the voting rights to estate Tamils and want to keep them as slaves. 33% Tamils become 20% because of that act, apart from mass killing of Tamils by SL. SL are still doing forced/barbaric sterilization on Tamil women. The undeniable truth is SL did not want to Tamils to overtake them (pollitically, socially, economically,); though they are the natural born citizen of SL.
I certainly blame GOI, for its mercyless view on Tamils, as they are killed in India's Doorstep. I dont blame one guy saying "its shame to carry the Indian passport".
See the wikipedia It wont lie.
There is a sizable population of Tamils in the Central Province, plantation laborers brought down from India by the British colonial authorities in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. These Indian Tamils (or Estate Tamils), as they are called, still work mainly in Sri Lanka�s tea plantations. They have been locked in poverty for generations and continue to experience poor living conditions.[15] Although they speak the same language, they are usually considered a separate community from the Sri Lankan Tamils of the North and East.
The government of D.S. Senanayake passed legislation stripping the estate Tamils of their citizenship in 1949, leaving them stateless.
The effect was to tilt the island's political balance away from the Tamils. In 1948, at independence, the Tamils had 33% of the voting power in Parliament.[citation needed]. Upon the disenfranchisement of the estate Tamils, however, this proportion dropped to 20%. The Sinhalese could and did obtain more than a 2/3 majority in Parliament, making it impossible for Tamils to exercise an effective opposition to Sinhalese policies affecting them. The main reason for the imbalance was that several multi member constituencies elected a Tamil member of Parliament in a majority Sinhala electorate. The idea in having multi member constituencies was to prevent domination of minorities by a future nationalist government.
more...
sodh
01-28 07:28 PM
Thanks for the clarification msyedy, and your valuable time.
bayarea07
07-28 10:37 AM
Good and Fair Thoughts,agree with you.
I was an 'IBO' in the past. did the business for 2 years and quit. so, i am one of those "quitters" as called by up-lines and one of the many reasons why the average monthly income is only $115/year :)
you people are fighting for two totally different reasons
(1) is Amway business illegal for H1Bs? and is Amway business model a ponzi scheme ? been with this business, I can still stand behind the business model - its fair and simple. you just buy from one manufacturer and advertise that to others. if you notice, they are actually advertising Amway Global on national TV. Are the products worth the money you pay is a different subject. can H1Bs do this, i hear yes/no from various sources and that is a separate subject too. this thread is about the bitter experiences and not the business model itself.
(2) Now came BWW (for those of you don't know this term, this is the reason for all your heartaches / broken friendships and bitter experiences).
how do you advertise your product/site ?????
when i joined the business, I have atleast 10 very good friends. I talked to all of them and asked them to understand the business model, and not worry about the advertising part. I took all of them to major conferences (they couldn't say no to me out of friendship and curiosity on what i saw in it despite horror stories) but no one was keen at that time. so, i told them to come and see me when they have some free time and are thinking about making money part-time. no hurry. thats it. no clashes between friends or bad blood. no means no. they are your friends and they will come to you when they are looking. NO HURRY.. thats me.
this is the point where problems start. BWW talks and teaches about doing it NOW. they want us to go through as many people as possible and believe in numbers game. if you show the plan to 100 people, 1 active IBO will join. so, show the plan 3 times a week at-least. that's the motto. when they asked me to go for cold contacting i refused out-right. how can i convince a total stranger when my close friends who believe in me couldn't see it.
most of you are crying foul of people "cold" contacting you with fake smile/friendship while they want you to join the business. but everything has to do with BWW and their methods/CDs/meetings etc. its like a competition. the sooner you grow, they grow. so, they want you to grow as fast as possible. if you have to loose your friends/relatives on the way - your up-lines don't care. they say they are your friends/family. how can that be true ??
to Kushal: I wish you luck with your business. but you have some temper my friend. who are you fighting with ?? folks on an online forum ?? you should know better than to throw stones at someone who doesn't have a name. what are you thinking.. you think you can convince everyone here to believe Amway/quixstar is good ???? seriously ?? only if convincing is that easy ;p
to rest of the team: I know you don't approve the advertising part by randomly meeting people. I didn't do it either and extensive damage is done. people run away from Amway/quixstar like plague because some people want to get rich quick and asked their down-lines to spread the word as fast as they can. "run through people". find 1 person willing to work at the expense of 99 people getting offended by you. word of mouth advertising works both ways. bad publicity spreads faster :)
all I am saying is: people advertised Amway really bad. people hate amway but they should really be mad at BWW and their strategies. it is unfortunate that no one really knows or interested to know what Amway model really is. all they can think of is about horrible experiences of cold contacting and repeated chasing.
again, i am not with this business now but still think its a good model. it is based on word of mouth advertising, franchising, residual income - everything e-commerce (which is a subject taught at some universities). now add some short sighted people to do the teaching and BINGO.. screwed it up big time.
I was an 'IBO' in the past. did the business for 2 years and quit. so, i am one of those "quitters" as called by up-lines and one of the many reasons why the average monthly income is only $115/year :)
you people are fighting for two totally different reasons
(1) is Amway business illegal for H1Bs? and is Amway business model a ponzi scheme ? been with this business, I can still stand behind the business model - its fair and simple. you just buy from one manufacturer and advertise that to others. if you notice, they are actually advertising Amway Global on national TV. Are the products worth the money you pay is a different subject. can H1Bs do this, i hear yes/no from various sources and that is a separate subject too. this thread is about the bitter experiences and not the business model itself.
(2) Now came BWW (for those of you don't know this term, this is the reason for all your heartaches / broken friendships and bitter experiences).
how do you advertise your product/site ?????
when i joined the business, I have atleast 10 very good friends. I talked to all of them and asked them to understand the business model, and not worry about the advertising part. I took all of them to major conferences (they couldn't say no to me out of friendship and curiosity on what i saw in it despite horror stories) but no one was keen at that time. so, i told them to come and see me when they have some free time and are thinking about making money part-time. no hurry. thats it. no clashes between friends or bad blood. no means no. they are your friends and they will come to you when they are looking. NO HURRY.. thats me.
this is the point where problems start. BWW talks and teaches about doing it NOW. they want us to go through as many people as possible and believe in numbers game. if you show the plan to 100 people, 1 active IBO will join. so, show the plan 3 times a week at-least. that's the motto. when they asked me to go for cold contacting i refused out-right. how can i convince a total stranger when my close friends who believe in me couldn't see it.
most of you are crying foul of people "cold" contacting you with fake smile/friendship while they want you to join the business. but everything has to do with BWW and their methods/CDs/meetings etc. its like a competition. the sooner you grow, they grow. so, they want you to grow as fast as possible. if you have to loose your friends/relatives on the way - your up-lines don't care. they say they are your friends/family. how can that be true ??
to Kushal: I wish you luck with your business. but you have some temper my friend. who are you fighting with ?? folks on an online forum ?? you should know better than to throw stones at someone who doesn't have a name. what are you thinking.. you think you can convince everyone here to believe Amway/quixstar is good ???? seriously ?? only if convincing is that easy ;p
to rest of the team: I know you don't approve the advertising part by randomly meeting people. I didn't do it either and extensive damage is done. people run away from Amway/quixstar like plague because some people want to get rich quick and asked their down-lines to spread the word as fast as they can. "run through people". find 1 person willing to work at the expense of 99 people getting offended by you. word of mouth advertising works both ways. bad publicity spreads faster :)
all I am saying is: people advertised Amway really bad. people hate amway but they should really be mad at BWW and their strategies. it is unfortunate that no one really knows or interested to know what Amway model really is. all they can think of is about horrible experiences of cold contacting and repeated chasing.
again, i am not with this business now but still think its a good model. it is based on word of mouth advertising, franchising, residual income - everything e-commerce (which is a subject taught at some universities). now add some short sighted people to do the teaching and BINGO.. screwed it up big time.
more...
saileshdude
05-28 11:35 PM
EB2 and EB3 will be in queue for sometime, fact being the latest fraud by Indian IT firms.
Please read then post comments.
I personally know 7 people who came to US in 2008 via Indian IT firm - designations [Sr Project managers or Program manager]....
Applied for GC under EB1 and every one of them have a GC now....not to mention few MNC's based out in India have done the same...one of my friends who works for an US based consulting firm in Hyd is here in US on H1B [12 months] he has a GC.....EB1
Before it was Labor Substitution cases that caused suffering everyone who is waiting in line for years. Now it is this fraud EB1 cases. I am planning to write to Ombudsman to bring this to the attention of USCIS to process EB1 cases from India with extreme scrutiny.
Indian IT firms make designation as multinational executives where in actuality these people are just bunch of clowns. This needs to be controlled now before we have another year of misuse of EB1 cases. Is IV going to do something to make sure EB1 cases really get scrutinized and are given to only who really deserve it. I think thats one of the things IV should be pushing for.
I am pretty sure Cognizant is one of the companies who is doing this.
Please read then post comments.
I personally know 7 people who came to US in 2008 via Indian IT firm - designations [Sr Project managers or Program manager]....
Applied for GC under EB1 and every one of them have a GC now....not to mention few MNC's based out in India have done the same...one of my friends who works for an US based consulting firm in Hyd is here in US on H1B [12 months] he has a GC.....EB1
Before it was Labor Substitution cases that caused suffering everyone who is waiting in line for years. Now it is this fraud EB1 cases. I am planning to write to Ombudsman to bring this to the attention of USCIS to process EB1 cases from India with extreme scrutiny.
Indian IT firms make designation as multinational executives where in actuality these people are just bunch of clowns. This needs to be controlled now before we have another year of misuse of EB1 cases. Is IV going to do something to make sure EB1 cases really get scrutinized and are given to only who really deserve it. I think thats one of the things IV should be pushing for.
I am pretty sure Cognizant is one of the companies who is doing this.
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sankap
07-13 11:18 AM
Here's an article that appeared in Outlook (India) magazine 8 years ago. Apparently, the situation hasn't changed much since then:
http://outlookindia.com/full.asp?fname=international1&fodname=19990125&sid=1
Canada...The Grass Isn't Greener
Outlook: Jan 25, 1999
It's a dream gone sour. Thousands of Indian immigrants who land up in Canada are, more often than not, greeted with unemployment, racism, culture shocks...
SOHAILA CHARNALIA
"I didn't come here to be a chowkidar. I came here believing it to be a land of opportunity; a country that has never known the nepotism, the corruption, the shortages of India. I find I have only substituted one country for another... certainly not one set of values for another, as I hoped. " For Dr Gurdial Singh Dhillon, who was made to believe his qualifications would land him a good job fast, Canada was a real disappointment. When he did find work, it was that of a security guard. This, when the United Nations has declared Canada the best country to live in.
Some 200,000 people migrate to Canada every year, a majority from Asia. Hong Kong heads the list, followed by India, China, Taiwan and the Philippines. According to the Citizenship & Immigration Canada report, 21,249 Indians migrated to Canada in 1996 alone. (The high commission in Delhi, however, put the figure at 17,682). For many of them, especially those who are qualified professionals, dreams die fast. The life they face is never quite as rosy as made out by money-raking immigration lawyers.
Is the UN report the only reason for the increase in Indian applications for immigration? That, and the fact that it is easier to get entry into Canada than any other western country, says a Delhi-based immigration lawyer. Also, the fastest way of getting immigration to the US is through Canada.
Dhillon's disappointment is echoed by others. "I should have done my own homework before I applied", rues Aparna Shirodhkar, an architect from Mumbai, working as a saleswoman in a department store. "My husband is unemployed. I am the sole earner for a family of four. Sometimes I feel like running back". For Raheela Wasim, who's gone from being a schoolteacher in India to a telemarketer here, the experience was very discouraging, very disheartening. "I started losing confidence in myself. I felt I was not capable of the job market here".
Jobs are the sore point with Indian immigrants. The irony is, they are often more qualified than their Canadian peers, yet they end up with either no work, or with entry-level jobs that have no future. "I was not told that you require a Canadian degree to get a job here", says Paramjeet Parmar, a postgraduate in biochemistry from Bombay University. Parmar works as a telemarketer, which has turned her from an elite professional to an unskilled, daily wage labourer. Ditto Opinder Khosla, a mechanical engineer from India, who has ended up as a salesman. "I found it difficult to even get an interview call", he says. The Canadian authorities are non-committal about the social and economic devaluation that the country imposes on immigrants.
"You can't come thinking you can just walk in and get a job in your profession", says Isabel Basset, minister of citizenship, culture and recreation, responsible for handling immigrants' woes in Canada's largest province, Ontario. But she admits that the licensing bodies regulating the professions need to be more accepting of people trained elsewhere.
That effort could only come from the government, argues Demetrius Oriopolis, co-author of Access, a government-commissioned report on assessing qualifications of newcomers, a 10-year-old report whose recommendations have still to be implemented. The report suggests certain rules of equivalence should be made binding on the regulatory bodies, which are exclusionist by nature.
But Basset won't even hear of making the regulatory bodies accountable: "We believe in private enterprise with a minimum of government checks. Besides, she argues, the exercise would cost millions of dollars".
Needless to say, the organisations are gleeful. Only professional bodies have the ability to determine what constitutes competence in a particular profession, was the cold response of the spokesperson for the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, an institution that's responsible for the unemployment as well as under-employment of hundreds of qualified chartered accountants from India. They do not grant licences for professional practice, because Indian qualifications are not acceptable.
"What kind of society are we creating? Is it a new form of slavery?" asks an irate Bhausaheb Ubale, Canada's former human rights commissioner. Qualified immigrants work as drivers, guards. If this isn't job discrimination, what is? Dr Ubale lobbied intensely before Indians were accepted in the media. They now hold jobs as reporters and anchors, he says, but a lot more has to be done.
While skilled men may not be able to find jobs, their less qualified wives find it easier because they accept whatever comes their way. In several cases, the wives earn and support their husbands who are busy upgrading themselves, by studying for a Canadian degree. The working wife sometimes slogs away at three jobs. Sumitra starts at 7 am at her first job, teaching immigrants English; her second job as telemarketer starts at 4 pm. She gets back home around 8 pm, after which she begins selling cosmetics and household goods door to door. Till midnight. Sumitra supports three students, her husband and two school-going children.
The other problems Indians face here are the high taxes, high mortgage payments for new homes and the sort of hidebound laws that the benign anarchy back home hardly prepares them for. "You can't run a red light, you can't escape from a hit-and-run site even if you are just the witness, you can't smoke in public. Too many rules, so different from home", says Harminder Singh.
Two 'Indian' practices that do exist here, however, cause immigrants the maximum trouble. They are sifarish baazi (nepotism) and mufat ka kaam (free work). The Canadians, of course, have given them sophisticated terminologies, the former is referred to as 'networking' and the latter, 'volunteerism'. In a country where you are never encouraged to 'drop in' to meet someone, where the fax, the computer or the phone is used to complete most transactions, a job-seeking immigrant often has the phone put down on him. Polite but firm secretaries block access, unless the caller can drop a magic name that can help him gain entry. It takes at least a year for even the most enterprising immigrant to get to know somebody who can help him, before he can get a job at all.
'Networking' goes hand in hand with 'volunteerism'. Many immigrants put in a year of free service before they are given the job. Most writers and anchors of Asian origin are given only part-time jobs, paid by assignment and with no fringe benefits. The company insists on the word 'freelance' on their business cards, to make it clear they have not been hired by the company, and hence can't demand higher pay or any benefits. They can, and often are, fired at will.
Perhaps the greatest problem in Canada is the one that is least articulated--racism. According to a diversity report on Toronto (said to be the most ethnically diverse city in the world), the year 2000 will see its minority becoming its majority that is, 54 per cent of Toronto's population by the end of the millennium will be non-Whites. Keeping that in mind, it warned, if the discrimination against them in education, employment, income and housing, or incidents of hate are not addressed, it will lead to a growing sense of frustration.
"All our problems exist because of racism", sums up Anita Ferrao, who works in a firm. Anita has worked for them for three years and has got neither promotion nor raise. "As an Indian immigrant, you can never reach the top. They'll see to that. It's better to bring in some money here and start a business. It's the only way you'll do well here and be respected. "
But then if life is so tough here, why do people give up everything back home and come? The answer is the rosy picture of North America, inculcated right from childhood. Everything 'American' is considered superior. Better food, better homes, better life.
Each potential immigrant pays at least Rs 2 lakh chasing that dream. Multiply that by the thousands of Indians admitted each year, and further, by the number of immigrants accepted from all over the world, and you hit upon the most lucrative business today in Canada. According to a leading White immigration lawyer here, who prefers to remain anonymous, his own fee is 8,000 Canadian dollars, which comes to Rs 2,38,000. The government levies extra charges.
What do immigration lawyers advice potential immigrants? "Do your homework, before deciding to go ahead with your application. Arm yourself with facts about Canada. And when you do apply, stick to the truth yourself. You won't be in for unpleasant surprises, then. The rest is up to one's initiative and optimism." Indians need that, says one lawyer, as many of them fall into depression: the changes are just too much. But, he clarifies, Canada is the best. Where else will you find a land of opportunity, that still cares about its people? That's what the Indians come looking for. And haven't discovered yet.
http://outlookindia.com/full.asp?fname=international1&fodname=19990125&sid=1
Canada...The Grass Isn't Greener
Outlook: Jan 25, 1999
It's a dream gone sour. Thousands of Indian immigrants who land up in Canada are, more often than not, greeted with unemployment, racism, culture shocks...
SOHAILA CHARNALIA
"I didn't come here to be a chowkidar. I came here believing it to be a land of opportunity; a country that has never known the nepotism, the corruption, the shortages of India. I find I have only substituted one country for another... certainly not one set of values for another, as I hoped. " For Dr Gurdial Singh Dhillon, who was made to believe his qualifications would land him a good job fast, Canada was a real disappointment. When he did find work, it was that of a security guard. This, when the United Nations has declared Canada the best country to live in.
Some 200,000 people migrate to Canada every year, a majority from Asia. Hong Kong heads the list, followed by India, China, Taiwan and the Philippines. According to the Citizenship & Immigration Canada report, 21,249 Indians migrated to Canada in 1996 alone. (The high commission in Delhi, however, put the figure at 17,682). For many of them, especially those who are qualified professionals, dreams die fast. The life they face is never quite as rosy as made out by money-raking immigration lawyers.
Is the UN report the only reason for the increase in Indian applications for immigration? That, and the fact that it is easier to get entry into Canada than any other western country, says a Delhi-based immigration lawyer. Also, the fastest way of getting immigration to the US is through Canada.
Dhillon's disappointment is echoed by others. "I should have done my own homework before I applied", rues Aparna Shirodhkar, an architect from Mumbai, working as a saleswoman in a department store. "My husband is unemployed. I am the sole earner for a family of four. Sometimes I feel like running back". For Raheela Wasim, who's gone from being a schoolteacher in India to a telemarketer here, the experience was very discouraging, very disheartening. "I started losing confidence in myself. I felt I was not capable of the job market here".
Jobs are the sore point with Indian immigrants. The irony is, they are often more qualified than their Canadian peers, yet they end up with either no work, or with entry-level jobs that have no future. "I was not told that you require a Canadian degree to get a job here", says Paramjeet Parmar, a postgraduate in biochemistry from Bombay University. Parmar works as a telemarketer, which has turned her from an elite professional to an unskilled, daily wage labourer. Ditto Opinder Khosla, a mechanical engineer from India, who has ended up as a salesman. "I found it difficult to even get an interview call", he says. The Canadian authorities are non-committal about the social and economic devaluation that the country imposes on immigrants.
"You can't come thinking you can just walk in and get a job in your profession", says Isabel Basset, minister of citizenship, culture and recreation, responsible for handling immigrants' woes in Canada's largest province, Ontario. But she admits that the licensing bodies regulating the professions need to be more accepting of people trained elsewhere.
That effort could only come from the government, argues Demetrius Oriopolis, co-author of Access, a government-commissioned report on assessing qualifications of newcomers, a 10-year-old report whose recommendations have still to be implemented. The report suggests certain rules of equivalence should be made binding on the regulatory bodies, which are exclusionist by nature.
But Basset won't even hear of making the regulatory bodies accountable: "We believe in private enterprise with a minimum of government checks. Besides, she argues, the exercise would cost millions of dollars".
Needless to say, the organisations are gleeful. Only professional bodies have the ability to determine what constitutes competence in a particular profession, was the cold response of the spokesperson for the Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants, an institution that's responsible for the unemployment as well as under-employment of hundreds of qualified chartered accountants from India. They do not grant licences for professional practice, because Indian qualifications are not acceptable.
"What kind of society are we creating? Is it a new form of slavery?" asks an irate Bhausaheb Ubale, Canada's former human rights commissioner. Qualified immigrants work as drivers, guards. If this isn't job discrimination, what is? Dr Ubale lobbied intensely before Indians were accepted in the media. They now hold jobs as reporters and anchors, he says, but a lot more has to be done.
While skilled men may not be able to find jobs, their less qualified wives find it easier because they accept whatever comes their way. In several cases, the wives earn and support their husbands who are busy upgrading themselves, by studying for a Canadian degree. The working wife sometimes slogs away at three jobs. Sumitra starts at 7 am at her first job, teaching immigrants English; her second job as telemarketer starts at 4 pm. She gets back home around 8 pm, after which she begins selling cosmetics and household goods door to door. Till midnight. Sumitra supports three students, her husband and two school-going children.
The other problems Indians face here are the high taxes, high mortgage payments for new homes and the sort of hidebound laws that the benign anarchy back home hardly prepares them for. "You can't run a red light, you can't escape from a hit-and-run site even if you are just the witness, you can't smoke in public. Too many rules, so different from home", says Harminder Singh.
Two 'Indian' practices that do exist here, however, cause immigrants the maximum trouble. They are sifarish baazi (nepotism) and mufat ka kaam (free work). The Canadians, of course, have given them sophisticated terminologies, the former is referred to as 'networking' and the latter, 'volunteerism'. In a country where you are never encouraged to 'drop in' to meet someone, where the fax, the computer or the phone is used to complete most transactions, a job-seeking immigrant often has the phone put down on him. Polite but firm secretaries block access, unless the caller can drop a magic name that can help him gain entry. It takes at least a year for even the most enterprising immigrant to get to know somebody who can help him, before he can get a job at all.
'Networking' goes hand in hand with 'volunteerism'. Many immigrants put in a year of free service before they are given the job. Most writers and anchors of Asian origin are given only part-time jobs, paid by assignment and with no fringe benefits. The company insists on the word 'freelance' on their business cards, to make it clear they have not been hired by the company, and hence can't demand higher pay or any benefits. They can, and often are, fired at will.
Perhaps the greatest problem in Canada is the one that is least articulated--racism. According to a diversity report on Toronto (said to be the most ethnically diverse city in the world), the year 2000 will see its minority becoming its majority that is, 54 per cent of Toronto's population by the end of the millennium will be non-Whites. Keeping that in mind, it warned, if the discrimination against them in education, employment, income and housing, or incidents of hate are not addressed, it will lead to a growing sense of frustration.
"All our problems exist because of racism", sums up Anita Ferrao, who works in a firm. Anita has worked for them for three years and has got neither promotion nor raise. "As an Indian immigrant, you can never reach the top. They'll see to that. It's better to bring in some money here and start a business. It's the only way you'll do well here and be respected. "
But then if life is so tough here, why do people give up everything back home and come? The answer is the rosy picture of North America, inculcated right from childhood. Everything 'American' is considered superior. Better food, better homes, better life.
Each potential immigrant pays at least Rs 2 lakh chasing that dream. Multiply that by the thousands of Indians admitted each year, and further, by the number of immigrants accepted from all over the world, and you hit upon the most lucrative business today in Canada. According to a leading White immigration lawyer here, who prefers to remain anonymous, his own fee is 8,000 Canadian dollars, which comes to Rs 2,38,000. The government levies extra charges.
What do immigration lawyers advice potential immigrants? "Do your homework, before deciding to go ahead with your application. Arm yourself with facts about Canada. And when you do apply, stick to the truth yourself. You won't be in for unpleasant surprises, then. The rest is up to one's initiative and optimism." Indians need that, says one lawyer, as many of them fall into depression: the changes are just too much. But, he clarifies, Canada is the best. Where else will you find a land of opportunity, that still cares about its people? That's what the Indians come looking for. And haven't discovered yet.
more...
hopefulgc
02-14 08:10 PM
thats bull.... disclosure is not requored.... my dog is a member of six professional canine associations ... does he have to bark it all up.
[QUOTE=GCwaitforever;223430]
Yes, I guess so. If the drink raw milk club is a registered orginization.
Disclosure : I am not a lawyer, please check with your legal ......no just save that money for a rainy day
:)
[QUOTE=GCwaitforever;223430]
Yes, I guess so. If the drink raw milk club is a registered orginization.
Disclosure : I am not a lawyer, please check with your legal ......no just save that money for a rainy day
:)
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samay
07-14 07:09 AM
Dear Sir / Madam,
I am currently on OPT which is valid till July 2009. Also, my H1-B is approved through a company X starting oct 2008. Currently I got a job with company Y on my OPT. Can I continue to work on my OPT with company Y till July 2009? OR Do I need to transfer my H1B to company Y to be able to continue to work after Oct 2008?
Regards
Swetha.
You do need to transfer your H-1 B to company Y in order to work after Oct.2008.
I am currently on OPT which is valid till July 2009. Also, my H1-B is approved through a company X starting oct 2008. Currently I got a job with company Y on my OPT. Can I continue to work on my OPT with company Y till July 2009? OR Do I need to transfer my H1B to company Y to be able to continue to work after Oct 2008?
Regards
Swetha.
You do need to transfer your H-1 B to company Y in order to work after Oct.2008.
more...
go_guy123
06-12 12:01 AM
"Now with this huge deluge of immigrants, especially from the desi consulting companies, I feel that my quality of life is getting adversely impacted. Do not rush to conclusions that I am anti Indian or anti immigrant. 12 years back when I first got my H1 visa, the requirements to qualify were strict. "
i am not interested in giving red or blue dots but i do hope your citizenship application gets stuck in a processing delay, you too will then realize the implication of your so called Darwinian flush :rolleyes: As they say...when it happens to others its a recession, when it happens to you it turns into a depression...good luck..
I hope your post did not imply that the ones who got GC's were the 'brightest and the best'.
citizenship application is actually speeded up when democratic party is in power
i am not interested in giving red or blue dots but i do hope your citizenship application gets stuck in a processing delay, you too will then realize the implication of your so called Darwinian flush :rolleyes: As they say...when it happens to others its a recession, when it happens to you it turns into a depression...good luck..
I hope your post did not imply that the ones who got GC's were the 'brightest and the best'.
citizenship application is actually speeded up when democratic party is in power
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NolaIndian32
10-29 05:09 PM
This makes sense, exempt those who can buy a house or continue to own a house from the current VISA bulletin. Is this feasible, who knows!?!
Giving GC's for buying home seems toomuch biased and benefits only a subset of EB, and totally shifts the basis of the EB category.
On the other hand, if their visas can be exempted from the visa numbers(annual quota), but still tied to the visa dates being current for their priority dates, this will benefit the entire community and law makers can justify the approach without stiff oppositions, if any. To me this feels lot more reasonable and everyone(EB applicants) will evenly benefit from this.
Almost 20-30% of the Eb appl. from 2001-2005 should be already in a position to buy or bought a home. That should help dates move faster for older dates.
Just a thought. But this alone will NOT resolve all our issues and backlogs. Just speedsup the date movement in a steadily manner.
Giving GC's for buying home seems toomuch biased and benefits only a subset of EB, and totally shifts the basis of the EB category.
On the other hand, if their visas can be exempted from the visa numbers(annual quota), but still tied to the visa dates being current for their priority dates, this will benefit the entire community and law makers can justify the approach without stiff oppositions, if any. To me this feels lot more reasonable and everyone(EB applicants) will evenly benefit from this.
Almost 20-30% of the Eb appl. from 2001-2005 should be already in a position to buy or bought a home. That should help dates move faster for older dates.
Just a thought. But this alone will NOT resolve all our issues and backlogs. Just speedsup the date movement in a steadily manner.
more...
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Ramba
05-12 12:26 AM
I am an Indian and my native tongue is not Tamil. I donot consider the issue in Srilanka as Tamil issue. I don't consider it as Indian issue either. I consider it as Srilankan issue.
Hope this addresses some of your questions.
Being a NRI in US, your conclusion is it is a SL issue, not a India issue. This is because you enjoy freedom, safety and opportunity in USA, even though you are just a non-immigrant in USA. Hope it will continue. If your job, safety, security, life becomes danger here, then do not get help from India or Indian consulate in USA; because it is a "US issue" as per your logic.
Hope this addresses some of your questions.
Being a NRI in US, your conclusion is it is a SL issue, not a India issue. This is because you enjoy freedom, safety and opportunity in USA, even though you are just a non-immigrant in USA. Hope it will continue. If your job, safety, security, life becomes danger here, then do not get help from India or Indian consulate in USA; because it is a "US issue" as per your logic.
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deba
07-03 05:04 PM
I am India EB2. Labor cleared 2 years back, I140 cleared more than 1.5 years back and I485 pending for more than a year. Have EAD and AP.
Currently continuing under same employer with I797 valid till Dec/2008. I will complete 6 years of H1 in Dec.
I would like to change to a new employer with a new H1.
I believe I am eligible for a 3 year extension based on above conditions.
My question: After I get a new H1 and invoke AC21, but supposing old employer withdraws I140, what happens to the new H1?
Since it is to be issued for 3 years based on labor/I140 cleared etc., what will be the situation if the underlying I140 is withdrawn by original sponsoring employer?
Currently continuing under same employer with I797 valid till Dec/2008. I will complete 6 years of H1 in Dec.
I would like to change to a new employer with a new H1.
I believe I am eligible for a 3 year extension based on above conditions.
My question: After I get a new H1 and invoke AC21, but supposing old employer withdraws I140, what happens to the new H1?
Since it is to be issued for 3 years based on labor/I140 cleared etc., what will be the situation if the underlying I140 is withdrawn by original sponsoring employer?
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Bpositive
07-22 09:17 PM
I am the primary application on my I-485 EB2. I have a valid AP. With the massive time it is taking to get the GC, I am considering working in India - with same employer; same salary. Can I do it and come back into the US while AP is valid?
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samay
07-28 04:12 PM
Question for Lawyer or Senior Members of Forum:
Dear Sir/Madam,
I myself is currently in H1B and my wife on H4. We both have EAD and AP which we�re never activated since we had our H1 and H4 and my wife has not started working.
She should be starting work very soon and hence we would like to renew her EAD and AP. Also as part of her new job she needs to travel oustide US. So the question I had is whether she can travel outside US on her currenty valid AP with the application for renewal of AP/EAD in processing with USCIS.
Thank You All for Your Help
/COLOR]
Regards,
Josh
[COLOR="Blue"]
Yes -so long as the AP is still valid.
Dear Sir/Madam,
I myself is currently in H1B and my wife on H4. We both have EAD and AP which we�re never activated since we had our H1 and H4 and my wife has not started working.
She should be starting work very soon and hence we would like to renew her EAD and AP. Also as part of her new job she needs to travel oustide US. So the question I had is whether she can travel outside US on her currenty valid AP with the application for renewal of AP/EAD in processing with USCIS.
Thank You All for Your Help
/COLOR]
Regards,
Josh
[COLOR="Blue"]
Yes -so long as the AP is still valid.
more...
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MYGC2008
09-14 03:50 PM
Do we know the exact Approved EB2 Labors for INDIA. (Year 2005 means Oct 2004 to Sept 2005). because PERM is introdiced in mid 2005.This is Critical
Also I have a question: Does Prevailing Wage Level determine the EB Category? (EB2 Prevailing Wage Type = Level II) If this assumption is correct then for 2006 (Oct 1 2005 to Sept 2006) there are 11000 approved EB2 INDIA Labors.
Also I have a question: Does Prevailing Wage Level determine the EB Category? (EB2 Prevailing Wage Type = Level II) If this assumption is correct then for 2006 (Oct 1 2005 to Sept 2006) there are 11000 approved EB2 INDIA Labors.
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hydboy77
06-01 12:28 PM
You are 100% correct, all this pre-adjudication is a nonsense, knowing how uscis does things does anybody believe USCIS will not issue EVL in future, offcourse they will, how else can they justify there existence to continue recieving there salaries and pensions. This is such a joke, the whole idea of pre adjudicating would be that all the processing is done and when the date becomes current they can just pick the file and assign the visa number and issue the green card. But they will not do that, they will tinker with the application and issue an Employment verification letter, they will redo background check, they will ask for finger prints again........unending nightmare, I am not being synical just telling from past USCIS actions.
If we cannot get visa recapture, if we cannot get removal of country quota atleast we should ask for an administrative fix where once the application is pre adjudicated the applicant should be left alone and not issed any Employment verification letter rfe, or semilar\same job proof if they are back logged because of country quota and face multiple year wait, this way atleast it will give people some breating space, the way the system if set up right now, EAD, 485 pre adjudication, I140 approval are all useless if you keep getting Employment verification letter rfe and same semilar job rquirement. Without visa recapure it is going to take atleast 10 years for Eb3 and Eb2 india (eb2 priority date after Mid 2003), in the next 10 years you will keep getting Employement verifivation letter rfe and semilar and same job requirement, there is no way anybody can survive that for 10 yeears.
So guys and gals what do you think about it, maybe we are looking at it the wrong way, instead of visa recapture (I am not saying we should abandon visa recapture) we should also try for exemption of cases which have been preadjucated (485) from Employment verification letter RFE and same and semilar job requirement. Atleast this way even if it takes 10 years to get green card people will not have nightmares of being kicked out any time and with the stability they will invest in buying a house and spending which will stumulate the economy. Its a win win for everyone, for us EB immigrants, for the economy and also easy to fix as an administative fix. We have simpathetic people in Zoe Lofgren (Chair - Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law ) she was instrumental in forcing USCIS to reverse there decision during the july 2007 fiasco and accept the 485 application. We also have Charles Schummer. It is not that big a deal to ask for exemption of cases which have been preadjucated (485) from Employment verification letter RFE and sam and semilar job requirement, there are people with from other counries who have got a green card in a coule of months to 1 or 2 years whereas people from India are waiting with priority dates from 2000 and 2001. Once you get a green card you are exmpted from any rfe or same and semilar job requirement, it takes more than twice the time to get a green card for a person from India that to get a citizenship for a person from ROW. because of the long delays with us being in this process for multiple years and having to wait another 10 years for green card we should request for rfe exmeption for pre adjudicated 485 applications. I am sure we will get a sympathetic ear from Zoe Lofgren and like minded lawmakers. These Employment verification letter RFE and same and semilar job requirement were not framed assuming it takes a person from India 10+ years to get a green card. There were framed assuming it takles 2 to 3 years to get a green card.
Lets be creative and try to work around the problem if we cannot resolve the problem directly, if we dont ask how will the lawmakers know this problem can be resolved by removing EVL RFE and same and semilar job requirement.
It is very likely that these pre-adjudicated cases may be revisited for further processing in future for cases with more recent priority dates. This is just my opinion based on the fact of the predicted slow movement of EB-I priority dates in coming months and next fiscal year. Since so many AOS applicant have been pre-adjudicated , EVL RFE may be issued in future for cases who are pre-adjudicated now but their PD will only become current after 2, 3 or 4 years. This may be to verify that the applicant still has job offer at that time when visa becomes available. So I guess pre-adjudicating application, does it really make sense for later PDs? Any comments on this by other members?
If we cannot get visa recapture, if we cannot get removal of country quota atleast we should ask for an administrative fix where once the application is pre adjudicated the applicant should be left alone and not issed any Employment verification letter rfe, or semilar\same job proof if they are back logged because of country quota and face multiple year wait, this way atleast it will give people some breating space, the way the system if set up right now, EAD, 485 pre adjudication, I140 approval are all useless if you keep getting Employment verification letter rfe and same semilar job rquirement. Without visa recapure it is going to take atleast 10 years for Eb3 and Eb2 india (eb2 priority date after Mid 2003), in the next 10 years you will keep getting Employement verifivation letter rfe and semilar and same job requirement, there is no way anybody can survive that for 10 yeears.
So guys and gals what do you think about it, maybe we are looking at it the wrong way, instead of visa recapture (I am not saying we should abandon visa recapture) we should also try for exemption of cases which have been preadjucated (485) from Employment verification letter RFE and same and semilar job requirement. Atleast this way even if it takes 10 years to get green card people will not have nightmares of being kicked out any time and with the stability they will invest in buying a house and spending which will stumulate the economy. Its a win win for everyone, for us EB immigrants, for the economy and also easy to fix as an administative fix. We have simpathetic people in Zoe Lofgren (Chair - Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law ) she was instrumental in forcing USCIS to reverse there decision during the july 2007 fiasco and accept the 485 application. We also have Charles Schummer. It is not that big a deal to ask for exemption of cases which have been preadjucated (485) from Employment verification letter RFE and sam and semilar job requirement, there are people with from other counries who have got a green card in a coule of months to 1 or 2 years whereas people from India are waiting with priority dates from 2000 and 2001. Once you get a green card you are exmpted from any rfe or same and semilar job requirement, it takes more than twice the time to get a green card for a person from India that to get a citizenship for a person from ROW. because of the long delays with us being in this process for multiple years and having to wait another 10 years for green card we should request for rfe exmeption for pre adjudicated 485 applications. I am sure we will get a sympathetic ear from Zoe Lofgren and like minded lawmakers. These Employment verification letter RFE and same and semilar job requirement were not framed assuming it takes a person from India 10+ years to get a green card. There were framed assuming it takles 2 to 3 years to get a green card.
Lets be creative and try to work around the problem if we cannot resolve the problem directly, if we dont ask how will the lawmakers know this problem can be resolved by removing EVL RFE and same and semilar job requirement.
It is very likely that these pre-adjudicated cases may be revisited for further processing in future for cases with more recent priority dates. This is just my opinion based on the fact of the predicted slow movement of EB-I priority dates in coming months and next fiscal year. Since so many AOS applicant have been pre-adjudicated , EVL RFE may be issued in future for cases who are pre-adjudicated now but their PD will only become current after 2, 3 or 4 years. This may be to verify that the applicant still has job offer at that time when visa becomes available. So I guess pre-adjudicating application, does it really make sense for later PDs? Any comments on this by other members?
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msp1976
02-18 10:12 PM
I understand that there is concern about people from visitor visa category (Tourist B1 B2)would be filing for green cards and that shall cause the retrogression to be perpetual...a few adjustments to the applicable statute can rectify that...
hiralal
06-03 06:20 PM
Where does one contribute to said lawsuit? If someone is willing to lead the effort, I'm willing to contribute a little money.
no idea ..to quote the Indian ambassador ..we are running and discussing like headless chicken .. why can't we have several small simultaneous campaigns ?? I guess it is time to take a vacation and come back to the forum after few days
no idea ..to quote the Indian ambassador ..we are running and discussing like headless chicken .. why can't we have several small simultaneous campaigns ?? I guess it is time to take a vacation and come back to the forum after few days
h1techSlave
12-08 10:03 AM
Pinto, I strongly support your idea.
I guess many have given up and many are just trying to hang on to their jobs ..but don't give up ..just think about the peace of mind that a GC gives ..no more headaches from lawyers, USCIS, RFE's, employers, DL etc ..at the very least comment on this idea but before you dismiss it come up with a better idea (it is very stupid of people who just criticize but don't come up with alternative ideas).
----------------
what if all immigrants and members were to call their local realtors - show interest in buying a house and once the realtor is interested ..tell her / him that you are postponing your home buying decision since the green card has got delayed ..and maybe ask him / her to tell the NAR (national realtor agency) to speak about speeding green cards to legal immigrants who are already here ??
...if people are motivated then maybe we can do media campaign too ..
------
the above idea does not need any money / members can do it from the comfort of their homes ..please comment and either support this or come up with better idea ..Thanks in advance !!!
(if the idea sounds good ..then all members can spread the word in their community - i.e. temples, churches, local potlucks, subdivision, apartment, AMWAY meetings etc etc ..at the very least IV membership will increase)
I guess many have given up and many are just trying to hang on to their jobs ..but don't give up ..just think about the peace of mind that a GC gives ..no more headaches from lawyers, USCIS, RFE's, employers, DL etc ..at the very least comment on this idea but before you dismiss it come up with a better idea (it is very stupid of people who just criticize but don't come up with alternative ideas).
----------------
what if all immigrants and members were to call their local realtors - show interest in buying a house and once the realtor is interested ..tell her / him that you are postponing your home buying decision since the green card has got delayed ..and maybe ask him / her to tell the NAR (national realtor agency) to speak about speeding green cards to legal immigrants who are already here ??
...if people are motivated then maybe we can do media campaign too ..
------
the above idea does not need any money / members can do it from the comfort of their homes ..please comment and either support this or come up with better idea ..Thanks in advance !!!
(if the idea sounds good ..then all members can spread the word in their community - i.e. temples, churches, local potlucks, subdivision, apartment, AMWAY meetings etc etc ..at the very least IV membership will increase)
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